Declawing A Cat

Should You Declaw Your Cat?

As you begin to read through this informative article, give each point a chance to sink in before you move on to the next. Cats are born with claws, the same way that humans are born with fingernails and toe nails.

Cats need claws in order to mark or scratch a specific place or territory that they have been in. Humans need finger nails to, scratch themselves or others, or for opening a letter envelope. Cats basically stretch their agile bodies in order to prepare their muscles when they dig their claws deeply into wood perhaps or a tree, and then they pull back from their hold. Scratching is a basic physiological need of cats. To claw or declaw, that is the question!

So do cats need to be declawed? If cat owners truly care for the welfare of their cats, they would have to think twice on declawing their cats.

Declawing, what is it?

Declawing is done by taking away all the front claws of a cat. In a way this procedure is equal to the amputation of all the finger tips of a human being. For cats this surgery is painful and, for someone who is walking on all fours, terribly unnecessary.

Though the recovery of declawed cats may only take a few weeks or so, its physical and psychological effects could last a cat's lifetime.

The following are the possible results once a cat has been declawed.

Ouch, ouch and ouch:

Immediately after surgery, declawed cats suffer severe pain, though it is quite impossible to gauge how much pain they are experiencing. Declawed cats could be considered as amputees. Cats usually try to go on with their cat lives even with pain unless the pain eventually becomes unbearable. Although they may look and act normal does not mean they are free from aches.

Complications after the surgery:

After the surgery, declawed cats usually experience one of the following post-surgery effects: presence of abscess, feelings of lameness, claw re-growth. Based on studies performed on declawed cats, it has been found that twenty five percent of them develop various complications. The same result has been found on cats who went under tenectomy. This is also a form of surgery that is currently being offered as an alternative to declawing. It is called this because only the tendons extended on the toes are the ones amputated.

Stiffness of the joints:

Cats that are declawed experience stiffness of the joints since the tendons that manipulate the toes retract because of the surgery. As time goes by, these same joints freeze and ultimately they will no longer be able to extend their toes.

It has been thought though that cats really do not miss their claws since they also "scratch" continually even if they no longer have anything to scratch with. However, this act is really the cats' way to stretch those frozen joints.

Catarthritis:

Believe it or not, research shows that declawed cats immediately shift the weight of their bodies to the back and onto the larger pad in the front of their feet, away from their toes. The result is still evident despite giving these cats strong anti-pain relievers. If such an effect continues after declawing, the cat will ultimately stress its own joints in the leg, its spine and eventually suffer from arthritis.

Cats who cannot claw, bite:

Since the natural instinct of cats is to claw especially when threatened or scared, in the absence of claws cats are forced to resort to another form of defense - their teeth. Declawed cats that are aggressive naturally are more prone to biting.

Declawed cats have no "nine lives".

There is a serious risk of death for cats that are declawed. Death could be brought on by the anesthesia they received, or any complications in surgery or hemorrhage.

Declawed cats that resort to biting run the risk of being abandoned by their owners. These cats could then be put in a shelter, and since they turn to biting, the probability of being adopted becomes slim. Usually un-adoptable cats are put to sleep or they are used to train dogs to fight usually as bait.

In summary, cats are extremely and highly trainable to be taught to use a post for scratching instead of common household furniture, rugs or curtains. Though declawing cats is one of the options a cat owner can take, it is basically an unkind and a very animal-unfriendly thing to do.

It all depends on the cat owner whether Kitty is more (or less than) valuable than that expensive Italian rug - the choice is theirs. Understanding this article is a good way to fully appreciate the complexity of this subject.

Ken Charnely is webmaster at two of Internet's popular article directories. For more articles on this topic and for free content for your website visit ArticleTeller.com and ContentWOW.com

Does this seem cruel to anyone else?
I have always felt that declawing a cat was a unfair thing to do to a cat but a few years ago when my daughter became a vet tech i found out that when they declaw a cat they actually amputate the cats paws up to the first knuckle. Now that seems just down right cruel to the cat because that is like having our fingers amputated at the first knuckle just to stop our fingernails from growing and scratching things. Does anyone else feel the same way about this?

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does anyone think declawing a cat is cruel?
a friend of mine has a indoor cat she has got her cats claws removed to protect her furniture it just doesn't sit well with me

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Information about Declawing. Facts ONLY!?
Seriously I only want facts and don't yell at me 'kay? I'm 14 and my DAD is getting our kitten declawed. I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OVER THIS DECISION! I just want the facts. I have friends at school who have declawed cats and some that are against it. The ones with declawed cats see NOTHING different/wrong with the cats after the procedure and say that declawing a cat is better than making it an outside cat or giving the cat away. The friends are against it spout out a lot of 'facts' and I just wanna know the truth. Again I am NOT the one making this decision I just want FACTS. Back up what you say with PROOF. Some things my "declawing" friends have said: Declawing has not been proven to show any personallity change in cats. Declawed cats can still use the litter box. Declawed cats heal after 3-4 weeks but afterwards are normal. It is better to declaw and give it a home than to give a cat up or kick it outside. Cats that are front declawed can still defend with their back claws. Some things my "anti-declawing" friends say: Declawing changes a cat's personallity. Declawing makes cats paws deformed and they can't walk. Declawed cats have a shorter life. Declawed cats' claws grow back still but all messed up and make it so that you have to amputate the WHOLE foot. Declawing is illegal in many states. Declawing is considered animal cruelty and my dad will go to jail. My cat will start to bite. My cat will hate me after the surgery. Both sides have said a lot as this was a HUGE argument over lunch on Friday and then at buses in the afternoon. I am scared that something terrible is going to happen to my little kitten and am all scared about his upcoming declawing. I want facts about declawing not just nonsense spouted out to "defend" your side. I don't care if you are FOR or AGAINST it, I just want truth. Also since this will probably happen (even if i can make a really really good case) what are some things I can do to make sure his paws don't get infected or have other preventable complications AFTER this is done to him. Again DONT YELL AT ME this is NOT my decision. I know that declawing amputates the "toe bone" cuz I was at the vet when my dad was asking questions but the vet was making it sound like not a big deal so when my friends said it WAS I got confused. They said my vet was lying to make money. So was he lying about the "toe" thing too? Please help I am very confused! JoJo, do you have a link to an official study site? Like monitoring animals to see if there is a change, etc. That site you gave me doesn't PROVE anything. I need SOLID evidence. If I show my dad that he'll say "Bleeding Hearts wrote that" and will write if off as BOB. I need like a MEDICAL site where they are discussing DOCUMENTED information. Ocimom - Was your little kitten okay? I think I am going to hate my dad forever if anything happens to my little kitten. He's really sweet and playfull and loveable right now and is glued to my side at ALL times. If declawing him changes him I will NEVER talk to my dad again. EVER.

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Is it right to ask for a refund/not be charged?
I am going to pick up my kitten who was accidentally declawed because of a miss communication during a routine neutering and an ingrown/painful polydactyl claw declawing. I guess someone just saw on his paper that he was getting declawed, but didn't read that it was only the extra toes that weren't growing correctly. His other 10 claws were to remain. I am not being charged for the declawing, but am still being charged for the rest of the procedure (as well as pain medication, overnight stay, etc.). In a previous question (about what I should do about my kitten being accidentally declawed) some answerers thought I shouldn't be charged for anything, since this was quite the accident. However, I don't know if I am within my rights asking for a refund and to not be charged for any other medical problems that might arise from his declawing. It seemed like a lot of people felt that I shouldn't be paying a cent to this vet, and if I shouldn't be, how should I go about bringing this up? I mean, I really don't know where to start, rationally that is. I've slept on it, but I still have that twinge of anger and I feel that I could very well snap on the vet when I pick up my kitten this afternoon, especially seeing my little guy in more pain than needed. (I know some people will think, it is just an animal, get over it, but to me, this little guy is family and I love him!) Should I just say something like "I appreciate you not charging me for the unwanted declawing, but I feel that I should not be charged for anything because of your mistake?" I mean, even typing that now I feel like I am being rude. If you think that, even though the vet messed up, the other operation was preformed as requested, I should still be obligated to pay for it, please say so. I won't be upset. I just want a general idea of what others in this situation would do, or would feel expected. I would like to mention that I feel declawing a cat for other than medical reasons is inhumane, and would never willingly subject my kitten to a full declaw, so I am quite upset with my vet. In case you don't know, declawing is actually a very 'innocent' term for what they are doing. The actual procedure is an amputation of the third 'toe' bone in the cat's paw. To understand why I would be upset, please read: http://maxshouse.com/Truth%20About%20Declawing.htm It explains the gruesome truth about what 'declawing' really is.

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What are the Pros and Cons of declawing a cat?
will declawing change my pets personlities?

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