Declawing:
Is it
Right
for
Your Cat?
P
erforming
or against surgery.
THE FAMILY PET
the ony-
There are always
chectomy,
cats who would in fact
or declaw, on cats has
benefit from the pro-
become a particularly
cedure: for example
controversial
topic
those who are fearful
among pet owners and
or resistant to handling
the veterinary com-
and never go outdoors.
munity. It is in cats’
Cats who are particu-
best interest to avoid
larly rough with their
applying a universal
claws whose owners
solution to an individ-
who have explored
ualized problem. Peo-
several behavior-mod-
ification tactics are also likely candidates
ple seeking this procedure are doing so
for surgery.
for any number of reasons, be it aggres-
sion from the cat, destruction of furniture,
Once the history and medical back-
or simply because they have always only
ground has been inventoried, the ‘pros
had declawed cats.
and cons’ of the surgery and alternatives
that exist should be explored. There are
It must be noted that while some
many cases in which the declaw is per-
feel that this practice is inhumane, there
formed without giving a second thought
are still cases in which refusing the sur-
to alternatives and behavior modification
gery may pose as much risk as perform-
techniques. The owner must be reminded
ing it would. All parties should strive to
that surgery is a permanent solution to
preserve a positive relationship between
what may be a temporary, fixable prob-
people and their animal companions. No
lem. Also consider that the procedure can
one wants to see the relationships end be-
be painful. Any cat admitted for the pro-
cause no acceptable solution was offered
cedure should be administered adequate
to the owner.
pain management, and owner compliance
should be emphasized. This includes
Education & Evaluation
keeping the cat quiet during the recovery
All aspects of the cat’s history and
period, avoiding exuberant play.
behaviors in question should be discussed
by the veterinarian and owner. What is the
If pet owners are reasonably in-
cat’s temperament? Is the animal aggres-
formed about what they are electing, be-
sive, docile, or fearful? Does the cat live
yond just an estimate of medical charges,
an indoor-only life? Does the cat have de-
they can feel more comfortable with their
structive tendencies with the claws, and if
final decision.
so, are there particular locations he seems
Alternatives to Surgery
to prefer to scratch? Has the cat had any
Alternatives to surgery can begin
medical issues which would increase the
with assessing behavioral patterns. If
risk of anesthesia? All of these questions
the concern is destructive scratching, de-
are important to discuss before opting for
52 WNY Family August 2018
termine the cats’ preferred location and
why it is appealing. If the cat already has
a scratching post, moving it to the area
the cat frequents may divert his attention
from the other objects. If it seems to be
a texture he prefers, wrapping the post
with a similar material can help. There
are a variety of scratching posts and mats
available. It may take some encourage-
ment and positive reinforcement by the
owner to complete the process. Adding
catnip scent or baiting the cat to the de-
sired location with a teaser toy may both
help with the transition.
If the damage caused by the cat’s
nails is injury of people or other pets, the
cause should be explored. Is it uninten-
tional, as a result of playing roughly, or
does the cat have a territorial, aggressive
temperament? If the cat is unfriendly and
does not tolerate handling, training may
not be a viable option. If the cat is play-
ful and the injuries seem to be the result
of ‘kitten play,’ the cat can learn to direct
these activities elsewhere.
One important thing to emphasize
is that children (and adults) should learn
to not roughhouse with any animal. Of-
fering appropriate toys such as teaser
wands, balls or toy mice to chase, and
small stuffed animals to carry around will
offer other ways for cats to release their
energy and enjoy constructive play time
with their owners. Playing roughly or of-
fering one’s hand as ‘bait’ will only result
in forming a bad habit that will eventually
result in an unintended injury.
Nail Maintenance
If the client is amenable to the sug-
gestion, he or she may be shown how
to keep the cat’s nails trimmed at home.
This will keep the sharp points under con-
trol, and reduce the damage the cat may
inflict on his environment. Many owners
are able to bring their pets in to the veteri-
nary clinic for monthly nail trims.
Content credit to Chris Monacelli and
Dr. Timm Otterson through the Niagara
Frontier Veterinary Society. The Niagara
Frontier Veterinary Society is comprised
of more than 75 small animal hospitals
and nearly 200 practitioners in Erie and
Niagara Counties. It exists to advance
public awareness and understanding of
proper pet health care, veterinary servic-
es and the veterinary profession.