Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
people feel that it is cruel and inhumane to remove a cat's body parts
just because it makes the owner's life easier.
Many owners routinely have kittens declawed to prevent problems
later, when the cat may use prized household possessions as scratching
posts. Not every cat engages in destructive scratching though, and most
cats can be trained to scratch in an appropriate spot.
In Britain it is illegal to declaw a cat.The British have stricter laws
than Americans do regulating cosmetic and surgical procedures being
performed on animals.
What's Involved in Declawing?
When a cat is declawed, the last joint on each toe is amputated. Many peo-
ple think declawing involves cutting the nail very short or just removing
the nail the way we might have a toenail removed, but it actually requires
removal of bones. That means the cat's paw pads must be cut open, the
joints severed and the pads reclosed.There are a few different surgical tech-
niques to do this, and each veterinarian has his or her preference.
Most of the time, only the front claws are removed during a declaw
procedure, but in some situations owners ask that all four feet be done.
No matter which surgical technique is used, there is some pain involved
with declawing. If an owner wants to declaw a cat, I urge them to do
so at a young age (between 8 and 16 weeks). The pain associated with
the procedure is much less in smaller, younger animals.
Injectable and/or inhalant anesthesia is required for the surgery.The
recovery period varies and depends on the size and age of the cat. It
also depends on the use of pain relievers and the occurrence of any
complications.
Some veterinary clinics use a laser, rather than a scalpel blade, to
declaw cats. Lasers cut and cauterize tissue at the same time, so healing
may be faster. Laser procedures are significantly more expensive because
of the cost of the equipment used. There are other variations in tech-
niques. Some veterinarians stitch up the toes after the bones are removed,
some apply sterile surgical glue and others just bandage the foot.
After a cat has had declaw surgery, the paws may be wrapped, and
the animal may be hospitalized for one or two nights. Using shredded or
pelleted newspaper litter for the first few days after surgery helps to keep
small particles (from clay or clumping litter) out of the surgery sites.
