POV: Declawing Cats is a Drastic Measure that Can Lead to Unforeseen Harm

Massachusetts lawmakers are currently debating a bill that would prohibit this common procedure

A sleeping cat with big claws in focus. The photo can be seen through a window in the shape of the letters 'POV.'

Photo by Andrei Stanescu/iStock

Voices & Opinion

POV: Declawing Cats Is a Drastic Measure. So Why Do People Do It?

Massachusetts lawmakers are currently debating a bill that would prohibit this common  procedure

September 10, 2019
18
Twitter Facebook

As an enticing red laser pointer flitters across the ground in front of a cat, he must make a difficult decision: either pounce upon first sight of the light, or lie in wait until his move is unsuspected. Much like this cat’s daunting choice, cat owners must also make a decision—this one about the future of their felines’ claws.

New York recently became the first state to ban surgical declawing of cats and now Massachusetts lawmakers are debating their own bill. The declawing procedure has been strongly opposed by animal activists for years, but it remains common practice among American households.

An aspiring veterinarian and avid shadow in vets’ offices, I have personally observed the procedure on a number of cats. As with any pet procedure, the risks increase proportionally with age.

The surgery requires the severing of the dorsal elastic ligament and the collateral ligaments with a scalpel in order to completely remove the entire third phalanx—essentially equivalent to the third and outermost joint of our fingers. Just as the tips of our fingers contain our unique and essential fingerprints, cats’ claws are a part of their identity: they use them to mark territory, stretch their muscles, and even walk. Unlike most mammals that walk on their heels and soles, cats walk on their toes; therefore, when a cat is declawed, its gait changes entirely and it can create intense discomfort and arthritis.

Imagine having to relearn how to walk—this task can cause misalignment in a cat’s leg, back, and shoulder muscles, prompting the paws to hit the ground at an unnatural angle. This, in turn, causes back pain that is comparable to that experienced by humans wearing unsupportive shoes.

The recovery time is reflective of the degree of severity of the surgery—in comparison to a regular spay or neuter procedure, it requires heavier anesthetic doses, heavy bandaging, as well as an overnight stay. Declawed cats also express more behavioral issues, such as biting and house-training regression. A cat’s claws are its first line of defense; without claws, the last resort of a bite can be its only alternative. Meanwhile, a cat recovering from a declaw surgery can lead to more accidents outside of the litter box, as the traditional litter is painful to a freshly declawed paw. Swapping out the litter for a softer alternative during this time period might work, but it also might frighten the cat and further deter its return to normalcy.

I have not only observed the procedure and recovery, but have heard owners’ reasons behind wanting the surgery as well. Reasons range from saving furniture to having children in the house. Many alternatives to this drastic measure exist, such as buying a scratching post, placing plastic claw covers over the nails, or even trimming the claws.

While all ethical signs point to the ban of the dreaded declaw, the reality is harsh: waiting lists at shelters are a mile long for declawed cats, nursing homes require residents’ cats to be declawed upon move-in, as some owners have compromised immune systems and cannot risk infection from a scratch. The New York State Veterinary Medical Society opposes the ban, and believes that it should be a viable option only when all other attempts have been exhausted. When there is a decision to be made between declawing a cat or surrendering to euthanasia or a shelter, I believe that the owner should seek counsel from a licensed veterinarian and ask themselves if they should even accept the responsibility of feline guardianship.

As Massachusetts debates this bill, and consequently, the future of its felines, lawmakers must examine both sides of the issue. Under the New York bill, the surgery can be performed only in cases of feline infection or injury, but I believe that the health and wellness of the owner and the advice of the veterinarian on a case-by-case basis are also crucial factors. The New York State Veterinary Medical Society continues to oppose New York’s choice to ban the procedure, and even claims that it does not eliminate the practice, but encourages owners to simply travel across state lines in order to have the procedure done.

Here in Massachusetts, lawmakers must decide to either pounce upon the red laser dot and sign the bill, or lie in wait and observe as the effects of the New York ban become clear.

“POV” is an opinion page that provides timely commentaries from students, faculty, and staff on a variety of issues: on-campus, local, state, national, or international. Anyone interested in submitting a piece, which should be about 700 words long, should contact John O’Rourke at orourkej@bu.edu. BU Today reserves the right to reject or edit submissions. The views expressed are solely those of the author and are not intended to represent the views of Boston University.

Explore Related Topics:

  • Share this story
  • 18 Comments Add

Share

POV: Declawing Cats Is a Drastic Measure. So Why Do People Do It?

Share

  • Taylor Lukasik

    Taylor Lukasik (CAS'21) is the public relations chair of BU’s Pre-Veterinary and Animal Lovers Society. Profile

Comments & Discussion

Boston University moderates comments to facilitate an informed, substantive, civil conversation. Abusive, profane, self-promotional, misleading, incoherent or off-topic comments will be rejected. Moderators are staffed during regular business hours (EST) and can only accept comments written in English. Statistics or facts must include a citation or a link to the citation.

There are 18 comments on POV: Declawing Cats Is a Drastic Measure. So Why Do People Do It?

  1. I would support a ban in this state. If your furniture is that precious then do not have a pet. My mother-in-law was in an assisted living home that had a cat. Yes, it provided some comfort to some of the residents but — that is not a compelling enough reason to continue to allow this “procedure” to continue. By the way, this “procedure” is basically cutting off part of the cat’s fingers. The American Veterinary Medical Association considers this “…an amputation and should be regarded as major surgery.”. To amputate body parts in order to keep a sofa intact is ridiculous and cruel.

    Reply
    Link

  2. in the 40 years of my adulthood, i have had eleven cats. i had all of them declawed. when i first had cats, the practice was considered fine, no negative attitude, so i never thought much about it. when my first cats were declawed, i brought them home the next morning, and they were not bandaged, walked normally, and to my surprise, ran around and jumped up on the refrigerator with no problem. they used the litter box and never displayed any discomfort. it was the same with all my others since– they never had a different gait, refused the litter box, or showed any other sign of discomfort. now the thinking has changed completely, and i’m considered a pariah at the adoption center if i mention declawing. i once tried to adopt a cat who had already been returned from one home for excessive destruction of furniture and woodwork, and when i thought that might be a hard-to-adopt cat that i could provide a home for, i was told never to return to that shelter again, that they would rather the cat spend the rest of its life there in a cage than be subjected to the practice. i do understand that many people think it kinder not to declaw; i accept that. but i do believe that making the practice illegal is drastic and absurd, and deprives many cats of ever having a home at all. i love my cats and have provided a loving happy home to all of them, yet sometimes now i don’t dare even tell some people that i declawed my cats, because the reaction is so extreme and sometimes nasty.

    Reply
    Link

  3. Declawing a cat is another way that humans show how arrogant and self-centered they are. If you are worried about your furniture, don’t get a cat. As for the assisted living requirement due to scratches becoming infected, who cleans the litter box of these cats filled with urine and feces while breathing in dust that is laden with urine and feces? Do the assisted living staff do it so the residents don’t get an infection or some sort of breathing problem?
    It’s similar to the people who cut their dog’s vocal cords so the bark doesn’t disturb their life or disturb their neighbors because god forbid the neighbors give you the side eye while your dog is barking his hello.
    In a nut shell: I’d like to have this animal but first I need to remove it’s finger tips or cut it’s vocal cords because they don’t work for ME.

    Reply
    Link

  4. One thing not mentioned in this POV is that many countries in Europe as well as Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand already ban declawing. So we are behind in humane laws here. I follow City the Kitty on social media, who has a lot of information about declawing, tag line “paws need claws”, if anyone is interested in reading more about this.

    Reply
    Link

  5. We humans seem to think that we have to bend every other bit of nature on the planet to our will. For me the issue of declawing comes down to one, simple question: would we like our fingernails and toenails to be ripped out? I think not. If you don’t want all the not-so-great stuff that goes with cat (or pet of any kind) ownership, don’t get a cat.

    Reply
    Link

  7. I have always declawed my cats and agree with the comment above. I have never seen any ill effects from declawing. My cats too were bouncing around on their first day home. One thing the article neglected to mention is that most owners declaw their cats because they are indoor cats and don’t need claws for outdoor protection. Indoor is much safer than outdoor and I think we could also debate how inhumane, safe, ethical it is to have an outdoor cat. I take pride in my home and yes I do not want to have destroyed furniture, clothing, woodwork, etc. and I am not embarrassed to say this. Both my cats now were rescue cats and we provide them with lots of love, attention, and warm sunny places to roam and relax. While I do believe vets should proceed slowly before declawing, I also think all pet owners should be treated with kindness and empathy. Let’s not use this debate to sling mud at people who don’t agree with your choices. PS- it is very difficult to train a cat not to claw furniture and woodwork. Scratch boxes only deter to a degree.

    Reply
    Link

    1. There are other ways to discourage your cats from clawing your furniture and clothing. You can trim your cat’s claws or give them a scratching post, for example. Declawing is cruel and for your few cats that haven’t had any glaringly obvious adverse reactions, there are hundreds of more poor felines that have. It’s banned in other countries and we have no right to rip off essential parts of a creature just because it’s inconvenient for us. Don’t have a cat if you can’t handle what a cat has. Plus, claws are used for more than simply outdoor protection. It’s not difficult to see what declawing physically does to a cat; a simple google search will provide the many disadvantages of the cruel process. How would you like it if most of your fingers were removed? It wouldn’t be very ideal for you, would it?

      Reply
      Link

      2. Good points, Sam! De-clawing a cat is totally inhuman, vicious, and violent, and risky to both the cat(s) and their owner(s). Trimming the cat’s claws periodically (or better still having a vet do it.), and/or providing the cat with a scratching post are far better, more humane ways of treating a cat.

        Reply
        Link

    2. I take pride in my home, too. I take a lot of pride that my home was a safe environment for my cat who did not have to undergo an amputation of his appendages in order to live there.

      Reply
      Link

  8. There’s absolutely no reason anyone should ever think to declaw a cat. Furniture should not be put above your cats. If you think a sofa is more important than your cat’s claws, you simply shouldn’t own a cat. Cats need their claws; it’s a part of their anatomy for a reason.

    Reply
    Link

  9. As for declawing “cutting off a part of a cat’s body”, can I assume that you are also opposed to neutering a cat? That procedure involves cutting off a part of a cat’s body too.

    Reply
    Link

    1. Neutering a cat is a whole different matter. It’s one thing to neuter a cat, so that it won’t go out, mate, and continue to give birth to other kittens. We don’t want tons of stray and/or unwanted animals wondering around, either.

      Reply
      Link

  10. Hello! I’m the writer of this article and I would like to add this point:

    From an ethical standpoint, I do not support the practice. I would not have the procedure performed on my own cat and, as a veterinarian, I will not recommend the surgery to my clients. This is not an ideal world, however, and in reality, I cannot support a full ban on declawing. If banning the declaw procedure in turn increases abandonment and euthanasia, then, in good conscience, I cannot stand with this decision. I fully support placing tighter restrictions on the procedure, such as having to visit a specialist in order to have the surgery performed– in turn, increasing the price and making it less readily available– but I cannot agree with a full prohibition. A study conducted in Canada– where the ban is already active in 7 provinces—established that 50% of cat owners would not own their cats if they had not been declawed. Those cats, in turn, would either not have been adopted or would have been surrendered to shelters
    (https://vets.nysvms.org/HigherLogic/System/DownloadDocumentFile.ashx?DocumentFileKey=20f04316-12c0-9948-e615-a3d71f654f4c&forceDialog=0).
    72% of cats surrendered to shelters are euthanized
    (https://www.aspca.org/animal-homelessness/shelter-intake-and-surrender/pet-statistics).

    Reply
    Link

  11. My Grammie is nearing the age where she will need to move to a nursing facility, and I know that 10 times out of 10 she would sign an agreement saying she is subject to risk of infection due to the potential of scratches from cats with claws, than get her best friend of 15 years de-clawed. Is this de-clawing requirement present at all nursing facilities?

    Reply
    Link

  12. I have had a total of six cats, all strays adopted straight off the street in my younger years. I had all three of the females spayed and all three of the males altered because those procedures are necessary to prevent pets from adding to the pet overpopulation problem.

    Far too many people have allowed their cats to breed and could not find homes for all the kittens that were born and the surplus population ended up in public animal shelters where most of them were euthanized because they could not get adopted and the rest of the surplus population ended up on the streets where they perished miserably!

    So I am perfectly okay with having all cats that are intended to be pets and not required or intended for breeding should definitely be spayed/altered for necessary population control, and all the public animal shelters agree with me which is why they will not allow people to adopt cats (or dogs) unless they agree to having their pets spayed/altered.

    But de-clawing is a different matter.

    When cats are de-clawed it’s not a simple matter of just removing their nails, the whole knuckle is removed!
    It’s just like amputations all ten of a person’s toes and the cat must walk on those painful feet fir several days after the de-clawing!

    And I have seen cats become club footed after the procedure! Also, it is not all that hard to train your cat to get used to having his nails trimmed once a week and teaching him to use a scratching post.

    The best kind of scratching posts are made of Sisal or cork, materials that are unlike your upholstery and wood work furniture so your cat will know the difference between what he can be allowed to dig his claws into and that which he is not allowed to scratch and shred!

    But in my younger years when I had my cats (I am old now and I have outlived them all) I would sometimes meet up with other cat owners who did have their cats de-clawed. When they would ask me if my cats were dr-clawed I told them NO!

    I told them I was okay with spaying/altering but I would not de-claw them. I told them that I trimmed their nails and got them to use scratching posts.

    These de-claw people became VERY ARROGANT and NASTY and DOMINEERING with me and told me in the usual nasty tone of voice:

    “I got my cats de-clawed abd they were just fine!

    “IT’s NOT CRUEL! IT’S HUMANE! THEY USE ANESTHETIC!

    I told them there was NOTHING CRUEL about letting the cats keep their claws but they still. Hounded me with their nasty cries of IT’S NOT CRUEL! IT’S HUMANE! THEY USE ANESTHETIC!

    These de-claw people were extremely insulting to me, treating me as though I was a STUPID PERSON who was just TOO STUPID to understand how WONDERFUL de-clawing is!

    They really thought that by not de-clawing my cats I was missing out on the kind of surgery that is SO WONDERFUL because it not only saves furniture but eliminates the “inconvenience” of having to trim the cats claws weekly and buy them new scratching posts from time to time!

    I would beg these arrogant de-claw people to stop trying to impose their will on me! They would not until I coukd literally RUN AWAY from them!

    I wish those de-claw people would get de-clawed!

    Reply
    Link

Post a comment.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest from BU Today