Does Declawing Hurt Cats?
| Print | By Dr. Lauren Brickman | May 6, 2009 1:56 PM

Does Declawing Hurt Cats?

strong>Q: I'm thinking about declawing my kitten. How old does she have to be and does it hurt the cat?

strong>A: If you are going to declaw your cat try to do it at six months of age at the same time that they are being neutered or spayed. This will reduce the amount of times your pet needs to be under anesthesia. The declaw process entails the removal of the last digit of the cats' toe. The entire piece of bone, not just the nail, must be removed to prevent the nail from growing back.

In general, this is a painful procedure. Most veterinarians now use a combination of painkillers to minimize your pets' discomfort. For the declaw procedure your cat will be asleep under general anesthesia. They can also be given a local anesthetic which when applied to their toes will make them numb. There are oral medications that your veterinarian can provide you with to prevent pain at home after surgery.

Comments (11)

Anonymous February 12, 2009 1:11 PM

hello i have a cat that scatched it self under my bed and now she has a large scatch on her neck and back. I took her to the vet and they gave her some meds for it and a coller for it so she could not scatch at. What can i do she still has the scatch on her back and its not going away. Do i leave the coller on her till it heals.

Anonymous February 22, 2009 4:17 AM

Don't declaw, please! It's illegal in some parts of Calif... and for good reason.

Stacy April 11, 2009 10:47 AM

By declawing a cat, not only have you taken a part of what a cat is away from him/her, but you are literally cutting off his "fingers" and "toes" at the first joint. Think about it, cut off all your fingers and toes and the first joint and tell me how well you will type, eat, walk, even stand correctly. This is a hideous and unwarrented act against a cat. Teach the cat not to scratch. Really, you teach them to use a litter box, take the time to teach them to use a scratching post. Read up on declawing and find out as stated above, how much it hurts them and hurts for a long time. Declawing sounds sensible, but it is actually cruel. Please do your homework and remember, vets are people who make money off of the surgeries and illness's of your pets. They aren't bad, they just have to make money and this is a money maker! To put it simply, if you go to a doctor for say... a stomach ache and he suggests you have your stomach removed, would you want to read up on it? Would you just let him remove your stomach? If you go to a vet who out of hand, recommends you declaw your cat without giving you the options and the advantages vs. disadvantages, go see someone else. Also, please just read up on this heinous act before you put your beloved through it.

Ruth April 24, 2009 8:07 AM

Declawing is supposed to be a last resort procedure for serious scratching problems, not done as a routine op along with neutering.How does anyone know a kitten will grow up with bad scratching behaviour ? They don't ! So why deprive a cat for a whole lifetime, of its toe ends/claws, after going through the most painful procedure a cat can endure, when it is so very easy to train a kitten (or a cat) to a scratching post!
Declawing is banned in many countries and many USA vets won't do this now either as it is classed as animal abuse.
(retired vet nurse)

Tom Black April 29, 2009 4:29 PM

Declawing is inhumane treatment. There are always alternatives.

Lori May 7, 2009 5:36 PM

If you even consider declawing a cat then you don't really want a cat.They come with claws they need to keep what they are born with.If furniture is that important to you then you don't deserve a cat.

Shell September 21, 2009 8:28 AM

I agree that declawing is inhumane, and should only be done in extreme circumstances. I unfortunately had to declaw my 5-year-old cat recently due to her psychotic behavior (attacking me and my husband, or the vet when we take her for her shots), but that was not a decision that I came to easily, heck it took me 5 years to finally admit it had to be done. I kind of regret doing it now and think it would have been a better decision to make her an outdoor cat (although I don't agree with that either, but that's another topic).
If your cat is being stubborn about wanting to scratch your furniture or carpet, instead of declawing please try many of the great products out there, such as Sticky Paws (sticks to your furniture to discourage the cat from scratching), Feliway spray (expensive but worth it!), or Soft Paws (covers for your cat's claws). You can also trim your cat's claws regularly. You can get a trimmer at the pet store.
Obviously, if your cat is attacking you or your family members, it's a little more serious. Consider making it an outdoor cat. Maybe it would be happier outside where it can attack animals instead of ankles. Just please make sure your cat is spayed/neutered if you let it outside!

jeannie h November 12, 2009 4:26 AM

i agree with all of the above! i have been a multi cat household for years and have never had a problem because i took the time to do a little training. i light mist of a spray of water does wonders and does not hurt them in anyway i have trained my cats to do so much with this method and now i just pick up the spray bottle and they know that is a no-no. dont have to spray at all anymore, there are alot of very easy methods declawing makes me cringe it is so cruel not only is it painful and inhumane but also is their only means of protection against maybe a dog chasing them they can get up a tree among other means of protection. how would you like to have your nails ripped out never to come back, and your finger tips not usable think about!!! it should be outlawed everywhere thanks fo listeing and god bless the pets everywhere

unknown November 28, 2009 3:08 PM

ok well what if the cats an indoor cat you guys think you know everything from the articles some animal activists made up honestly telling us to do research when all you probably did was google reasons against de-clawing a cat really do your homework before you make comments, now im not saying it is right or wrong but if your gonna make an argument about it study both sides carefully.

TheOtherJulia November 28, 2009 11:06 PM

It's a myth that bone is cut out. In reality, declawing is a matter of paralyzing the joints that let claws out, so they can't do anything. It would be too easy to notice if bone was cut out, and cats don't feel any pain during the procedure. Those who gainsay the argument are begging the question by means of superfluous reasoning.

rasbery13 December 8, 2009 10:49 PM

i think declawing is wrong and ppl who do this to their cat are really stupid why don't you just get regular trims and stuff like that. Don't declaw them its wrong their are other ways to trim.

Casey Cat January 1, 2010 2:03 PM
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I have 3 declawed ( all 4 feet) cats. And, NONE of them ever had any problems with it. They are completely indoor cats. I collect antique carousel horses. I can't have these rare wooden animals used as scratching posts for my cats. ALL of my cats were rescues from the side of the road, to sick barn cats. They have better homes then most kids do. But, I won't go into why I think children SHOULD'NT be put into daycare. If the procedure is done correctly the animal suffers little discomfort. It's time some of these posters realize this and get over it. The procedure and after care have come along way. It's not a butcher job, unless you go to butcher vet. But, that's another rant. I think that people who stick there two cents worth on the topic are "really stupid". And, trimming isn't always the best way to go. There are many OTHER reasons why people choose to declaw their cat. But, some are to narrow minded to grasp that concept.

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Angela January 7, 2010 5:14 PM
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I have 3 cats who are also declawed. ( all 4 feet ) They also never had any problems resulting from being declawed. In fact, my vet recommended it because they are all 3 house cats. ( my daughter also has a house cat who has all 4 feet declawed and he is fine as well.) I would not have a cat inside without having them declawed. It saves your furniture from being destroyed and you don't have to scold your cats. Buying a scratching post is great however they use it and the furniture.

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tina February 1, 2010 3:13 PM
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Well! I got cat scratch fever and i'm telling you declaw if you have an agresive cat. They release poison from thier claws into you. I lost mobility of my nerves system. And almost lost my arm. Three surgeries later I thank God I still have two arms. It was a terrible experience. House cats should be declawed.

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Tina February 5, 2010 10:11 AM
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i have two small children who love our kitty and he loves them...but when you have to clean and put antibiotic ointment on your children daily its time to decide who comes first...our kitten thanks to us has a nice comfortable warm home...and plenty of love and food to go with it. Consider how many homeless cats r out there it takes people to home them...and all people have different opinions and r entitled to that opinion.

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linda March 19, 2010 9:42 PM
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Declawing should be a criminal offence it's barbaric, i know how i'd feel if someone just decided to take all my nails off. It can also leave the cat with terrible health problems. All kittens and cats scratch this should be thought over before taking one on, declawing should never be used simply for cosmetic reasons only for medical reasons.Put yourself in the cats position and ask. Would i like to be without my nails?

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