4 Things to Consider Before Declawing Your Cat

4 Things to Consider Before Declawing Your Cat

Declawing is a significant operation known as onychectomy that is done under anesthesia to remove the tip of each digit of the cat's forepaws (from the first knuckle out). There is a tiny danger of mortality during the procedure, and a declawed cat may be more prone to infection and life-long pain in its paws. This operation is not approved for mature animals and is deemed harsh in several countries (see below).

Cats are often declawed to prevent them from hunting and harming furniture. Only very rarely are violent cats declawed. Some landlords in the United States demand tenants' cats be declawed.

Veterinarians are often dismissive of the treatment, and some refuse to undertake it due to a cat's lack of claws.

1. Takes away its primary defensive skills, such as climbing trees to escape predators.

2. Its stretching and exercising routines are impaired, resulting in muscular atrophy.

3. Impairs its ability to balance on thin surfaces like railings and fence tops, resulting in injuries from falls.

4. Can generate insecurity and, as a result, a propensity to bite.

This kind of procedure is uncommon outside of North America. Declawing is prohibited under animal cruelty legislation in Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Under the rules of the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, it is prohibited in several other European nations unless "a veterinarian considers [such] non-curative procedures necessary either for veterinary medical reasons or for the benefit of (the) animal." In the United Kingdom, animal shelters struggle to find homes for imported declawed cats, and the majority are killed.

Alternatives to declawing include the use of blunt, vinyl nail covers that are glued on the claws with nontoxic adhesive and must be replaced when the cat loses its claw sheaths (approximately every four to six weeks). However, the cat will still have challenges since capped nails are not as efficient as claws.

Summary

Declawing is a significant operation known as onychectomy that is done under anesthesia to remove the tip of each digit of the cat's forepaws (from the first knuckle out).