Declawing is serious surgery requiring partial amputation of the bones in a cat's toes and can cause medical complications. There are humane alternatives to declawing.

Declawing is an excruciatingly painful surgery that can permanently disable a cat, as well as putting it at risk for medical problems and severe psychological trauma.

A Serious Surgery

Declawing a cat is not the same as trimming its nails. Because the claw is tightly attached to the bone, some bone in the cat’s paw actually has to be removed. Basically, removing a claw requires an operation similar to amputating the third digit of a human finger.

A Miserable Recovery

A declawed cat, which has basically suffered ten amputations, will not be able to lie still or sit in a wheelchair for its recuperation. It must walk around on its severely injured and painful feet in order to eat, groom and use the litterbox. Although cats tend to be stoic about pain and suffer in silence, they certainly suffer. Pain experienced when trying to dig in kitty litter may cause the cat to go on the floor or the furniture instead.

Permanent Vulnerability

If a declawed cat ever manages to get outside, it is vulnerable to attack. It cannot defend itself or even climb a tree to escape. Thus, the declawed cat is permanently vulnerable and endangered.

Medical Complications and Health Risks

Declawing can cause secondary tendon contracture, which makes walking uncomfortable. Additionally, because they are missing the third joints of their paws, declawed cats tend to shift their weight to their hindquarters, which can create balance problems and lead to atrophy of frontquarter muscles. The lack of balance is extremely upsetting for a cat, which relies on balance in everything it does. Some cats also suffer nerve damage or even permanent paralysis as a result of the procedure.

Psychological Problems

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the personalities of some cats are actually altered after declawing. Defenseless without its claws, a cat may become distressed and insecure. It may urinate or spray in the wrong places or become hostile and more inclined to bite.

An Inhumane Practice

Other places have recognized the practice of declawing as inhumane. In many countries, including England, Switzerland, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Yugoslavia and Japan, declawing is illegal or is performed only in extreme situations.

Humane Alternatives

There are a number of ways to keep the furniture intact without mutilating the cat. Scratching is natural behavior for cats, so the first line of defense is to provide a scratch post, preferably an upright post that emulates the basic shape of a tree.

You can also trim the tips of the claws with specialized claw trimmers or human nail clippers to blunt them without hurting the cat. This job is easier with two people—one to hold the cat and the other to do the trimming.

To clip the nails, gently squeeze the end of the paw to expose the claw. Make sure that you don’t accidentally knick the pink portion and its white outline that you can see at the base of the claw, as this will cause pain and bleeding. Only trim the clear part of the claw to take off the sharp tip.

If you are worried that your cat will react badly to a manicure, you may want to get it accustomed to having its paws handled for a week or more beforehand by massaging the underside of the paws while petting the cat and offering treats during or directly afterwards. If your cat reacts badly to being restrained, you can trim only one or two claws in a session, reward the cat with treats afterward, and come back to do the rest at other times.

If your cat continues to scratch the furniture, you can pair sofa scratching with a harmless but unpleasant stimulus, such as squirting the cat with water from a squirt gun or spray bottle or blowing a whistle when it scratches the furniture.

There is also a solution called Soft Paws®, which consists of light vinyl nail caps that are glued to the cat’s front claws. Each batch lasts for at least a month and they can be purchased in clear or in fun colors (more fun for the humans who apply them than the cat, but still far better than declawing). These veterinarian-recommended caps do not hurt the cat, but they will protect the furniture and keep the cat from scratching children in the house, if this is also a concern. For more information on this solution, visit Soft Paws.

If you do choose nail trimming or Soft Paws, your cat should not be allowed outdoors unsupervised, as it will be less able to climb to safety or fight back if threatened by another animal.

Further Reading

Information for this article derives from veterinarian Christianne Schelling’s website and the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies’ Declawing. For more information on cat care, please see Cats and Furniture Scratching and Cat Nutrition and Home-Made Food.