Declawingonychectomy (plural onychectomies) (medicine) The surgical removal of a fingernail or toenail.https://en.wiktionary.org › wiki › onychectomy
Declawing of cats, or onychectomy, is the amputation of the last digital bone, including the nail bed and claw, on each front toe. If the surgery is performed correctly and the entire nail bed is removed, the claw cannot regrow.
The practice of declawing has fallen out of favor in recent decades, and is even discouraged by the American Veterinary Medical Association, but many pet owners still contemplate the practice.
Back paws are usually left intact for grip, defense, and overall pet health.
Between 3 and 6 months of age is ideal. Typically, our veterinarians suggest you declaw your cat at spay or neuter time. For many cats, that's around 5 or 6 months of age. If your kitten is already spayed or neutered, we may perform the declaw surgery earlier.
AVMA discourages declawing as an elective procedure and supports non-surgical alternatives. Declawing is a major surgery involving amputation and is not medically necessary for the cat in most cases.
Declawing is a painful, risk-filled procedure that is done only for the convenience of humans. There are only extremely rare instances, when claws are affected by a medical condition, that declawing cats can be considered anything but inhumane.
Declawing is outlawed in many developed countries, but not the US and most of Canada. However, many American veterinary associations are opposed to declawing, except as a last resort. Before you resort to declawing your cat, try training it first. Yes indeed, cats can be trained.
Cats that have been declawed often suffer from prolonged, long-term anxiety, stress, depression, are more fear, have no ability to protect themselves, and sometimes are more prone to biting if scared, as their first line of defense–their claws–have been removed.
Declawing of cats is illegal in Australia and is not ethical. Cats are naturally territorial and during scratching they leave both visual messages (the scratch mark) and invisible messages (pheromones from their paws).
The cost to declaw a cat varies depending on the type of declawing procedure as well as the location of your veterinary clinic, but the average price ranges between $600 and $1,800.
Many groups, including the ASPCA and American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), discourage declawing and suggests non-surgical alternatives. This major surgery has the potential to result in chronic, lifelong pain, and a change in the animal's gait.
Many people report that they are happier with their cats after declawing, because it makes the cats "better pets." Unfortunately, many people have also discovered -- too late -- that declawing frequently causes far worse problems than it solves.
It seems that 25%–43% of all cats in American homes are declawed. The reason for this high number is that many veterinarians actively market and recommend the procedure without disclosing the details of the procedure to their clients with cats. Others perform declawing unquestioningly.
Reasons for declawing
Human Benefits—Many owners choose to have their cats declawed to protect their furniture or other household possessions. Scratching is a normal behavior of cats, but destructive scratching represents approximately 15 to 42% of feline behavior complaints.
Laser declawing is considered by some in the veterinary community to be the most humane method for declawing. Reasons cited for this are that the toes undergo less trauma with laser, nerve endings are “sealed” off leading to less pain, and less bleeding occurs.
It makes them happy. “Declawing takes away all of this as well as their integral means of movement, balance and defense,” the vet explains. A lot of declawed cats do eventually adjust, more or less. But others go through a personality change as a result of the trauma, becoming withdrawn or aggressive, as Jason did.
Issues such as nerve pain or phantom pain can persist for years, sometimes for their whole life. Also, cats often change the way they walk, which can result in back pain. Declawed cats may also stop using the litter box because of irritation and pain that comes from stepping on regular litter.
Laser declawing is a relatively new procedure for removing the third knuckles and claws from cats. It offers many benefits over traditional declawing, including less bleeding and a reduced chance of infection.
Declawing is not merely the trimming of the claws. It is the surgical removal of the claws, which are closely adhered to the bone. In order to remove the claw and prevent its regrowth (which sometimes results from incomplete removal), the entire first joint of each of the cat's "toes" is amputated.
Keeping your cat's claws trimmed is good grooming and will reduce the damage done by sharp nails. If possible, get the cat used to having their claws trimmed while they are still young. Never encourage a cat to play roughly with hands or feet. Instead, give them a toy to kick and claw.
Declawing is best done when the cat is under 6 months of age. Young, immature cats declawed at less than 6 months of age heal fastest, experience the least pain, and have the lowest risk of complications.
The Age To Declaw a Cat
Yes, it is true that young kittens seem to recover faster than older cats, but it's not because they feel any less pain or have suffered any less trauma. Declawing cats isn't ok at any age.
Declawing increases the risk of long-term or persistent pain, manifesting as unwanted behaviors such as inappropriate elimination (soiling/urinating outside of the litter box) and aggression/biting, new research concludes.