Not too long ago, cat lovers were routinely getting their feline family members declawed. However, we’ve learned that elective declawing is not in the best interests of our cats. Aligned with the position statements of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Feline Practitioners, VCA Animal Hospitals do not perform elective declaw procedures.
Declawing, which is known medically as an onychectomy, is a surgical procedure in which the bones at the end of the toes (distal phalanges) are amputated, effectively removing the cat’s claws. It’s like amputating your fingers and toes at the last joint.
Declaw procedures have been shown to have long-term physical and behavioral effects for cats. Declawed cats experience lameness/limping, chronic infections at the amputation sites, abnormal claw regrowth if a bone is incompletely removed, changes to their stance, arthritis, chronic nerve pain and behavioral issues. Declawing may increase behaviors like aggressive biting and urination outside of the litter box.
Keep in mind that scratching is a natural behavior for a cat. Rather than declawing, we recommend working with your cat to encourage scratching on appropriate objects rather than your furniture. Claws are also an important line of defense if your cat gets into an altercation. Declawed cats should never be allowed outside unattended.
There are cases where declawing is medically indicated, such as in cats with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome who may injure themselves with their claws. However, these cases are rare. Your veterinarian will let you know if your cat has a medical condition that could benefit from a declaw procedure.
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