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.

Some people decide to declaw their cats to prevent or resolve a scratching problem. The ASPCA is strongly opposed to declawing cats, because declawing has not been proven an effective method for improving behavioral issues, including aggression towards people or other cats.

Declawing is one of the most controversial issues in the pet care realm. The ASPCA is opposed to routine declawing of cats. It should be reserved for cases where there are health issues involved or all efforts to retrain the cat to scratch in appropriate areas have been exhausted.

What is declawing? Declawing is the amputation of the last bone of each toe. It would be like cutting off your fingers at the last knuckle. How does declawing harm my cat? Declawing can cause nerve damage, phantom pain, pain from bone fragments left behind or arthritis, and pain-related behavior issues like biting and avoiding the litter box.

Animal Humane Society opposes the elective declawing of cats and other surgical procedures performed for purely cosmetic or convenience reasons, that provide no health benefit, or subject the animal to unnecessary pain or health risks.

Jan 23, 2025 · Onychectomy, the technical term for declawing, is the surgical amputation by using a scalpel, clipper, or laser to remove the distal phalanx (bone at the end of the toe), which contains the live...

Jan 24, 2025 · The American Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA), The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), and the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) have all expressed opposition to this procedure.

Nov 5, 2024 · Cat declawing (also called onychectomy) is the amputation of the first digital (toe) bones in a cat’s paw, including the nail bed and claw. It’s done to stop a cat’s natural scratching...

Declawing is a very painful and difficult operation. It is the equivalent of removing the first joint on all your fingers. It impairs the cat’s balance and causes weakness from muscular disuse. Declawed cats are defenseless. The stress resulting from being declawed creates more problems than it allegedly solves.

Dec 18, 2024 · San Diego Humane Society does not recommend declawing a cat. Instead you can try: Trimming nails regularly. Buying scratching posts and training your cat that those are appropriate areas to scratch (not your couch!). hardware stores) …