Declawing Cats | Tendonectomy

Cat declawing is the removal of the cat’s nails. Declawing is often restricted to the front paws. Cat declawing, or onychectomy, is done by the cat owner’s request. The usual reason for declawing cats is to prevent or stop cat scratching behavior. Instead of a removal of the nails, sometimes the veterinarian will perform a tendonectomy in which the tendons to the nails are severed. When the tendon is cut, the cat no longer has control over the nail.

Cats are often declawed between the ages of four to eight months. There are two forms of cat declawing. The cat’s claw extended from the last bones of the cat’s foot. The excisional method removes the entire last bone of the paw. The guillotine method cuts the last bone and removes the claw and that end of the bone. The cat typically receives some pain medication during the procedure. Some veterinarians administer pain relief medication after the procedure as well.

Though it is a relatively common procedure in the United States, cat declawing is illegal in many countries. Organizations that promote the humane treatment of animals have issued statements against declawing procedures. These organizations tend to view declawing cats as an optional procedure that causes pain to the cat without benefiting the cat.

Veterinarians often appear neutral on whether or not cats should be declawed. Perhaps this is because a cat owner may just go to another veterinarian if one would refuse to do the procedure. A survey of veterinarians in Los Angeles reported that seventy-five percent of veterinarians will perform declawing with no questions asked.

Many cat owners may not be aware of the pain that declawing causes or alternatives to declawing. Declawing can cause complications. The nail bed or incisions on the paw may become infected, especially if not kept clean by the cat owner. Some cats may experience limping or excessive bleeding. Declawing cats is not recommended for overweight or cats that spend time outdoors. Alternatives to cat declawing include caps for the cat’s nails that are glued to the nail, scratching posts, and regularly clipping the nail.