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The
Declawing Dilemma...
What
you should know about declawing
A common
scenario: New kitty. New furniture. Will the kitty behave?
What to do? For some the answer is easy - declaw the cat. For others,
the decision
is NOT so easy and a confusing one. The issue of declawing is a hot
topic in pet lover and veterinary circles. It is a surgery that is banned
in some countries. The purpose of this article is not to push one decision
or the other, but rather, to help you make an informed decision
for your pet.
Techniques
Declawing a cat is commonly done one of two ways: excisional
method or guillotine (clipper) method. The excisional method removes
all of the last bone (P3) of the toe. The claw extends from this bone,
and it is analogous to the small bone that the human fingernail covers.
This is most commonly done with a scalpel blade, some vets use laser for
this. The guillotine method is a clipper than severs the P3 bone in half,
removing the claw and distal(end) part of this bone.
A third technique,
called tenotomy , is not a declaw, but a surgical procedure where the
tendons that operate the claw are cut, but the claw remains. Care must
be taken after this procedure to keep the nails trimmed, so they do not
grow into the pad (the cat doesn't have control over the claw).
Photo Description
of a Declaw Surgery
If you are curious
to see exactly what is done during a declaw surgery, read "Cat
Declaw Procedure" by T. J. Dunn, DVM of The Pet Center.
Age to Declaw
Young (4 months to 8 months), non-overweight cats are better candidates
for surgery when the decision to declaw has been made. They do experience
pain, but recover much quicker and with less complications than older
and/or overweight cats. Many veterinarians do administer pain control
medication post operatively.
Possible Complications
Complications can include, but are not limited to, the following: excessive
bleeding, nail bed infection, nail regrowth (with guillotine method),
pad injury during surgery, and limping. Some cats experience sensitivity
and/or limping for days to months after the surgery with no apparent cause.
It is unknown if cats experience 'phantom pain' as it has been noted in
humans. If you do elect to declaw your cat, the cat should be a
strictly indoor cat.
Alternatives to
Declawing
There are many alternatives to declawing. Here are a few tips and ideas.
Nail Caps -
Soft Paws. These
are soft nail caps that are glued on to the existing trimmed nail. They
are also made for dogs
Trimming the claws
- Trimming the claws regularly (click here for an excellent photo
tutorial of trimming tools needed and techniques). Most owners do
this at home. If you are unable to, your vet or groomer can perform this
service or teach you how.
Diversions
- Get a scratching
post. There are many
to choose from. You may need to 'teach'
your cat how much fun it can be. You can also make
your own cat scratching post. A popular variation on the traditional
scratching post is the cardboard
model filled with catnip.
The Discussion
Continues...
This article was updated January 2001 - please
see the updated article for more discussion on this topic.
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Text: Copyright © Janet Tobiassen Crosby. All rights reserved.
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