Declawing is a dangerous and inhumane procedure that can cause lasting physical and psychological harm to cats. Previously considered a solution to unwanted scratching, declawing is an invasive surgical procedure that involves amputating the last bone of each toe on a cat's paw, much like cutting off a human finger at the last joint. Because the procedure removes part of the bone structure of a cat’s paws, declawing can lead to serious and lifelong health issues.
Declawing involves cutting through bone, tendons, ligaments, and nerves and can lead to nerve damage, causing permanent numbness, sensitivity, or burning sensations or severe pain in the paws.
Declawing can result in permanent damage to their ability to walk normally. Because the claws are integral to a cat’s balance and mobility, declawing can lead to altered gait, joint stress, and long-term arthritis in the paws, legs, and spine. This can make everyday activities, like running and jumping, more difficult, causing chronic pain and discomfort.
Cats normally walk with their toes bearing the weight of their bodies. Declawed cats, however, often experience extreme pain when trying to support their body weight. To alleviate the pain, they shift their weight farther back on their feet. This unnatural position can lead to arthritis in the legs and further mobility issues.
Cats’ claws are there for a reason. They rely on them not just for defense, but for expressing natural behaviors like scratching, stretching, marking their territory, and climbing. Declawing deprives them of this natural instinct, which can lead to a wide range of behavioral problems.
A declawed cat may feel more vulnerable without their claws, leading to increased anxiety or stress. Many cats that are declawed become fearful or defensive, and may respond with biting - since they lost the ability to scratch - as their primary form of defense.
Declawed cats often experience pain while walking on litter. Because of this, they may start avoiding the litter box altogether or become reluctant to use it, resulting in inappropriate urination or defecation outside the box.
Fortunately, declawing is now banned in some states - New York, Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia - and countries, like the UK, Australia, and Canada. This reflects an increased awareness of the inhumane nature of the procedure as well as growing concern for the health and welfare of animals. However, there is still a long way to go. Spreading awareness and educating the public about the harm declawing causes is the first step in getting a total ban on the procedure. Many cat advocates and rescuers are working passionately with lawmakers to pass legislation to prohibit the procedure. Eight cities in California, for instance, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, have banned the procedure with the goal of achieving a statewide ban on declawing.
Declawing is a very outdated procedure that has lifelong physical and psychological effects on cats. Cats have claws for a reason and declawing removes a cat's ability to defend themselves, express natural behaviors, and maintain their overall physical and psychological health.
Read more about why cats scratch and how to reduce inappropriate scratching here. Remember that cats need to scratch in order to feel safe, secure, and in control. You cannot get a cat to not scratch, but you can redirect them toward more acceptable locations to scratch rather than your furniture!
If you’d like to learn more about the dangers of declawing and how to help, check out PawProject.org.
Love, Nala
