Declawing is an inhumane and unnecessary procedure! I’d recommend for a person that is so worried about carpet, furniture, etc. to get a goldfish. Yes, I might sound harsh, but it is rather easy - with the right equipment - to prevent your cat from scratching where it is not supposed to scratch. Most cat owners who insist on declawing, against the veterinarian’s recommendation, are simply too lazy to try alternatives and to train a cat.

The U.S. is one of the very few civilized countries in this world that still allows declawing, even many veterinarians are very reluctant to this procedure. The number of organizations that are absolutely against declawing is growing, even in the U.S.

Declawing is illegal in most of Europe. In Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Brazil and Wales declawing is considered illegal and inhumane and only allowed under extreme circumstances. Declawing is a form of mutilation and is associated with disfiguring, disjointing, and deforming.

Cats are put under anesthesia for this inhumane procedure. Contrary to routine surgeries such as spaying and neutering where postsurgery pain is rather minimal, the recovery following declawing results in excruciating pain for the animals. Cats are literally bouncing of the walls from severe pain and discomfort, even when postsurgery pain medication is given. Since these drugs are not long lasting and not too effective, the animal will be in horrible pain sooner or later.

Declawing is not just rimming the claws. The claws, which are closely attached to the bones, are REMOVED, and in order to prevent a re-growth the entire first joint of each of the animal’s toes is amputated. One could compare this to a human having each and every finger and toe amputated to the first knuckle. Declawed cats experience severe pain for days after the surgery and the so-called “phantom limb pain” (similar to humans who got a limb amputated) can last for a lifetime. The cat’s paws are extremely tender and it might avoid using the litterbox since the sand and covering its feces might cause enormous pain over and over again.

Since claws are the cats main defense tools, a declawed cat might turn to biting and being extremely aggressive. Other cats may become depressed and withdrawn.

As additional long-term damage cats may develop stiffness in their legs, hips and spine due to a change to their normal gait to avoid pain by using their toes.

Many cat owners who had their animals declawed say later on that they would never consider it again. Hopefully declawing will soon be declared illegal, also in the U.S., to safe these innocent creatures from excruciating pain and a life-long misery!

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