There is a better solution to this; make sure you offer your cat a variety of scratch toys and surfaces to scratch! Did you know declawing cats is illegal in Qld under the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001? The only exception is if a vet deems it to be in the best interest of the cat's welfare.
The AVMA discourages the declawing (onychectomy) of cats as an elective procedure and supports non-surgical alternatives to the procedure. The AVMA respects the veterinarian's right to use professional judgment when deciding how to best protect their individual patients' health and welfare.
The Humane Society of the United States opposes declawing and tendonectomies except for rare cases when it's necessary for medical purposes, such as the removal of cancerous nail bed tumors.
At least 42 countries have made declawing illegal, including England, France, Wales, New Zealand, Germany, Switzerland, and Israel. In Canada, declawing is outlawed in eight provinces: Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Alberta, Nova Scotia, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
Most, but not all, require buyers of dogs and cats to be above a certain age (typically 16 or 18 years old). Surgical mutilations, such as tail docking, ear cropping, devocalisation, and declawing, are illegal in all EU Member States for both dogs and cats.
Applying nail caps — Nail caps, such as Soft Paws, can be applied to your cat's nails as a protective shield. While they need to be replaced every couple of months, depending on how quickly your cat's nails grow, they are an excellent alternative to declawing.
Cats that have been declawed often suffer from prolonged, long-term anxiety, stress, depression, are more fear, have no ability to protect themselves, and sometimes are more prone to biting if scared, as their first line of defense–their claws–have been removed.
The estimates of the prevalence of declawing vary considerably. It seems that 25%–43% of all cats in American homes are declawed. The reason for this high number is that many veterinarians actively market and recommend the procedure without disclosing the details of the procedure to their clients with cats.
Feeling defenseless without her claws, Kitty may become hostile to people (including you), and to other cats and become more apt to bite. Some cats develop an aversion to their litter box because of the pain associated with scratching in the litter after a declawing procedure.
No cat is too old to be declawed. However, the younger the cat is when surgery is performed, the faster the recovery. 8-16 week old kittens are often running all over the house the very next day after surgery.
Myth #2 – They Cause Damage To The Nail And Nail Bed
The Soft Paws brand was created by a veterinarian to be soft and non-toxic to both cats and dogs. When the nail caps are applied correctly, there should never be able damage or discomfort to the cat's paws or nail beds.
Nail caps are a safe, humane, comfortable, and generally effective way to minimize destructive clawing. But there are other solutions you may want to explore, especially if your cat isn't fond of the caps. Keep in mind, it's virtually impossible to eliminate your cat's urge to scratch.
TENDONECTOMY: A SURGICAL ALTERNATIVE TO DECLAWING
This surgical procedure has emerged as an alternative to the bone removing declaws. Here, a tendon is cut on the underside of each toe to prevent grasping motions. The claws remain but the cat cannot extend them.
Declawing is very common in North America and it is done for a human's convenience without regard for their animal. Declawing is illegal in many European countries and is considered an act of animal cruelty.
The most common reason to declaw a cat is to keep him from being destructive (scratching furniture, woodwork, doors, etc.), After finding a guilty cat sitting in front of shredded furniture, carpet, or drapes a few times, some pet owners might be tempted by this solution.
For too many years, cat declawing was seen as a perfectly normal way to change a cat's scratching behaviour. But with so much evidence pointing to the psychological and physiological suffering that cats endure because of it, it's finally time that Canada bans this cruel practice for good.
Benefits of Declawing
As an owner, the biggest benefit of declawing a cat is that you won't have to worry about painful scratches anymore. Declawing a cat also prevents damage to household items like a rug or a piece of clothing. Some pet owners report better behavior from their cats after declawing.
According to research published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, declawing increases the risk of long-term or persistent pain, manifesting as unwanted behaviors such as inappropriate elimination (soiling/urinating outside of the litter box) and aggression/biting.
Unlike most mammals that walk on their heels and soles, cats walk on their toes; therefore, when a cat is declawed, its gait changes entirely and it can create intense discomfort and arthritis.
That's what a cat feels after being declawed. “Sensory and motor nerves in the cat's paw are cut, damaged, and destroyed. Recovery from the surgery is a slow and a painful process. The pain from declawing is life-long and normal cat behaviors are forever gone.
As far as the cat being affected, they adjust perfectly well. Given a few weeks post-surgery, they adapt and do extremely well. They are able to play, jump and play fight with their fellow housecats.
Laser declawing is a relatively new procedure for removing the third knuckles and claws from cats. It offers many benefits over traditional declawing, including less bleeding and a reduced chance of infection. Laser declawing is a permanent way of declawing cats and assuring the claws do not grow back.
Many veterinarians do recommend cat claw caps as a humane and effective way to prevent cats from scratching and causing damage to furniture and other surfaces.
Declawing may also be performed to protect people, particularly those who are geriatric, diabetic or have compromised immune systems and so may suffer life-threatening complications from cat scratches;5,14,15,20,22,27,36 declawing decreases this risk while allowing the cat to remain in the home.