Declawing Cats is not just a Manicure, it is major surgery…
“Onychectomy is an amputation and should be regarded as major surgery. ~ AVMA American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)”
You understand a cat has claws and those are her defence mechanism in case your cat has to defend herself against another cat, dog or any other animal. Declawing your cat is animal cruelty. 
Declawed Cats are defenceless and easy bait for any attacker.
Hey, even if you have an indoor cat, it still needs the claws. Often people are misled into believing that declawing is a harmless procedure. It is not a manicure and definitely not harmless.
Declawing A Cat Is Considered In Some Countries Animal Cruelty.
Ozzy Osbourne has spoken out against cat declawing. The former lead vocalist of Black Sabbath appeared in a new poster campaign condemning the practice.
In true Prince of Darkness fashion, Osbourne is pictured in black and white, holding up his hands with the top ends of the fingers cut off. His hands are covered in blood. The slogan reads, “never declaw a cat.
Source: https://www.livekindly.co/ozzy-osbourne-stars-ad-against-cat-declawing/
We will go through a few points on why you should not declaw your cat, and what are the alternative options.
1. Declaw is a significant surgery why you should not do it
2. Countries where cat declawing is forbidden
3. Reason for declawing cats
4. Effects of declawing on your cat
5. Alternative solutions for declawing your cat
6. Education to understand your cat why it needs the claws.
7. Kellan Lutz the twilight star speaks out against declawing cats
8. Crazy Cat Person’ Geezer Butler Campaigns Against Declawing
Declawing is major surgery for your cat. Why you should NOT do it!
When you declaw your cat, it is considered major surgery. This kind of operation is known as onychectomy, and it is performed under anaesthesia.
When declawing a cat, the surgent will remove each tip of each digit from the first knuckle out of the cat’s forepaws.
View of how declawing is performed
Standard Method
is amputating with a scalpel or guillotine clipper. All the wounds are closed with stitches or surgical glue, the feet of the Cat will be bandaged.
Laser surgery
Another procedure often used instead of the standard method is laser surgery.
With Laser surgery, there is a beam of light and that cuts through the tissue by heating and vaporizing it.
It amputates the last toe bone of the cat.
Just because it is done with the laser it doesn’t mean the healing is faster.
It takes the same time to heal and it holds the same risks as the standard method.
Q: Can my cat die during the surgery?
A: Yes your cat can die during surgery.
There have been occasions where cats died during the operation procedure.
Do you want your cat has pain? Her whole life as long as your cat is alive?
The pain of declawing your cat will in some cases never go away, and your cat might become aggressive and start to bite.
( It is common sense to understand that as you take away the natural defence “your cat’s claws” )
Declawing of cats is not recommended to your adult cat and it is in fact considered an act of animal cruelty in some countries.
Download our free ebook “For the Love of our cats” Click here
Why do people declaw cats? Reason for declawing cats
People generally have cats declawed to prevent them from hunting and the main reason for damaging furniture. Rarely, vicious cats are declawed.
Cat declawing is mainly done to serve the purpose of the cat owner.
It has NO BENEFITS for the cat.
In the United States, some landlords require that tenants’ cats be declawed. ( That should be forbidden)
According to my opinion, no landlord has the right to ask any cat owner even if they rent the property to declaw their cats.
- In certain states of the US, declawing is already banned.
Declawing cats are banned in the following US cities: - Berkeley, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Santa Monica. Malibu condemned the practice in a resolution but did not legally ban the practice.
- In which countries is the declawing of cats banned.
- In most of the European Countries, it is forbidden under the Terms of the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, unless “a veterinarian considers [such] non-curative procedures necessary either for veterinary medical reasons or for the benefit of (the) animal”.
- In Britain, animal shelters find it difficult to place imported cats that have been declawed and subsequently will be euthanized.
- England, Scotland, Wales, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Norway
- Sweden, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Slovenia, Brazil, Australia
- New Zealand, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Slovenia,
- France, Germany, Bosnia, Malta, Netherlands
- Northern Ireland, Portugal, Belgium, Israel
- In the whole world, there are only 3 Countries left where cat declawing is not illegal.
- Canada,
- USA and
- Afrika.
What are Veterinarians are saying about Cat declawing?
Veterinarians are generally critical of the procedure, and some refuse to perform it because of the absence of claws in a cat.
Declawing cats? Veterinarian group has claws out for practice
An organization representing 3,800 U.S. veterinarians says it “strongly opposes” declawing for cats as an elective procedure.
The anti-declawing stance of the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) contrasts with the larger American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), which discourages the practice except in cases where it may prevent an animal from becoming homeless or euthanized. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/vet-organization-speaks-out-against-declawing-cats/
I believe that every Veterinarian should appeal on their consciousness for the well-being of the animal and refuse to declaw cats ( unless it is a necessity for the cat’s life).
It is not another income stream for veterinarians and should not be considered as such. Please sign the petition https://www.cbsnews.com/news/vet-organization-speaks-out-against-declawing-cats/
Please help and share this petition with friends and social media. Thank you
What are the effects declawing a cat?
When you have declawed your cat, you just have invited different problems into your cats live.
For one your cat will change the way it moves.
Why? removing the first knuckle of her toes means your cat is not able to walk on her toes.
In the Cats Anatomy, you can read that Cats walk on their toes. When a Cat runs or walks it will usually retract their claws into sheets, just leaving behind smooth small toes and footpath.
Another problem is the regrowth of improperly removed claws, bone spurs and nerve damage.
Over time the cat’s leg and back muscle can weaken and this can lead to joint and back pain.
One of the most common effects that your cat tries to avoid is the litter box as cats like to hide by scratching and digging their pee and pooh. Yes, you can get special cat litter for cats.
A declawed cat might experience pain when going to the litterbox. The psychology of a cat will associates the pain with the litterbox and avoid or ignore it.
When that happens, your cat will look for an alternative solution of going to the toilet. Cats look then for a softer surface like carpets, bed rugs, blankets, etc.
Deprives it of its main defence abilities, including escaping from predators by climbing trees;
Impairs its stretching and exercise habits, leading to muscle atrophy;
Compromises its ability to balance on thin surfaces such as railings and fence tops, leading to injury from falls;
Can cause insecurity and a subsequent tendency to bite.
A 2004 study by the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy also lists house soiling and behavioural issues as top reasons owners give up their cats. (source https://www.thedailybeast.com/declawing-is-good-for-veterinarians-but-bad-for-cats)
Q: What are the medical complications of declawing?
Answer:
a. pain in the paw
b. infection
c.tissue necrosis (tissue death)
d.lameness
e.nerve damage
f.bone chips that prevent healing
g.postoperative haemorrhage
h.regrowth of the claws inside the paw pads.
Alternative solutions for declawing your cat.
In many cases, people feel like there is no alternative option for removing the claws of a cat. A big thank you to the veterinarians as they started teaching and educating their clients for destructive clawing and prevent injuries from cat scratches.
Trim the nails of your cat on a regular base ( Your veterinarian will be happy to show you how and which tools to use)
It is important to provide adequate scratching alternatives for your cat like scratch posts, scratch rugs, scratch surfaces ( I use cardboard boxes for my cats as they do not look at our scratch poles they are only used for hiding and seek play or for sleeping.)
Click here for scratch pole penthouses.
You can also use behaviour modification techniques (Like soft claws made from vinyl )
Become familiar with your cat’s behaviour ( do you speak cat )
Learn how to handle your cat to avoid scratches. Read my blog help my cat is scratching my furniture.
Use in your home different materials for your cats scratch pads and poles like sisal, cardboard, wood, carpets and get them in different shapes and styles, ( horizontal and vertical)
Use catnip to put onto your pols and pads to lure your cat into using them.
Provide interactive and safe toys.
Alternative Methods
Keep off Cat deterrent spray
This is a spray I use and mix myself for my cats and it works.
Here is a recipe for deterrent spray you can use to keep your cat away from furniture and other things.
Make it your self. Homemade deterrent spray.
” Keep away spray.”
You will need.
#A clean spray bottle,
#A small squirt of clear dish liquid, (IMPORTANT CLEAR.. so your furniture and curtains do not get stained)
#Lemon Essential Oils
#Eucalyptus Essential Oils, and water.
#When you use essential oils make sure they are a good grade like doTerra or young living.
#Use 10 drops of essential lemon oil
#Use 10 drops of essential eucalyptus oil
#Clear dishwashing liquid ( must be clear so it does not stain your furniture or curtains)
#Distilled water ( 3/4 of the spray bottle to be filled up)
#Fill up the spray bottle with 3/4 of distilled water.
-mix in a separate small container the 10 drops essential lemon oil,10 drops essential eucalyptus oil with a squirt of clear dishwashing liquid. ( this is so the lemon oil and the eucalyptus oil is dissolving together before you pour the water.)
#Pour the mix of oil and dishwashing liquid in the spray bottle. Close the bottle tight and shake it. Before use always shake it.
Purchase the doTERRA essential oils here.
This will help to keep your cats off the curtain, furniture or any other place. For you, it smells nice and fresh. It is natural and will not harm you or your cats.
Please do not use essential oils directly on your cats, essential oils always need to be diluted with a carrier oil. Do not spray your cat directly this is for furniture, carpets, curtains etc. NOT FOR THE USE ON A CAT DIRECTLY.
Vinyl Nail Caps are also a solution.
You can buy them here.
I am sure you have seen them around in pet shops and you properly wondered what is this.
An alternative to declawing is the application of blunt, vinyl nail caps that are affixed to the claws with nontoxic glue, requiring periodic replacement when the cat sheds its claw sheaths (about every four to six weeks).
However, the cat will still experience difficulties because the capped nails are not as effective as claws.
How to pick up a cat like a pro – Vet advice on cat handling.
Conclusion
There are plenty of solutions around. There is no need to declaw your cat.
For me as an animal lover, it is not possible to understand why would I put my cats through so much agony and pain. The best thing is to educate yourself whenever you get a pet to avoid disappointment in the end.
May I ask a favour from you, before you decide and declaw your cat please seek professional advice and if you can not afford it, look up some animal protection sides they are always happy to lend you a helping hand.
Please before you decide to amputate your cat’s toes and let her live a life in pain try humane alternatives. Now there are so many alternative methods available that they are too good to ignore. Read my blog ( Help my cat is scratching my furniture)
For me, my cats are part of our family and I hope your cats are the same. Learn how to communicate with your cat and train your cat( yes it is possible)
Remember that declawing your cat is considered animal cruelty in a lot of countries. Even if your country has legalised declawing of cats would you really want to declaw your cat?
Do you have experience with declawing or are you also against it? Please share and comment on the post so that more people are aware of. Thank you.
All yours, Melanie
Celebrities who speak out against Declawing of cats.
Crazy Cat Person’ Geezer Butler Campaigns Against Declawing
“Can you imagine having your fingers chopped off at the last bone ?” Black Sabbath bassist asks
Black Sabbath bassist and self-proclaimed “crazy cat person” Geezer Butler wants people to stop declawing their cats. The musician has issued a statement via the Humane Society of the United States to urge the passing of a bill introduced by the New York State Senate that would make the state the first to ban the practice.
source: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/crazy-cat-person-geezer-butler-campaigns-against-declawing-106216/
Download our free ebook “For the Love of our cats” Click here
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