The U.S. is Still Supporting Cat Mutilation - Here’s Why We Need a Nationwide Ban on Declawing Cats
Declawing is a painful and debilitating procedure that involves removing a cat's digits down to the first knuckle.
Based on its name, many people believe that declawing cats is roughly the same as giving a human a fingernail trim. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
What is Declawing?
Declawing is a painful and irreversible debilitating procedure; when cats are declawed they are subjected to a surgery that involves ten complex amputations to remove the last bone on each of a cat’s toes. This would be the equivalent of cutting off the top of a human’s fingers at the first knuckle closest to our nail beds. Cat’s claws extend and retract using muscles and tendons that must also be severed during this process.
“Some studies suggest cats who have been declawed have a higher percentage of cortisol [the stress hormone], which is often associated with pain," says Steve Dale, an animal behaviour consultant and pet journalist in Chicago.
Why Do Cats Need Their Claws?
Cats have claws for many reasons; they help them walk correctly, maintain balance, protect themselves, and for exercise purposes. There are many long-term physical and emotional risks to cats who are forced to undergo this cruel and unnecessary mutilation.
Cats who have had their toe bones amputated have to change the way they walk, shifting their weight back from their natural posture, which can lead to long-term back pain and premature arthritis. In worst-case scenarios, surgeries that go wrong can lead to the development of deformed claws, serious infections, and even death for some cats.
It’s Time for the U.S. to Ban Declawing
Due to the inherent cruelty of the procedure, declawing is illegal in 22 countries, including most of Europe, as well as Brazil, Israel, Australia and New Zealand.
In the United States, New York became the first state to ban elective cat declaw surgery back in 2019, and Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver and St. Louis have all approved similar legislation in recent years. But elsewhere across the nation, declawing continues to be performed on the country’s feline friends.
Despite multiple educational resources on the harrowing effects of this surgical amputation, studies suggest that between 20% and 25% of pet cats in the U.S. have been declawed. Some breeders actually promote declawing as an option to people upon purchasing an animal, with this obsolete practice being performed on kittens when they’re no more than a few months old.
Surgery-Free Solutions to Stop the Scratching
Trim your cat’s nails regularly: by keeping cats’ claws trimmed, you’ll be able to prevent damage to your household furniture. According to veterinary professionals, the best way to do this is to take your cat’s paw and gently press the top of each toe to extend the claw outward. Then, using a pair of claw clippers (not human nail clippers), cut off the transparent tip making sure to avoid the vein in the centre of the claw.
Provide a variety of scratching posts and boards: make sure that you have at least one or more scratching posts that are sturdy enough to withstand your cat’s clawing. Most cats also prefer a post that allows them the stretch fully (3 feet or taller).
Encourage your cat to scratch posts, not furniture: you can sprinkle catnip on the posts once a week to spark your cat’s curiosity. Hanging toys on the post, and placing them in areas where your cat is likely to climb on them is also a great way to entice them.
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