Should You Declaw Your Cat?

Whether or not to declaw your cat is a hotly debated topic. People can be very passionate about how they feel about declawing. Some cities, states, and and even countries have banned it. While it's a nuanced topic, here are the pros, cons, and other alternatives to declawing your cat.

What Is Cat Declawing?

Declawing is an elective procedure in which the distal phalanx (the end of the digit) is removed from a cat’s paw. Some people choose to have this procedure performed on their cats to avoid scratches on their furniture or their skin. It’s unclear when the declaw procedure first began to be taught in veterinary schools, but veterinary journals were publishing articles regarding the procedure as far back as the late 1960s.1

There are three methods to declaw a cat:

Guillotine
Scalpel
Laser

In all three methods, the bone of the third phalanx is completely excised. The toes are then sutured closed to heal. Most veterinary offices will keep a cat hospitalized for at least one night post-declaw procedure. In the following weeks, it’s important to try and prevent your cat from jumping up or down from things. Jumping off of high countertops, shelves, and ledges is especially warned against as the force of landing can open those toes up.