DECLAWING AND ITS ALTERNATIVES

ALTERNATIVES TO DECLAW SURGERY TO TRY FIRST

The AVMA statement above is very specific about educating cat owners about alternatives to simply removing the claws permanently. As mentioned, every family will have its own level of claw tolerance and ultimately the goal here is for the cat in question to be able to live happily in a loving home.

So let's review some helpful products and tips.

SCRATCHING POSTS

Scratching is a natural behavior of the cat which makes it very difficult to modify. The usual goal is to transfer the cat's scratching instinct to a scratching post or other scratching toy; it is virtually impossible to control the desire to scratch completely. Many cats take quickly to alternative scratching surfaces while other cats ignore them or simply use them as well as the furniture. The following are training tips:

• Furniture can be made unacceptable by using plastic, double stick tape or aluminum foil to cover the target pieces. Spray-on antiperspirants can be sprayed on the furniture as a repellent. Special products are actually made for this purpose to create visual acceptable protection (panther-armor.com, fixzilla protector patches, or matchnpatch.com. There is also a scratching post that can be attached to a sofa at sofascratcher.com). Furniture damage can be potentially repaired using fabric patch kits such as those at matchnpatch.com.
  
  
• Consider a scratch pad or post with a different fabric. Some cats prefer carpet, some like rope, some like anything with a good vertical drag.
  
  
• Punishment is tricky. The cat can be punished for furniture scratching attempts but it is important that the cat not connect the punishment with the person administering it (otherwise the cat will simply learn not to scratch while that person is watching). Yelling, spanking, or shaking a can with pennies in it is too directly associated with the person rather than the act of scratching. A water squirt bottle is better but only if the cat does not see where the squirt comes from. Booby traps can be set up using balloons. The idea is to convince the cat that the furniture piece is not a good area for scratching and that the appropriate scratch toy can be used with no adverse experience.

NAIL TRIMMING

For some cats, simply keeping the nails short is adequate control but many people do not know how to trim their cat's nails. In fact, the non-pigmented nail of the cat makes it easy to see where not to cut. The flat shape of the cat's nail makes the use of human nail trimmers very handy and possibly easier to use than the traditional clippers. Here is a video presentation showing exactly what to do:

(or click here to watch this video on its YouTube page)

WHAT TO EXPECT

• The nail caps will wear off but not at the same time. After a couple of weeks some of the nails will be capped and others will not be.
  
  
• The nail caps must be replaced as the nail grows out. This can be a two person job and it may be that a visit to the vet's office may be needed to replace the nail caps.
  
  
• Some cats are not in the least discouraged from scratching by these caps and are able to simply scratch larger holes in the upholstery.

In an effort to help educate cat owners on how to live happily with a claw-intact cat, the Feline Veterinary Medical Association has sponsored this page:

https://catfriendly.com/cat-care-at-home/living-clawed-cat

SURGICAL DECLAW (ONYCHECTOMY)

Despite our best efforts to deflect scratching or decrease claw sharpness, sometimes nothing works and an immediate permanent solution is needed. It is important to consider that the declaw surgery alters the cat permanently and should not be done if alternative methods are effective. The cat will need some special care during the post-operative healing period: special litter, pain medication, and some activity restriction as he/she will have tender feet for a week or two after surgery. The declawed cat should be forever indoors or outdoors only with supervision as he/she will no longer have the ability to defend him/herself against dogs or other cats.

There is a great deal of controversy regarding this procedure and it has been legally restricted in many areas. Few veterinary surgeries encounter as much bias as the declaw, and a political movement has emerged. Some concerns are valid and some not as cut and dry. Before making a declaw decision, it is important to review the arguments and find your own perspective. Here are some of the issues that are discussed:

MYTHS AND RUMORS AND FACTS

Here are some of the issues that are discussed:

• The declaw is viewed by many as performing an unethical surgical alteration of a companion animal for the sake of convenience. This is frequently countered by the idea that convenience is not the issue but that the relationship between the pet and its owner is at stake. If that relationship fails, a much bigger life quality issue is at stake including cat relinquishment to the shelter where euthanasia is a real possibility. There are many issues in play: the owner of the furniture may not be the owner of the cat. The owner might have developed a medical issue making even the smallest claw contact serious. "Convenience" may not really be a fair description.
  
  
• Chronic pain may result from alterations in the foot anatomy and that long term arthritis is promoted. While there may be truth to this, it is important to realize that 90% of cats over age 10 have arthritis in at least one joint. While it is certainly better to prevent arthritis in a cat's senior years if we can, we still need the cat to get to its senior years. Arthritis and "Wind up" pain can be treated; euthanasia cannot.
  
  
• Some people believe that the indoor only lifestyle of the cat is not humane because it is not natural or an indoor only lifestyle may be impractical because of other people or other animals coming and going in the home. It is true that a declawed cat should become an indoor only pet for its own protection.
  
  
• There is belief that the procedure is performed too casually and that alternatives are not properly given consideration. Regardless of one's feelings are on whether to declaw a cat, the fact remains that we are talking about a permanent alteration of the cat with a potential for negative ramifications later on. This is not to be done lightly and it is important to at least attempt some of the alternatives discussed above.

Research has been conducted to sort out truth from political propaganda. The AVMA has an excellent source where this research has been collated and the concerns are addressed. Here are some conclusions but feel free to examine the AVMA's information on your own.

ISSUE #1:  After declawing, a cat is likely to become fearful or experience behavior changes, impairing an affectionate relationship with his owner.

Numerous scientific studies have been unable to document any behavior changes post-declaw. In fact, in one survey 70 percent of owners of declawed cats reported an improved relationship with their cat after the procedure.

ISSUE #2:  A declawed cat cannot climb trees.

Declawed cats are not as effective at climbing trees as cats with claws, but declawing does not prevent tree climbing. That said, declawed cats should be kept indoors where they do not need claws to assist in self-defense.

ISSUE #3:  A declawed cat cannot catch prey.

Declawed cats are not as effective at catching prey as cats with claws but declawing does not prevent effective hunting.

ISSUE #4:  A declawed cat has lost its ability to defend itself and should not be allowed outside.

This one is true. Without claws, a cat has indeed lost an important part of his defense system. Declawed cats should be housed indoors only.

ISSUE #5:  Declawed cats are more likely to bite since they can no longer claw.

Declawed cats do not seem to realize they have no claws. They will continue to scratch ineffectively as if they did not know the difference. As for biting, there have been some studies that show an increased tendency to bite in declawed cats while other studies have not shown that. There are several reasons why this information is hard to interpret. First, cats that are aggressive (even in play) are more likely to be declawed. After declaw, they continue to bite as they did before. As mentioned, results of different studies have been conflicting.

ISSUE #6:  The post-operative period involves tremendous pain.

Pain management techniques have improved greatly in recent years and include regional nerve blocks eliminating pain completely from the feet during the first few days of healing, fentanyl pain relief patches, as well as injectable and oral medications. This means that a declawed cat should be comfortable in the recovery period.

That said, if proper pain relief is not practiced, the declawed cat will have sore feet after surgery. The larger the cat, the more discomfort there is and reluctance to bear weight.

The recovery period should not last longer than a week or so. Healing should be complete by two weeks. Pain after this recovery period is not normal or expected in any way and if a declawed cat seems to be uncomfortable or lame, a recheck appointment is definitely needed.

If you plan to declaw your cat, you may want to ask your veterinarian about the pain relief plan they expect to utilize so you know what to expect.

ISSUE #7:  A declawed cat will not use a litter box again.

It is important that litter not get impacted in the declaw incisions during the recovery period. Shredded paper is the usual recommendation during recovery and some cats simply will not use shredded paper. The recycled newspaper litters are an excellent alternative. The only litter problem one might expect would be lack of acceptance of a new litter during the recovery period. Is there likely to be a more long term, litter box aversion? No studies show declawed cats are likely to toilet inappropriately. Some studies show an increased risk and some studies show no increased risk. An owner survey by Bennett and Houpt in 1988 actually found fewer behavior problems in declawed cats compared to claw intact cats.

ISSUE #8: Wind Up Pain

Wind up pain is a neurological phenomenon that occurs where nerves become overly sensitive. A patient with wind up pain will perceive pain from contact that would not normally cause pain. Wind up pain is obviously undesirable and is caused by inadequate pain relief at the time of an injury. If that injury is a surgery, it is crucial to provide excellent pain relief so as to prevent sensitizing nerves. We do not know how much nerve activity during surgery is needed to cause wind up pain. There is a theory that inadequate pain relief after declaw creates wind up pain. If proper nerve blocks are used and pain medication is employed, this should not come into play but, sadly, pain relief is a relatively new field of study. Many cats still alive today where declawed when these medical techniques were not mainstream. Whether or not declawing has a particular problem with wind up pain has not been worked out.

DECLAW METHODS

There are three techniques commonly utilized for permanent declaw surgery: the "Resco" or Clipper Blade method, the Disarticulation method, and the Laser declaw.

DECLAW: THE RESCO CLIPPER METHOD

This is probably the most common method used by veterinarians to declaw cats as it is associated with the fastest surgery time. It involves the use of a sterile nail trimmer to cut through the bone of the third digit of the toe. The cat loses the part of the bone from which the claw grows. The incision is either sewn closed with suture material or closed in surgical glue but a small piece of bone is retained to maintain the tendon connections to the toe. WHAT TO EXPECT / POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS Patients commonly spend at least one night in the hospital for bandaging, monitoring for bleeding and pain assessment. Some spotting of blood is normal from the toes during the first few days at home (beware if white carpeting is present). Shredded paper or pelleted recycled newspaper litter is recommended during the healing period. Conventional clay or sand litters can impact inside the tiny incisions and cause infections. Pain medication is essential, especially for larger or older cats who have more weight to carry on their tender healing toes. The amount of weight carried on the feet (the size of the cat) is the biggest factor in post-operative pain. There are numerous regimens employed for declaw pain control. Occasionally not enough of the third bone is removed and the claw regrows. When this occurs, infection is generally inevitable and the remaining bone must be removed. This is not a potential complication when the disarticulation method is employed. A study by Martell-Moran et al published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery in 2017 found that cats declawed with this method had more back pain later in life than disarticulated cats or undeclared cats.

(Photocredit: Dr. Barbara Stein and VIN)

WHAT TO EXPECT / POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS

• Because the entire third bone is removed, there is a zero possibility of the claw growing back; however, the cut ligaments allow for a subtle drop in the way the foot is held. Most owners do not notice this change in posture.
• As with the Resco method, patients commonly spend at least one night in the hospital for bandaging, monitoring for bleeding and pain assessment.
• Some spotting of blood is normal from the toes during the first few days at home (beware if white carpeting is present). Disarticulation is associated with more bleeding than the Resco method.
• Shredded paper or pelleted recycled newspaper litter is recommend during the healing period. Conventional clay or sand litters can impact inside the tiny incisions and cause infections.
• Pain medication is essential, especially for larger or older cats who have more weight to carry on their tender healing toes. The amount of weight carried on the feet (the size of the cat) is the biggest factor in post-operative pain. There are numerous regimens employed for declaw pain control.

THE LASER DECLAW: ANOTHER WAY TO DISARTICULATE

Recently, the “laser declaw” has received a great deal of attention. In this surgery, a laser rather than a scalpel blade is used to disarticulate the third toe bone. Advantages of laser surgery include virtually no bleeding (during surgery or afterwards), possibly less post-operative pain, and in many cases, no bandages.

The downside is the expense of the equipment. The cost of the laser equipment itself: $20,000 - $40,000. To justify such an expense, the laser must be able to generate substantial revenue for the veterinary hospital. This means that the cost of the laser declaw to the pet owner is likely to exceed the price of the conventional declaw by an additional $50 to $150 dollars.

To find a veterinarian who offers laser declaw, you can contact the laser companies directly.

https://www.aesculight.com/pet-owners/locate-a-veterinarian/

https://celasers.com/veterinary/for-pet-owners/(scroll to the bottom to locate a veterinarian)

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.

The August 1, 1998 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association reports a study to compare the long and short term complications of tendonectomy vs. those of traditional declaw. Owner satisfaction with both procedures was also measured. While cats who received the tendonectomy showed significantly lower pain scores immediately post operatively, both procedures showed an equal frequency of other complications (bleeding, lameness, and infection). The number of days it took for a cat to walk normally again was not different between the declawed cats and the tendonectomy cats. There was no significant difference between the percentage of owners satisfied with declaw versus the percentage of owners satisfied with tendonectomy. In a 2001 survey, more people were satisfied with the declaw over tendonectomy.

The most important thing in making a claw management decision is making a decision
that you have considered mindfully and will promote the best relationship with your cat.

There are positives and negatives with each procedure.

Page last updated: 9/3/2021