A PRACTITIONER'S VIEW ON DECLAWING
                          Audrey Hayes, D.V.M.


Cats cannot be shown if they are declawed, but pet
quality kittens are sold to good homes and some of
the new owners will want to have their cats declawed.
Some of the veterinary surgeons I know will not
declaw cats, and there are good medical and surgical
reasons for this.

 Declaw surgery is more difficult than either castration
or ovariohysterectomy, and  post-operative complications
are common. If all the germinal cells from which the
claw grows are not removed, the claw or claws will
regrow, but in abnormal positions so that the claw will
point upward or curl under in the digital (paw) pad.
These claws usually cannot be retracted because the
ligaments have been removed, and they are easily torn
and become painful.If the pad is lacerated as the last
digit and claw are removed, the pads are mutilated and
painful, and the cat may not walk normally on the feet
for days or weeks.
 If the bone is not severed cleanly, bone chips will break
off and remain under the skin. The skin will not heal and
will constantly drain a slightly bloody fluid. If
bacterial infection is present, pus will drain from the
opening. If bacterial infection ascends up the leg,
osteomyelitis can occur in the remaining bones of the toe.
The ONLY way to stop the draining fistulous tract is to
repeat the surgery and explore the toe until every bone
chip has been located and removed.
 If the cat removes the bandages soon after surgery,
hemorrhage may be severe.  If the hemorrhage is not
noticed and pressure bandages re-applied, the cat will go
into shock once it has lost 2 or 3 ounces of blood
(60-80 cc for a normal sized cat). If allowed to bleed
overnight, the cat will be dead by morning.
 Bandages are normally left on for 48 hours and even then
hemorrhage may occur after the bandages are removed. Many
cats, ready to be taken home, get excited when they see
their owners and must be taken back into surgery for
pressure bandages to control hemorrhage.
 So that declaw surgery can be done in a bloodless field,
tourniquets are applied to the legs between the shoulder
and the elbow. If the tourniquet is applied too tightly,
too close to the elbow, the radial nerve may be damaged
- temporarily or permanently. These cats will not bear
weight upon that paw or will walk on the tip of the paw.
 If the post-op bandages are applied too tightly, the
blood supply to the leg, foot, and paw is cut off and
gangrene sets in. This particular complication of
declawing is NOT infrequent. Cats do just fine with three
legs, but what a way to lose a limb!
 Finally, declawing changes a cat's personality,
especially on subsequent visits to the vet, and also the
way the cat interacts with other cats in situations the
cat perceives as potentially dangerous. Some, if not all,
of the most difficult cats I have had to handle are
declawed. These cats behave as though they feel insecure
and unable to protect themselves; they adopt the attitude
that the best defense is a good offense.
 Once the cat realizes that I know it is declawed  but am
not going to take advantage of that, it can be handled
easily. Unfortunately, while some cats learn quickly,
others require much more time and patience.
 Examining a fractious cat is nerve-wracking for the
veterinarian and owners, and very undignified for the cat.
 
 So what is the new owner to do? 
 The breeder should teach the new owner how and where to
clip the claws. Make sure the owner understands the
procedure by clipping the claws on one foot while the
breeder watches and instructs. The new owner should clip
all nails every 2-4 weeks.

 The cat should have several pieces of cat furniture
(cat house, scratching post, hassock, etc. where
scratching is allowed) so that it can groom its claws.
The new owner must spend time with the new kitten so
that it learns to distinguish ITS furniture from the
owner's furniture. If the kitten is exceptionally
headstrong and stubborn, a water pistol or spray bottle
with warm water may help the learning process.

 Will the cat scratch the children? Children should be
taught to allow the cat to make the overtures and NOT
vice versa. Cats prefer it this way. Unlike bears, big
cats and little cats never maul a person unless the
person has asked for it.
 If you are not sure how a cat will react in a particular
situation, back off and watch the cat before acting.

 Complications arising from declaw surgery are common.
Declawing a cat has no benefits to offer.  I think every
breeder has the right to insist that kittens sold as pets
will not be declawed.