Cat Declaw Controversy

Posted by Charla Dawson May 9, 2008

Declawing cats is among the most controversial procedures performed in veterinary medicine. Many consider the surgery mutilation and think it should be made illegal. Others think the opposite, and believe it improves the bond between cat and human.

Those that oppose the procedure make a good argument. The surgery entails amputating the first joint from each toe. This removes the claw and the tissue that is responsible for growth. If the procedure is done poorly the claw can start to grow back, which requires more surgery. Those that find nothing wrong with declawing cats will tell you that there are risks involved with every surgery.

It has been recommended by the CDC that cats, who are owned by immunocompromised individuals, be declawed. This is to protect these individuals from acquiring bacterial infections from cat scratches.

Whether or not you choose to declaw your cat is a personal decision. Most veterinarians in the United States still perform the procedure. There is a movement to try to make the procedure illegal in the US; as it is in many European countries. The ASPCA, the Humane Society of the United States, and the Cat Fanciers Association all oppose declawing cats and find the procedure inhumane.