Do Vets Still Declaw Cats?

If your cat treats your couch like a scratching post, you might wonder: Do vets still declaw cats? While it’s still legal in parts of the U.S., it’s banned in several countries — and for good reason. Declawing isn’t just a simple nail “trim.” It’s a surgical amputation. Once you understand what declawing actually involves, it’s easy to see why more and more veterinarians are walking away from the inhumane practice.

This guide breaks down what declawing really is, why it’s falling out of favor with vets, and how you can manage your cat’s claws without putting them through a painful, permanent procedure.

What is declawing?

First, let’s make this clear: Declawing a cat is not the same thing as a nail trim; it is a toe amputation. Declawing, also known as “onychectomy,” is a surgical procedure that permanently removes not only the nail but also the bone that the nail grows out of.

During the procedure, the tip of each toe is removed. To do this requires cutting through the joint between the last two bones. The last bone — the one the nail grows from — is taken out completely, and the skin is closed over the remaining bone with sutures or surgical glue.

A tendonectomy, which is an alternative to traditional declawing, leaves the bones and claws intact but cuts the tendons that control claw extension. The result of this procedure means the cat can’t extend their claws to scratch. But the claws still grow. And because the cat can’t wear them down naturally, regular trims are required, or the claws can overgrow, curl into the paw pads, and cause severe pain or infection.

Both methods cause behavior and health problems, so declawing is no longer recommended.

Do any vets still declaw cats?

In the past, declawing was seen as a simple solution for cats scratching furniture or other surfaces, but due to the permanent negative effects it causes, this amputation is not a common recommendation anymore. Do vets still declaw cats even though the procedure is harmful? Yes, some do. But most vets follow the American Veterinary Medical Association and are no longer performing this surgery unless it is medically necessary.

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Why declawing is bad for your cat

Although issues with declawing have always existed, their impact was not fully recognized. The importance and awareness of feline behavioral health has grown over the years and has resulted in more information on what feline anxiety, fear, pain, and stress look like. Because of this information, it is now easier to recognize the damage that declawing a cat causes.

If you’re somehow still asking yourself, “Should I declaw my cat?” think about the following impact declawing causes cats:

Physical harm caused by declawing a cat

There are a number of physical consequences of declawing a cat, including:

• Medical complications: Since declawing is a surgical procedure, there is always a risk of a cat developing an infection, abnormal bleeding, wounds opening up, or having bone be left behind. More than half of all declawed cats are likely to have bone fragments left behind from a declaw that can result in nail regrowth, paralysis, inflammation, and chronic pain. Additionally, the digital flexor tendon is negatively affected by a declaw procedure and could even cause chronic issues, including lameness, over time.

• Pain: Cat parents may assume that a cat doesn’t feel any pain when they are anesthetized, but if appropriate pain control is not provided before, during, and after the procedure, an amputation of any kind can cause permanent pain. Declaws are especially painful because a cat walks on the incisions every day. The chronic pain from declawing can result in over-grooming in an attempt to soothe the pain, an aversion to painful clay and crystal litter, and potentially even aggression from the chronic pain. Phantom pains may also be present in declawed cats like they are in human amputees.

• Orthopedic issues: It’s no surprise that cats use their feet to walk and the bones in their toes are important parts of a cat’s normal gait. And because the last bone of the toe is cut off during the declawing procedure, they will bear weight unnaturally which can result in inflammation and painful orthopedic issues.

• Instability: Cats use their claws to climb, grip, and balance. If they don’t have these parts of their body to help them feel stable and safe, they may become stressed, fearful, or even become physically injured.

Behavioral impact of declawing a cat

• Anxiety: The physical pain declawing causes can result in a cat having severe anxiety. They’ll get anxious about being unable to do normal cat things such as climbing and marking with their nails. If they have chronic pain from a declaw, they may be anxious to do things that exacerbate this pain, such as put weight on their paws, scratch in a litter box, or do other normal cat things.

• Fear: A declawed cat may develop an unhealthy level of fear if they are unable to defend itself, escape, or balance due to not having claws. Fearful cats can become biting cats.

• Stress: Anxious and fearful cats can also become stressed cats and stress causes unwanted behaviors and medical issues. Stressful cats with constant anxiety may exhibit symptoms of anxiety, such as eliminating outside the litter box and over-grooming.

Ethical concerns of declawing a cat

Sometimes surgery is necessary to alleviate pain or correct an abnormality, but when it is done for cosmetic or other non-medical reasons, it may be considered unethical. Declawing is considered to be an unethical practice by many, especially if the procedure is performed to simply prevent a cat from scratching.

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Humane alternatives to declawing a cat

Thankfully, there are many better cat scratch solutions that don’t involve cutting off your cat’s toes. Here are a few.

Nail trims

Regularly trimming your cat’s nails reduces the amount of damage they can do to your skin and furniture. Nail trims can be done every four to six weeks to keep them short. To help your cat feel more comfortable and maintain a positive experience, try short nail trimming sessions and using plenty of treats.

Scratching posts

Provide appropriate scratching surfaces for your cat to use. It is normal for cats to scratch things, so if you give them posts and pads with enticing surfaces, they are more likely to scratch these items over things you don’t want them to scratch. Give your cat two to three scratching posts (plus extra if you have more cats) to give them options and it will help you determine what your cat likes.

In one study, veterinarian Colleen Wilson found that the ideal scratching post checks a few key boxes: it’s at least three feet tall, stands upright, has rope (not carpet) for scratching, includes multiple levels, and has a solid base between one and three feet wide.

Training

In addition to providing appropriate things to scratch, you may be able to train your cat to use a scratching post by playing with them near the posts, sprinkling catnip on them, and giving them praise when they scratch what you want them to.

While you work on training, you might also need to remove or hide some items your cat enjoys scratching, such as baskets and ottomans, to help redirect your cat to find something else to claw.

Nail caps

Small vinyl nail covers can be glued over your cat’s claws. These will need to be replaced on a regular basis as your cat’s nails grow, but they are not painful and help prevent your cat’s nails from damaging surfaces. If your cat is demonstrating signs of discomfort due to these protective caps though, discontinue use.

Pheromones

You can buy sprays, wipes, and diffusers to help your cat feel as though there is no need to mark their territory by scratching. These pheromones can not be smelled by humans, but they can be smelled by cats.

Commonly asked questions

Is it illegal to declaw cats?

It is not illegal to declaw cats at the federal level in the United States, at least not yet. Declawing is only illegal in two states: Maryland and New York. However, declawing is also illegal in over 15 cities across the US and more than 34 countries.

How do you cat-proof your home?

Cat-proofing your home means hiding, removing, or securing things that can injure your cat. It also helps prevent your cat from damaging things by scratching.

How do you stop a cat from scratching?

Instead of declawing, you can train your cat to stop scratching what they shouldn’t by providing them with appropriate scratching surfaces, giving praise when they scratch what they should, removing things you don’t want them to scratch whenever possible, utilizing pheromones, and redirecting their attention to the things you want them to scratch.

Training can take a little time but be sure to avoid yelling, hitting, and spraying your cat with water to get your point across as these are ineffective training methods. Consistency is key, but keep in mind that the goal is not to stop your cat from scratching all together.

References

Martell-Moran, Nicole K, et al. “Pain and Adverse Behavior in Declawed Cats.” Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, vol. 20, no. 4, 23 May 2017, pp. 280–288, journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1098612X17705044, https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612x17705044.

“The Effects of Onychectomy (Declawing) on Antebrachial Myology across the Full Body Size Range of Exotic Species of Felidae.” ProQuest, 2023, p. 2462, www.proquest.com/docview/2848848207?pq-origsite=summon, https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13152462.

‌Cabon, Quentin, et al. “Digital Flexor Tendon Contracture Treated by Tenectomy: Different Clinical Presentations in Three Cats.” Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery Open Reports, vol. 1, no. 2, July 2015, p. 205511691559723, https://doi.org/10.1177/2055116915597237.

“Declawing of Domestic Cats.” Https://Www.avma.org/, American Veterinary Medical Association, 7 Autumn 2019, www.avma.org/sites/default/files/resources/declawing_bgnd.pdf.

‌“Human Health Concerns in Anti-Declaw Laws.” Https://Mgaleg.maryland.gov/, Maryland State, mgaleg.maryland.gov/cmte_testimony/2022/ent/7335_01202022_151132-527.pdf.

‌“SB67: Animal Welfare - Declawing Cats - Prohibited Acts.” Https://Mgaleg.maryland.gov/, Maryland State, mgaleg.maryland.gov/cmte_testimony/2022/ent/7335_01202022_151132-527.pdf.

“Keeping Your Cat Stress-Free | the Humane Society of the United States.” Www.humanesociety.org, www.humanesociety.org/resources/keeping-your-cat-stress-free.