Feline Declawing

Declawing your Feline

Declawing is an elective surgery cat owners sometimes choose to have performed to prevent their pet from scratching furniture, curtains, other pets, and people. Some cat owners-to-be like to have the claws of a newly adopted cat removed, as a preventive measure, before bringing it home.

"Declawing can be done at any age, but younger cats tend to bounce back more quickly than older ones. Pet owners might consider having the declaw and spay/neuter done at the same time so the cat undergoes anesthesia only once. At WinRose, we will declaw kittens at 8 weeks or older. We will spay or neuter them after 16 weeks. Front declawing is most appropriate for cats that are housed indoors.

Older cats tend to have a longer recovery time post-surgically when they are declawed. There is good evidence to show that recovery time is significantly shorter if pain relief is started prior to surgery and continued for at least two to three days post surgery. At WinRose all cats that are being declawed at 4 Cat months of age or older, are required to have a “Fentanyl Patch” for pain relief. This is similar to a nicotine patch – a section of hair is shaved on his/her tummy and the patch is placed on the skin. It will remain there for 3 days after the surgery (Your kitty will have a wrap over the patch). The Fentanyl patch will provide constant pain relief for the 3-day period post surgically. The cats are brought back for us to remove the patch, and we can recheck the paws at the same time.

Some people request that all four feet be declawed, but we do not recommend this. Cats rarely damage anything with their rear claws and their rear claws are their only defense after the front ones are removed. Inevitably, some indoor cats manage to sneak outside and then they may need their back claws.

Typically there are minimal complications with declawing and the cat can go home the next day. The procedure is not without risk, however. If the incisions come open and expose the remaining bones of the digits, infection can occur and the wounds must be left open to heal, which can take longer than if sutures or surgical glue were holding the wound closed (we use surgical glue to close the opening). If the declawing procedure is not done correctly, the claw can grow back. The surgical procedure used at WinRose eliminates this possibility. As in any surgery there is the risk of anesthetic death. While unlikely, any of these things can happen.

After a declaw surgery the cat can be confined, if necessary, to a smaller area in the house while the incisions heal. Shredded newspaper, the pelleted newspaper litter “Elegant Cat”®, or the silica litter “Pearls”® (both of which we carry at the hospital) should be used in the litter box in place of normal litter for the month following the declaw. This will keep litter out of the incisions and help prevent infection.

The time before the cat resumes use of the declawed feet varies, but is usually short. Some kittens are walking reasonably well the same day or the next day. Some cats don't want to put weight on their paws for a few days. Without complications, the incisions will heal in two weeks and will have full strength in a month or so.

Post Not all cats need to be declawed. Grooming and training can often prevent a cat from being destructive. Clipping the nails every week or two keeps them short and less able to do damage. With the owner's patience and training, most cats will allow nail trimming. Providing a scratching post and clear messages about which objects may or may not be scratched often works. If verbal reprimands are not effective, a quick squirt from a water bottle will let your cat know when it has made a wrong choice. Until the rules are fully respected, cats can be confined when unsupervised. Training will go a long way. Training also helps increase the bond between the cat and its owner by increasing their level of communication.

We believe there are appropriate reasons and times for declawing to be performed. It is a valuable procedure in many circumstances. It can be a life-saving procedure when the options are to euthanize the cat or have it declawed.

For more information on declawing or any other surgical procedure, feel free to contact any of the Team Members at WinRose – We would be happy to help!