The Controversial Issue of Cat Declawing

At Animal Support we feel that onychectomy, or declawing as it is commonly known and referred to, is a practice that needs to be ended, which is why we support organizations such as the Paw Project. We want you to understand what lies at the heart of this issue so that you may make an informed decision for yourself and so that, hopefully, you will join us in our support.

Some pet owners believe that declawing is the animal equivalent of a manicure and serves the purpose of keeping the cat from destroying furniture or harming other animals. This is not the case. In fact, this removal would be more equivalent to removing the tips of your fingers and can result in permanent disfiguration or pain. The behavioral issues that result from the declawing can additionally negate the intended consequences and even result in the animal being abandoned by his or her owner.

There are some cases where surgical declawing may be necessary due to tumors or persistenet infections, but declawing just for the sake of convenience is harmful to the cat and can be very dangerous for them.

In order to help fight against the practice of declawing, the Paw Project is working to persuade legislators to enact laws that ban declawing as well as educating veterinary students as to why this practice should be ended. In doing so they have been able to reduce the number of cats that have been declawed and help to ban the practice in 8 cities in the state of California.

We are proud to support the Paw Project and hope that you will join us in ending the practice of feline declawing.