FEB 25 Newsletter

FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER

Declawing and Alternatives
By Krista Albers-Smith, LVT

Declawing, or an onychectomy, is an amputation of the third phalanx of each digit.  A declaw procedure in our practice is performed using a CO2 laser, which helps reduce bleeding during the procedure.  We use a local anesthetic block as well as intra operative and post operative pain medication to help ameliorate the pain associated with the procedure. It is important to remember that as with any surgical procedure there are anesthetic risks.

We require all our declawing procedures to spend one night in hospital if they are less than one year old and two nights if they are older than one year. Post operative care is very important to prevent pain and infection. Your cat will require a special litter to prevent the clay from becoming impacted in the surgery sites. You can use shredded paper, pelleted recycled newspaper like Yesterday’s News, or popcorn kernels. Pain medications are sent home to make sure your cat is as comfortable as possible. Activity restriction at home is necessary after surgery; jumping, especially downward, can cause trauma to the surgery sites during healing, resulting in swelling, bleeding, infection, and prolonged healing time.

Once recovered from surgery, there are still risks of adverse behavior changes, including litter box aversion, aggression, and chronic pain. Declawed cats will sometimes stop using their litter box after declawing because they associate it with pain in their paws. This can happen if clay litter is used during the healing process but can also happen as cats age and have arthritic changes. Cats may also become aggressive after surgery. This aggression can be related to pain and the cat feeling overwhelmed or overstimulated, resulting in misplaced aggression on their owners or housemates. Studies are inconclusive on how many cats will be affected by behavior changes associated with the declaw procedure. Most cats are at high likelihood of having arthritis in at least one joint as they get older, and declawing can exacerbate as it can change their gait. It will also be especially important to keep your cat at a healthy weight to ensure that obesity does not contribute to pain and other issues.

Scratching is a normal cat behavior to mark their territory as well as condition their claws. Despite being normal, sometimes it can cause issues in the household. If a cat plays rough (whether with owners or other pets in the house) or they choose to use their claws to mark their territory on your couch, this can cause stress, frustration, and a breakdown in the bond between owner and cat. Declawing is one option that may resolve some of these issues, but it may not always be the best option for everyone.

Alternatives to the declaw procedure is to train your cats to use a scratching post or scratching toy instead of furniture. Cats prefer to scratch upholstery with a vertical drag to fabric, so you may need to make your own scratch post or upholster it rather than using the usual carpet scratching posts. To discourage your cat from scratching furniture you can try covering it with double-stick tape, aluminum foil, or plastic. Some cats may also be discouraged by spray-on antiperspirants. Training your cat to accept nail trims can be adequate to control the scratching. If your cat is food motivated, you may be able to trim their nails while they are eating a tasty treat. If you are not comfortable trimming the nails on your own, you can always schedule an appointment with us to do them for you. Blunt acrylic nail caps are another method that has become increasingly popular. They are glued onto your cat’s claws with the idea that they are not sharp enough to do any damage. The nail caps will not wear off at the same time, so you may have some nails capped while others are not, which will require routine replacement of the caps. There are also cases of cats continuing to scratch, sometimes causing a larger hole because of the blunted caps.

Despite the risks associated with declawing, it can be the best option in some situations and can help preserve the human animal bond. We recommend taking the time to weigh each option before deciding to have this surgery. Our licensed technicians and doctors are always happy to answer your questions and help you make the best decision for you and your cat.