Onychectomy/The Truth About Declawing Your Cat

Declawing is not just getting rid of the cat(s) claws. It is about 10 (10 if it's just on the front paws.) or 18  (18 if it's done on all of the claws.) amputations, from your cat's paws, it isn't just  getting rid of the claws and then it's done. It is a very serious surgery with a long and painful recovery.

How is declawing done? While a lot of people are mistaken when it comes to declawing, they are often told over and over again by their vet that declawing is a common and okay procedure.... They are 100% wrong!  Declawing a cat can leave it in a lot of pain and discomfort. It can leave your cat in a time when they are unwilling to walk;  because of the horrible pain they experienced from being declawed. Also declawing can make your cat more fearful and it may cause it to bite more and become withdrawn from you or other people. I am not saying all declawed cats are fearful, because some are and some are not.


What Are Some Of The Consequences From Declawing? 

Declawing can and will leave your cat in a lot of pain, even after surgery. Some declawed cats turn to biting as their only defense (Nico is one of them), some become very shy of people/places/other animals (Anya is one of them), some will stop using the litter box because of the pain they experienced from declawing, and it hurts them to dig in their cat litter; this is why my cats only use the softest litter we can find, some were once "climbers" meaning that they loved to climb things, now that they're declawed, they hate jumping (Anya is one of them), some even hate walking as it hurts so much to walk on their painful toes; cats walk on their toes. Some even re-grow their claws back in a mutated way, etc.








Is Declawing Cruel? If So Why Is That?

Depends on who you ask. In my opinion, it is; but other people think differently than I do, therefor that's what makes it my opinion. I think it's cruel because it takes away a cat's main defense. I also dislike the way its done, I've seen a lot of pictures and videos of cats getting declawed; both by a laser and a guillotine clipper, and I about passed out watching a video. It was awful.
Two of my cats are declawed (Nico&Anya), Star and Saphira on the other hand are "clawed" (meaning that they have all of their claws), they will always have their claws. I'm an anti-declaw person, I have never declawed any animal and I never will. But I know a lot of people who like the idea of amputating their cat's claws, and I'm cool with that. That's your opinion, and this is my opinion. How nice is that? We have the Anti-Declaw people, and we have the Declawing Lovers. I'm an Anti-Declaw kind of girl, where do you belong in these groups??? Are you Anti-Declaw? Or are you a Declaw-Lover? 


This is a video I made that explains 8 reasons why you should never declaw.



See? Its all about opinion.







If Declawing Is a Wrong Choice, Then What Are Some Alternatives To Declawing?

Scratching posts, Softpaws/kitty nail caps, cat scratch door hangers, cat behavior medication, the list
goes on and on. There is no acceptable reason to declaw. Period.
I've never once declawed a cat, and I never will. I will not watch any animal suffer in pain for my
own selfish confidence. Tear up my bed, my walls, my floors, my blankets, my stuff, my furniture, I
don't care, my animals come first then some dumb furniture. Period.








Why Are YOU Against Onychectomy? (Declawing)

Well, what is there not to be against?? It literally takes away a cat's number one defense. We don't "de-tooth" puppies and dogs, do we? No, we don't--then why do we declaw? Better yet, why do we even do it??? Easy--owner's confidence. That's the number one reason why we do such damage to animals; including docking, cropping, spaying, neutering, declawing, also know as Onychectomy. Were animals naturally born like that out in the wild? Yeah? You think so; oh, really. No, I think not. If you disagree then you better think twice. 
There are way better ways to deal with our animal's behaviors than all the stuff listed above. **sigh**, humans, maybe one day we shall be smart too? Yea, like that's ever gonna happen.....

VERY gross declaw surgery; you're amazing if you can watch this without vomiting. Period.




















 Warning:

What follows were pictures taken during an actual declaw, if you are disturbed by graphic photos then these may not be to your liking, however if you still want to see them then please scroll down, remember that no surgary is pretty, but declawing is one that is done for the owner's confidence and rarely for the cat itself.



Now, without additional comment a picture says a thousand words.


Outlaw declawing!


 Honestly I feel really bad for people when they choose to declaw their cat and I feel extra bad for the cat with it's "newly amputated" toes. The first time I found out about declawing was when I was only 3-years old. Yup, I said it--I was 3-years old, a toddler cares more about animals than an adult. That's just sad. I asked my parents what declawing was, they told me it's "removing" the cats claws. Even at age 3 I thought it was mean. At the time, we had a cat who was declawed; we didn't do it, as me and my parents do not believe in declawing. But she was declawed (on the front only) but her toes were always messed up and we all felt really bad. Years later, I had totally forgotten what declawing was. Until I had gotten Nico&Anya in 2012. I mean I still knew what declawing was but I didn't know that it was a 10 or 18 amputations.



What is declawing?
The standard method of declawing is amputating with a scalpel or guillotine clipper. The wounds are closed with stitches or surgical glue, and the feet are bandaged.
Another method is laser surgery, in which a small, intense beam of light cuts through tissue by heating and vaporizing it. However, it's still the amputation of the last toe bone of the cat and carries with it the same long-term risks of lameness and behavioral problems as does declawing with scalpels or clippers.
If performed on a human being, declawing would be like cutting off each finger at the last knuckle.
A third procedure is the tendonectomy, in which the tendon that controls the claw in each toe is severed. The cat keeps his claws, but can't control them or extend them to scratch. This procedure is associated with a high incidence of abnormally thick claw growth. Therefore, more frequent and challenging nail trims are required to prevent the cat's claws from snagging on people, carpet, furniture, and drapes, or from growing into the cat's paw pads.

Because of its complications, tendonectomy may lead to declawing anyway. Although tendonectomy is not actually amputation, a 1998 study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association found the incidence of bleeding, lameness, and infection was similar between tendonectomy and declawing.

Declawing myths:
1: Declawing keeps cats in their home, unlike cats with claws.
2: You should declaw your cat as it's good for your health.
3: Declawing is harmless and painless.
4: Declawing is safe for you and your cat.
5: Declawing saves your cat's life.
6: Laser declawing is better than declawing.
7: Declawing keeps cats from harming your child/ children.
8: Declawing your cat is a life saver!
9: Declawing should be done on all indoor cats.
10: Declawing makes your cat a better pet.


The truth:
1: That's the biggest load of bullshit I have ever heard!
; and actually declawing makes  cats lose their home, because some declawed cats stop using their litter box, because of the pain in their declawed paws as they dig in the litter; and most declawed cats will bite because that's their only defense now.
2: No, just because your cat is declawed that does not mean you're not going to Cat Scratch Fever or
 Toxoplasmosis. Both of those diseases are brought to people by cat bites and cat scratches, however... Toxoplasmosis is brought to people by cat poop and dirty cat litter... So watch out!
3: Wrong! Declawing  a cat leaves it in a lot of pain even years after surgery!! 
4: That's also a pretty big load of bullshit! Declawing is painful to your cat, and it has no benefit for the cat, only you.... You're selfish!
5: Declawing does not saves your cat's life!
6: Laser declawing is the same thing as declawing, you moron!
7: No, cats can and will bite your kids if it feels like it needs to!
8: Declawing is not a life saver!
9: No, it shouldn't and no animal should be declawed!!
10: No, declawing doesn't make your pet any better! That's a myth.


Ragdoll Mommy~

4 comments:

  1. Alice suffered an accident in which one of her claws was actually ripped out. I rushed her to the vet and they treated her but now she has one toe that has no claw or bone...I can't even imagine the pain she suffered but luckily I got her treated quickly. Now she has one toe that's declawed and that's one toe too many!
    Alice's Mum

    ReplyDelete
  2. declawing has been declared inhumane in many countries and several cities and counties in the US.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Banned in 39 countries and I wish it was all of them. There is nothing more cruel that humans do to animals that they declare they care about.

    Thank you for a passionate post showing the truth of this barbaric surgery and its consequences.

    ReplyDelete
  4. In Israel, declawing for anything other than medical reasons is a criminal offence, punishable by a $20,000 fine and up to a year in prison.
    We think it should be more!

    ReplyDelete

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