Scratching is normal behavior for cats. The procedure to declaw a cat (also known as "onychectomy") is not as simple as trimming a nail; it is actually amputating the tip of their toe to the first knuckle. In humans, the fingernails or toenails grow from the fleshy nail bed, but in cats, the claw is attached directly to the third phalanx (P3) bone. Declawing involves separating the third phalanx (P3) from the second phalanx (P2) at the joint. Surgically modifying the cat should be a last resort. Studies have shown that adverse conditions may result from declawing, possibly including chronic pain. Pet owners need to understand all alternative options if declawing is sought to curb scratching behavior. 

Most Veterinary Medical Association Position Statements are very specific about educating cat owners about alternatives to permanently removing claws.

AdobeStock_214338444.jpeg - Caption. [Optional]

Scratching posts can be very helpful for cats (and their humans).

Alternatives to Try Before Choosing Declaw Surgery  

• Provide desirable scratching outlets.
• Make undesirable surfaces less tempting.
• Keep your cat's claws trimmed or protected using soft plastic nail caps.
• Create a rich environment for your cat.
• Strengthen the bond through understanding.

When Surgical Declaw (Onychectomy) is Medically Necessary

If declaw surgery is needed to remove a tumor or for other medical reasons, post-operative care should include pain management. Your veterinarian will probably do a regional nerve block prior to or during surgery to help control postoperative pain. You may also need to give pain medication at home. If your cat does not want to walk, seems uncomfortable, or you are concerned that pain is not managed, contact your veterinarian. The recovery period should be approximately one week. Healing should be complete within 14 days. 

If your cat is completely declawed, they should be an indoor cat.

Declaw Methods

Possible techniques for permanent declaw surgery your veterinarian may perform include:

• Clipper Blade Method
  • Uses a guillotine-type nail trimmer to remove the claw by disarticulating P3 from P2.
  • This method is fast, but there can be a risk of leaving P3 remnants or accidentally cutting P2.
  • This method preserves the attachment of the deep digital flexor tendon, which may help the cat's stance and reduce discomfort compared to complete P3 amputation.
  • Complications could include post-operative bleeding, pain, infection, and claw regrowth if part of the P3 bone is left.
  • Patients usually stay overnight in the hospital after surgery, have bandages on the declawed foot, are monitored for bleeding and to ensure pain management.
• Disarticulation Method
  • The ligaments holding the P3 bone in place are disconnected surgically using a scalpel and the entire P3 is removed.
  • Some states require complete surgical removal of P3 as the "correct" method for declawing.
  • The cut ligaments mean there may be a slight drop in the way the foot is positioned.
  • Complications could include bleeding, post-operative pain, regrowth of the claw if P3 is not completely removed or if the ungual crest of the nail is not removed (the area where the claw grows).
  • Patients usually stay at least two nights in the hospital after surgery, so the bandages can be removed after the first night and the cat can be monitored for bleeding without the bandages.
  • Some spotting of blood for the first few days after the cat goes home, which is expected.
  • Clay or sand litter should be avoided so it doesn't get into the incisions, which may cause infection. Use shredded paper or pelleted paper in the litter box instead.
• Laser Method
  • Uses a CO2 laser to disconnect the ligament and disarticulate P3 instead of a scalpel. 
  • Advantages over surgical scalpel blade disarticulation include reduced bleeding and potentially fewer postoperative complications, including less discomfort.
  • Possible complications are not significantly different among laser, scalpel, and clipper blade methods.
• Electrocautery Method
  • This is similar to the surgical scalpel method, except the veterinarian uses an electrocautery unit.
  • Bleeding is reduced, but complications could include possible dehiscence (separation of the surgical wound) or neuroma (non-cancerous tumors that arise from a nerve) formation, so it is not commonly used.

Tendonectomy

This is a surgical procedure that cuts the deep digital flexor tendon so the cat can no longer extend their claws to scratch. The claws are not removed. By cutting this tendon, the claws stay in a retracted (at rest) position and cannot be extended.

• This method may result in long-term issues and has not been widely adopted.
• Since the cat can no longer extend their claws or wear them down by scratching, they must be regularly trimmed so they don't become overgrown, thickened, and painful or grow into the paw pads.
• Since the cat cannot shed the outer layers of the nails by scratching they become thickened and hard to trim. Some cats show pain during nail trims.
• The P2-P3 joint may become fused (ankylosis) causing chronic pain.
• Sometimes the tendon can heal, allowing the cat to regain the ability to extend its claws and scratch.
• Many veterinary medical associations do not recommend tendonectomy as an alternative to declawing.