TulsaPets Magazine September 2021

September/October 2021 • TulsaPets 21 Elective declawing procedures have also been banned at designated Cat Friendly Practices (CFPs). The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) enacted the policy change on January 1, aligning with its 2017 Position Statement that strongly opposed declawing of cats as an elective procedure. But is there a time the procedure is needed? “In my experience, I have yet to see a patient that needs all 10 toes declawed for a medical reason,” says Dr. Caren Lawrence, medical director at VCA Woodland South Animal Hospital (a registered gold certified Cat Friendly Practice). Lawrence is also a member of the American Association of Feline Practitioners. “I find that many cat owners assume an in- door cat needs to be declawed after talking to other people that have declawed cats or be- cause they have owned declawed cats in the past. Another common assumption is that if another cat in the household is declawed, the other cats should be declawed so they don’t use their claws on the other cat. This is just not the case,” Lawrence continues.  “Cats tend to not use their claws in an aggressive manner when playing with other animals in the house. Actually, we find ag- gression in cats increases with declawed cats. They may not have their claws to scratch anymore, but they do still have the ability to bite, which can be more painful and tends to cause more serious injury.”   Dr. Suzanne Hurst, owner of Kindness Animal Hospital in Tulsa, is another local vet who chose to eliminate the procedure. She also serves as the Oklahoma director for the national organization, The Paw Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to end- ing the practice of declawing. About eight years ago, Hurst discovered the long-term damage the procedure was causing in cats. “Now I try to educate others about the dangers of declawing and help cats who have painful feet from previous declaw pro- cedures,” Hurst says. “Declawing is never necessary. It is never a good idea.” The Declawing Procedure There are two ways to perform a declaw procedure, Hurst explains. One is to cut through the last segment of bone on each toe. Because the claw grows from cells contained within the bone, if some cells are left behind, the nail can regrow. It will grow abnormally and underneath the skin. The segments of bone left behind are also problematic because the cat is now walking on these fragments under the skin.    The second way to declaw is to remove the entire last segment of bone on each toe with either a scalpel blade or a laser. This prevents nail regrowth but can still cause issues. Potential problems include infections of the tissues and in the bone, permanent nerve pain, contracture of the toes, calluses on the toe pads, burns from lasers and even death of the tissue, requiring amputation of the feet and part of the leg. “With either procedure, we see arthritis developing much earlier, even in the lower back,” Hurst says. “This is because we are fundamentally changing the way they are now forced to walk. Along with the physical issues, we see many behavioral issues, including aggression, withdrawal, increased biting behavior, and litter box avoidance. “So many declaws go wrong because it is an amputation of 10 (or 18 if both front and back nails are done) weight-bearing appendages. That is 10-18 chances of infec- tion, nerve pain and myriad other postoper- ative problems to occur. “When we change the anatomy, it affects the entire musculoskeletal system; the pa- tient has to bear weight on amputated toes immediately after surgery. Things go wrong due to poor technique, inadequate pain control and inadequate infection control.” Scratching Is Natural Behavior If someone wants a pet that will nev- er scratch the furniture, Hurst says the best advice is don’t get a cat. “It is a natural, normal and essential behavior for cats. To expect them not to engage in this behavior would be like asking a human to never stretch or a dog to never bark. “Cats scratch to display happiness, mark territory, stretch their muscles and pull off the outer sheath of the claw. Sometimes they will scratch if they are anxious or stressed.” However, cats can be trained to use pro- vided scratching devices instead of furni- ture. Hurst suggests finding which surface your cat prefers, from unadorned wood to cardboard to sisal rope.   “I recommend having several different types in areas that are easily accessible,” she says. “They can be made more appealing with catnip, pheromones and treats. Place the scratching device in areas that they like to scratch.” Also, she advises never punish a cat who scratches furniture. “They will not under- stand why they are being punished and may just become anxious and fearful (which may lead to more scratching). Instead, redirect their behavior and reward them for scratch- ing where you want them to scratch. “You can protect your furniture with double-sided sticky tape or other devices made to deter them from a specific area. I do recommend trimming their claws every few weeks. If you start when they are young and reward them, they will be much more accepting of this procedure.”   Ultimately, cat owners need to under- stand that scratching behavior is normal and natural. Owners working with their cats will help ensure fewer “mistakes,” Hurst adds. “And if you do get a few snags here and there, that is part of living with these amaz- ing and magnificent creatures.” An x-ray of Phoebe’s front feet