Gourt > Recreation > Pets > Cats > Issues > Health > Elective Surgery > Declawing
Onychectomy is the act of surgically removing the claws, most often of a household cat, though occasionally of other animals such as circus lions or dancing bears. This process involves amputating the entire end digit, or bone, on the animal's toes, under anaesthesia, and is popularly known as declawing.
The incidence of declawing varies widely from country to country. In the United States and Canada, it is widespread, although precise figures are hard to come by and there is considerable variation within North America. It is a controversial subject, and often causes heated debate between those who believe it is cruel and that owners who declaw are putting the health of their furniture before that of their cat, and those who argue that declawing is better option in some cases than sending a cat to a shelter where it may be euthanised. A few places, such as West Hollywood, have outlawed the practice entirely, but this is not a common occurrence. *
In the United Kingdom, declawing is extremely uncommon, to the extent that most people have never seen a declawed cat. The procedure is considered cruel by almost all British vets, who refuse to perform it except for medical reasons. The "Mutilations report" found in an annex of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' Guide to Professional Conduct states:
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Alternatives - Medical, ethical, and behavioral issues, alternatives, and links.
Meta Description: [ Amby's DECLAWING CATS: Issues & Alternatives includes factual information and training suggestions; how to trim nails and build scratching posts. ]
Animal Planet: Claws - Explains the facts about cats' claws.
Meta Description: [ This cat guide is a window into a cat’s natural world. It draws from science, history and feline behavior in the wild to explain the inner nature and most puzzling characteristics of America’s most popular pet. ]
Animal Planet: Declawing - Why cats scratch with alternatives to declawing.
Meta Description: [ This cat guide is a window into a cat’s natural world. It draws from science, history and feline behavior in the wild to explain the inner nature and most puzzling characteristics of America’s most popular pet. ]
Animal Planet: Scratching - Explains the scratching reflex and how to deal with scratching problems.
Meta Description: [ This cat guide is a window into a cat’s natural world. It draws from science, history and feline behavior in the wild to explain the inner nature and most puzzling characteristics of America’s most popular pet. ]
AVAR: Cat Declawing Brochure - Veterinarians present reasons not to declaw and alternative solutions.
BBC NEWS: Hollywood Cats to Regain Clawing Rights - Councillors in West Hollywood vote in favour of a ban on de-clawing cats, saying that the practice is painful and cruel.
Meta Description: [ Councillors in West Hollywood vote in favour of a ban on de-clawing cats, saying that the practice is painful and cruel. ]
California Anti-Declawing Bill - Legislation to ban declawing cats in California.
Meta Description: [ Legislation to ban declawing cats in California. ]
Cat Scratching.com - Information from a veterinarian on how to solve scratching problems without declawing.
Meta Description: [ Cat Scratching Solutions by a Veterinarian ]
Cats International: The Truth About Declawing - Discusses declawing plus how to build a scratching post.
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CatsInfo: Facts Behind Declawing Your Cat - Facts about declawing and alternatives to declawing your cat.
Meta Description: [ Declawing is an elective surgery cat owners sometimes choose to have done to prevent their pet from scratching furniture, curtains, other pets, and people. Find out the truth about declawing and alternatives to declawing your cat. ]
CFA Health Committee: Declawing - Guidance statement on the declawing of cats from the Cat Fanciers' Association.
Meta Description: [ CFA Health Committee strives to improve the health of cats through awareness and
communication and by obtaining data and information which will benefit those working to better the health of cats ]
De-clawing - Information about the effects of declawing and links to additional information.
Meta Description: [ A Clearinghouse for Information on the Internet about Declawing ]
Declawing - Information and links about declawing. Content warning.
Meta Description: [ Information and links about declawing ]
Declawing Cats: Manicure or Mutilation? - Opinions on the declawing of cats. Includes an explanation of why cat claw objects, understanding declawing and a three-point plan to deter a cat from destructive clawing. With references. From PETA.
Declawing: Disclose and Wait - Information about the procedure and the consequences of declawing cats.
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Declawing: The Facts and Alternatives - Describes why claws are important, the declaw surgery procedure including tendonectomy surgery, behavioral and physical consequences and gives alternatives to declawing.
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Declawing: What You Need to Know - Information to educate you in your decision to declaw your cat with a list of countries in which declawing cats is either illegal or considered extremely inhumane.
Meta Description: [ Declawing: What you need to know. Detailed, Factual, In-depth, information to educate you in your decision ]
Don't Declaw - Facts about declawing cats with related links.
Meta Description: [ Cats need claws for balance and well-being. ]
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Dragon's Lair: Declawing Cats-Making a Humane Decision - Describes why claws are important to a cat and why they scratch. Explains what declawing is and what the risks and alternatives are. Includes links.
Meta Description: [ Web site about cats and kittens that promotes responsible pet ownership. Lots of
information on caring for your cat, including diet, grooming, and some humor for the lighter side of pet ownership ]
East Bay SPCA: Cats and Their Claws - Offers information about and arguments against declawing.
Educate Don't Amputate - A collection of articles about declawing, photographs of the surgery, webring, message board, and mailing list.
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Feline Future: Declawing of Cats - Examines the implications of declawing for the cat and addresses some of the myths about declawing.
Meta Description: [ Feline Future: cat food and behaviour solutions from the feline nutrition experts ]
Feline Scratching - Discusses why cats scratch and how to stop a cat from scratching. Discourages declawing.
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HSUS: Destructive Scratching - Describes why cats scratch and what to do about problem scratching. Also puts the Humane Society's view on declawing.
I Love Cats: Declawing - An insight into declawing and why cats scratch. Also how to train a kitten towards acceptable scratching surfaces.
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Pawprints and Purrs: Clawed for Life - Opinions about declawing. Includes feline anatomy, why cats need claws, how to prevent damage to furnishings and how to trim claws. With links and references.
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Safe Pet Products: Soft Paws Nail Caps for Cats - Soft nail caps that take care of problem scratching without having to declaw. Includes instructions and size chart.
Meta Description: [ Soft Claws Cat Claw Covers for Cats. Vinyl nail caps. Alternative to Declawing. ]
Scratching Furniture - How to train a cat to scratch its post and not the furniture.
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Soft Paws: Alternative to Declawing - Vinyl caps that glue to a cat's claws to protect against scratching.
Meta Description: [ Soft Paws are vinyl caps that glue to your cats claws protecting against scratching ]
The Facts About Declawing - Explains onychectomy(declawing) in detail including physical, psychological and behavioral complications.
The Paw Project - Based in California. Explains the effect of declawing on both domestic and on large cats, provides advice and information on alternate methods to prevent cats from scratching items, project donation information.
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Yahoo! Pets: Scratching - How to deter your cat from scratching the furniture.
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