Declawing Your Cat

Declawing (Onychetomy) is the surgical amputation of the nail and last bone of the toe (see diagram below) of the forepaws and occasionally of the rear paws of cats.  Declawing is performed as an elective procedure to prevent damage to the environment (carpets, drapes, furniture) or injury to the owner.

Consideration to declawing should be given early in your cat's life.  Young, growing kittens recover from this procedure much faster and with less pain then do older or overweight cats.  Declawed cats should be kept indoors as they lose their defense against other animals and the ability to escape by climbing.  The decision to declaw your cat is a personal choice and you should ask your veterinarian if you have any questions about the procedure.

Because this procedure does cause pain and discomfort to your cat during the recovery period (much like we would if the ends of our toes were amputated), we do require pain medication be administered to your cat. 

 Following surgery your cat will spend one night in the hospital with bandages on his feet.  Your cat will be send home with antibiotics to prevent infection and pain medication.  During the first week your cat should be kept as quiet as possible and use only paper litter, as clay litters can get caught in the incisions on their feet.  You will want to keep your cat confined to an area with easy to clean surfaces, as a small amount of bleeding can be normal.  The time needed for recovery and return to normal activity will depend on the age and weight of your cat.