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PICTURES OF A DECLAW SURGERY
These photographs illustrate in gory detail why declawing is banned or illegal and considered animal abuse in most of the civilized world. Veterinarians across North America that still perform this barbaric procedure should be deeply ashamed. What people don't realize is that most cats never walk the same again. They are not just cutting off a nail; they are hacking off part of their finger. Which leaves them bleeding for weeks (not days) and limping for weeks, sometimes permanently. We'd rather you didn't buy a kitten from us if you were going to declaw.
If you have a cat that scratches the furniture, there are other ways to solve this problem. You can buy "Soft Paws." Soft Paws are caps that slip onto the claws. This prevents the cat from scratching. You put these on once a month. It is a lot better than cutting their fingers off. If you have a problem putting it on your cat, the veterinarian will do it for free. You can also use a spray bottle and squirt them in the face every time you see them scratch. This will teach your cat not to scratch.
I hope after reading, this has convinced you NOT to declaw. I'm sure you wouldn't want your fingers taken off.
POSSIBLE RISKS, CONSEQUENCES, & REALITIES OF DECLAW SURGERY:
*CHRONIC PAIN. According to this 2005 article from the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management, Dr. Gaynor, DVM states "It is becoming more and more apparent that the number of feline patients who have declaw procedures performed have subsequent chronic pain issues...within days to months to years...".
*BLEEDING or HEMORRHAGE during surgery.
*INFECTION in paws that can lead to amputation of entire toe, paw, or limb, like Stella, who had both of her rear paws amputated from infection after declaw surgery, STELLA's Story ^..^
*PAW SWELLING, LIMPING, LAMENESS, or IMPROPER GAIT after surgery from paw pain, paw tingling, numbness, sensitivity, nerve pain, radial nerve damage, scar tissue, or phantom pain (the kind that amputee victims experience).
*PAINPUL REGROWTH OF CLAWS inside the paw (not seen by the visible eye) if the vet didn't sever enough of the claw forming bone off during surgery, like this: REGROWN CLAWS. Or regrowth of claw that can be seen if it breaks through the paw skin, like this: ABNORMAL REGROWTH. This can happen 7, 8, 10 years after the declaw surgery.
*INABILITY TO DEFEND THEMSELVES without claws, & inability to grasp toys or wands without claws, plus frustration from inability to climb, scratch & stretch without obtaining a secure claw-hold.
*FEAR OR INSECURITY of jumping up or jumping down because of pain when landing or inability to get solid grounding. Some declawed cats will still jump but will shake its paws or limp when it lands.
*POSTURE DIFFERENCES, i.e., declawed cats sit back on their wrists instead of their whole paw, or older declawed cats develop painful arthritis from walking on incomplete paws for years (x-rays can confirm this) & develop "chronic back and joint pain as shoulder, leg and back muscles weaken." http://maxshouse.com/facts_about_declawing.htm
*ATROPIED PAW PADS: Paw pads should be oval and supple but can harden, & become round or misshaped/shriveled after declaw surgery. Atrophied paw pads make it painful for cats to use crystal type cat litter. The P2 bones (the middle bone of the three in a finger) may also perforate the skin above the paw pad after the last bone is removed in surgery.
*PERSONALITY CHANGE after declaw surgery including increased aggression resulting in biting & using their teeth more since their first line of defense is now gone. Plus insecurity, shyness, nervousness, stress, withdrawn, depression, and/or frustration from the trauma of the surgery and/or living without their main means of security. 1000's of cat guardians have reported DECLAW HORROR STORIES and more DECLAW HORROR STORIES where kitty suffered physical, emotional, and behavioral problems after declaw surgery.
*LITTER BOX PROBLEMS. A declawed cat may only want to use a smooth, soft surface to urinate (like the floor or carpet) if their declawed paws are too tender, sore, injured, uncomfortable, or deformed to rake litter. They may associate the pain they feel with using the litterbox, therefore creating a life-long aversion to litter or litterboxes. These litterbox problems can occur years down the line from phantom paw pain, ingrown claws, infection, nerve pain, arthritis, or atrophied pads. Declawed cats that can't mark with their claws, may even mark by spraying their urine instead. Read GOOD CATS WEAR BLACK by Annie Bruce, author of CAT BE GOOD and retired cat consultant, for more information about declawed paws being the #1 cause of litterbox problems for cats, and consider these statistics about declawing & litterbox problems:
*"Dr. Harrison gets 3-12 calls a day about litter box problems in cats and, after ruling out medical problems, 90 percent of the cats with litter box aversion are declawed cats. “Declawing: Behavior Modification or Destructive Surgery”, Animal Issues, 1998
*Published 2/1/03 on CourierPostOnline.com, "Eighty percent (80%) of the cats that are surrendered that are declawed are euthanized because they have a behavioral problem…. Declawed cats frequently become biters and also stop using litter boxes… One or the other…,” said William Lombardi shelter director, Gloucester County, New Jersey.
*"Seventy percent (70%) of cats turned in to pounds and shelters for behavioral problems are declawed." (National Survey from pounds & shelters obtained by Caddo Parrish Forgotten Felines Friends)
