Link to Porter Pet Hospital’s laser declawing info. https://www.porterpet.net/laser-declaw.html
Story published on November 14, 2025
Ohio — A statewide investigation of 100 randomly selected veterinary clinics reveals a deeply troubling picture of the welfare of cats in Ohio, where this inhumane, mutilating, and cruel amputation procedure remains routine in many communities.
Declawing is the amputation of the last bone of every cat’s toe and it has been condemned by leading veterinary and animal welfare organizations and outlawed in six U.S. states, restricted in dozens of cities, banned in nine out of ten Canadian provinces, and prohibited in more than 40 countries. Decades of studies link the procedure to lifelong chronic pain, arthritis, mobility issues, and behavioral problems that often lead to cats being surrendered to shelters or euthanized.
Yet in Ohio, this cruel and inhumane amputation procedure remains widespread.
This investigation found that approximately 80% of these clinics still declaw cats, with some openly advertising the procedure online and others even performing four-paw declaws.
Columbus Area: A Rare Shift Toward Modern Standards
In stark contrast to the rest of the state, Columbus shows a clear move away from the procedure with 20% of clinics performing declawing according to employees who work there. Out of 35 clinics in the Columbus area, seven still declaw cats.
Six of those seven belong to a single veterinary group, Healthy Pets of Ohio, and the seventh is Knapp Veterinary Hospital, run by the president-elect of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA.)
This means nearly all independent clinics in Columbus have abandoned declawing, calling it inhumane, cruel, very painful, and outdated. Most promote humane alternatives such as behavior training, nail trims, scratching posts, and temporary nail caps.
A few no-declaw clinics still refer clients elsewhere, underscoring how access to the surgery persists even among practices that oppose it.
Outside Columbus: A Much Bleaker Picture
The rest of the state tells a dramatically different story.
Among 65 clinics statewide (beyond the Columbus region), only 8 —just 12% — do not declaw cats.
Two more do not declaw but refer clients to clinics that do.
That means around 88% of clinics outside of the Columbus area are still performing this mutilating and very unnecessary amputation procedure when the humane alternatives are always effective.
Many of these vet clinics even advertise declawing on their websites and some even tout laser declawing as a nicer and better option, despite veterinary data showing it still removes the same bone and carries the same long-term complications.
Owner Misinformation and Devastating Consequences
A major factor sustaining declawing is that many cat owners do not fully understand what it entails. The term sounds benign, and some owners mistakenly believe it is only removing the claws and not the toe bones. Many trust that a veterinarian would not perform a procedure that is inhumane and causes lasting harm. But declawing is the amputation of bone, and owners often realize the truth only after their cat returns home in pain, limping, or suddenly aggressive. Some cats begin urinating outside the litter box or develop fear-based biting—behaviors linked to post-surgical pain in their mutilated paws and among the most common reasons cats are surrendered to shelters. Owners frequently report a lifetime of guilt once they learn what the procedure actually involved.
A Profession Divided
The findings expose a sharp ethical divide within Ohio’s veterinary community.
In Columbus, veterinarians have largely aligned with current science and global standards, rejecting declawing as unnecessary and harmful.
Elsewhere, our investigation shows that many clinics continue to profit from the procedure, charging hundreds of dollars for it, while framing it as client-driven demand despite acknowledging its risks.
As a result, a cat’s fate in Ohio depends more on geography than on medical best practices. Whether a cat keeps its toe bones and claws is determined not by welfare or science, but by the policies of individual clinics and the uneven ethics of the profession when it comes to declawing.
Legislative Stakes
Senate Bill 252, to ban declawing in Ohio, was introduced Sept. 3, 2025 by Senator Cutrona and Senator Craig with Senator Weinstein as a co-sponsor.
It was referred to the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee with Chairman Senator Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster) and had a hearing on October 14, 2025. (Advocates can call and email Senator Schaffer and ask him to bring Senate bill 252 up for a hearing. (614) 466-8076. Email- SD20@OhioSenate.gov. Also you can contact your Ohio legislator about this important cat protection bill.)
Although there are many veterinarians in Ohio who do not declaw cats and who advocate for the humane alternatives, many cats across much of Ohio remain at risk of this painful, inhumane, and unnecessary amputation procedure. Advocates say a law is needed to protect cats from clinics that do not put the welfare of cats first and still perform this brutal and unethical act of mutilation.
THE METHOD OF THE INVESTIGATION
City the Kitty researchers made a short call to random veterinary practices in Ohio to see how they address declawing.
The general questioning went like this: The researcher asked for a price for a spay/neuter and declaw, asked who their declawing vet is, asked what declawing method they use, asked if they perform declaws regularly and if declawing is ok for a cat long term.
We have withheld the names of employees for fear that they might suffer a backlash for their honest answers.
THE RESULTS
Columbus, Ohio area veterinary clinics.
1) 2026-27 AVMA President- Elect Dr Robert Knapp. Knapp Veterinary Hospital, Columbus, OH.
Link to Knapp’s surgery page https://www.knappvet.com/general-surgery-info.pml
(After we published this story about the AVMA.org and declawing, Knapp Veterinary Hospital took off all the declawing info from their website.)
Researcher asked an employee at Knapp Veterinary Hospital for the cost of a neuter/declaw and the employee said it is $108 for the neuter and the low end of a declaw is $416.97 – $455.
Researcher asked who their declaw surgeons are and they said all their vets perform declaws and are “amazing doctors.” Their doctors use the laser for the declaw. Researcher asked if Dr Knapp does the declaws and they said he can and they have other doctors who can also do them. Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and they said you need a $75 exam to discuss the details of the declaw with the doctor and after that, they could schedule the surgeries.
Researcher asked if they perform declaws regularly and the employee said, “Yes, Monday through Friday.” Researcher asked if the laser is better for a declaw and the employee said they have heard that the laser is better but said to ask the doctor in the exam. Researcher wanted to confirm the info and asked if their doctors perform declaws often and the employee said, “Yes, they do them all the time, yes.”
Another employee said that a spay/declaw is $680-$720 and you need a $75 exam first. They said all four of their doctors can do a declaw/spay and it just depends on what day of the week it is.
2) Ohio State University Veterinary Center. https://vmc.vet.osu.edu/
The employee said they do not declaw cats. Researcher asked if a declaw is bad for a cat. The employee said yes, it can cause a lot of pain in their paws especially when they get older, difficult for them to walk, and you might have some trouble finding a vet who declaws cats as it’s pretty frowned upon at this point.
3) German Village Veterinary Hospital. https://www.germanvillageveterinaryhospital.com
They do not declaw cats.
4) Easton Animal Hospital. https://eastonanimalhospital.com
They do not declaw cats.
5) WhiteHall Animal Hospital. https://whitehallah.com/
The employee said their vet doesn’t do declaws anymore and it’s an amputation of the cat’s first knuckle.
6) Chittenden Veterinary Clinic. https://www.chittendenvetclinic.com
The employee said their vet decided to not perform declaws anymore.
7) Upper Arlington Veterinary Hospital. https://www.uavethospital.com/
They said they do not declaw cats and when the researcher asked why the employee said they do not have a doctor who performs declaws.
8) Suburban Animal Clinic. https://suburbananimalclinic.com/
The employee said they do not declaw cats. Researcher asked if it’s bad for a cat and the employee said there were some studies that it is really painful for cats and they end up having issues because it’s cutting off the bone and said most places have stopped declawing.
9) Village Animal Clinic. https://villageanimalclinicllc.com/
They do not declaw cats. Researcher asked why don’t they declaw. They said that they do not like the procedure, it’s amputation of the last digits, they’ve found through the years it can have a lot of repercussions as far as pain problems and behavioral issues down the road, and it’s taking off the cat’s fingertips. They said that they usually encourage keeping up with the nail trims, offering scratching posts, and instead of declawing. They said a lot of the clinics in Columbus who have moved away from declawing.
10) Banfield Pet Hospital. Columbus. https://www.banfield.com/locations/veterinarians/oh/columbus/eas
The employee said that they do not declaw cats and said a declaw is painful.
(Banfield banned declawing in all their vet clinics in 2020.)
11) Health and Harmony Animal Hospital. https://healthandharmonyanimalhospital.com/
The employee said, “We don’t declaw here, we’re pro-claw.” Researcher asked if it’s bad for a cat and the employee said yes and that it’s technically clipping the tips of their bones so it’s not advised, it’s not comfortable for them, and they need their claws for everyday life.
12) Care Pet Clinic. https://carepetclinic.com/
They do not declaw. Researcher asked if it’s bad for a cat and the employee said the state of Ohio is issuing a ban for it and a lot of states aren’t doing it, it’s hard on a cat and it’s amputation.
13) Fifth and Kenny Animal Hospital. https://fifthandkenny.com/
They do not declaw. They said that it is cruel, like cutting off the tips of your fingers and it’s really bad for them and very, very, very hard on them.
14) Great Southern Animal Hospital. https://www.greatsouthernanimal.com/
They do not declaw cats and sad that declawing is not a common practice anymore.
15) Beechwold Veterinary Hospital. https://www.thrivepetcare.com/locations/ohio/columbus/beechwold-veterinary-hospital
They do not declaw cats.
16) Animal Hospital of Worthington. https://www.animalhospitalofworthington.com/
They do not declaw cats. They said that declawing is not a standard practice anymore, it can be bad for cats, and can have long term effects on the cat.
17) Bexley Animal Hospital. https://bexleyanimalhospital.com/
They do not declaw cats. They said that most clinics do not perform them and it’s not considered a humane practice anymore.
18) Westerville Veterinary Clinic. https://westervillepets.com/
They do not declaw cats. They said declawing is about to become illegal in Ohio and it’s seen as inhumane.
19) Med Vet. https://www.medvet.com/location/columbus/
They do not declaw cats.
21) Animal Care Hospital of Reynoldsburg. Ohio. https://www.ancarereyns.com/
They do not declaw cats and after researcher asked why, they said because they don’t believe in it. Researcher asked if it’s bad for cats and they said, “Yes, it’s absolutely awful” and said it’s basically amputating the whole last bone. They said it’s probably going to be illegal in the next 5 years.
22) Sugar Creek Veterinary Clinic. Ohio. https://sugarcreekvet.com/
They do not declaw cats. They said that most vets don’t do them anymore and it makes it hard on their joints and hard for them to walk.
23) Angel Animal Hospital. https://www.facebook.com/angelanimalhospitalgalloway/
Researcher called this clinic to ask for the cost of a neuter/declaw and the vet, Dr Fisher, answered the phone. She said that she is retiring and refers people to Healthy Pets of Westgate but wasn’t sure if they perform declaws. She said, “Most places do not do declaws anymore unfortunately.” (Healthy Pets of Westgate does perform declawing.)
Researcher asked why aren’t those vet clinics performing declawing anymore and Dr Fisher said, “They don’t believe it’s humane. I did them for 40 years but it’s a whole different world now.”
Researcher asked if it’s bad for a cat and she said, “Yes, how big is the cat” and she said it depends on who you ask and said most rescue groups and humane rescue groups believe declawing is detrimental for cats.
Researcher asked her what are the facts about declawing and she said you can google it, she could talk about it for 3 years, and there’s been a big controversy about declawing for the last 10 years and she doesn’t talk much about it.
24) Georgesville Road Animal Hospital. https://www.grahvet.com/
Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw and the employee asked, “Do you want all four claws declaw or do you just want two?” The employee asked if the cat is under 7 years old. Researcher asked if they declaw older cats and they said they can do the declaw on a 7 year old cat.
They said a 4 paw declaw/neuter is $1300 and a 2 paw declaw/neuter is $870. They said that they only have one vet who declaws, Dr Kittle.
Researcher asked if he does them regularly and the employee said, “Usually, yes” and said he’s been doing them for 20 years.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said the cat spends the night because they change their bandages but usually after they are perfectly fine but said “it’s the recovery that’s the hard part.” They said you have to change the litter and make sure the cats are calm.
Researcher asked again if the cats seem to be ok long term, “It varies, sometimes they’re ok and some are not.”
25) Oakland Park Animal Hospital. https://www.oaklandparkanimalhospitalllc.com/
The employee said that a neuter/front declaw is $492 but they won’t be doing any surgeries until January when their vet, Dr John Ciuca comes back. Researcher asked if he does them regularly and the employee said yes, and said he does them on a regular basis. Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “Yes they are” and said “There’s usually no problem ever” and said they only do the front declaw.
26) Clintonville Animal Hospital. Columbus, OH. https://www.clintonvilleah.com
They said you have to get an exam first and lab work and then you can get the cost of the procedures. They said Dr Horne does their declaws, she only does the front, she doesn’t use a laser, and does the declaw the old fashioned way. Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “Well hopefully” but said everything is a risk with surgeries and said they keep the cat overnight and you have to use yesterday’s news litter for about a week.
Researcher asked if she does declaws regularly and the employee said, “Oh yes she does.”
27) Westside Animal Clinic. Columbus, OH https://westside-clinic-columbus.edan.io/
Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw and the employee asked, “Were you wanting to do the front or all four?” The employee said that a neuter/four paw declaw is around $500 and a neuter/2 paw declaw is around $450.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said yes.
They said Dr Bill does their declaws. https://www.yelp.com/biz/westside-animal-clinic-columbus
Healthy Pets of Ohio is a veterinary group with 8 vet clinics in the Columbus area.
This is on their website, “Dr. Hal Taylor, III (Chip) serves as Healthy Pets Medical Director and the lead veterinarian at Healthy Pets of Wedgewood. Like his father and grandfather before him, he is dedicated to continuing the Healthy Pets legacy of compassionate, quality pet care with a hometown touch, and remains diligent in ensuring that his clinics remain at the forefront of veterinary medicine.”
According to employees who work there, 6 of these Healthy Pets of Ohio clinics performs declawing, one does not perform declawing but refers to their sister clinic for declaws, and another does not perform declawing and does not refer people to a declawing clinic.
28) Healthy Pets of Westgate. Columbus, OH. https://www.healthypetsofohio.com/healthy-pets-of-westgate/
Healthy Pets of Westgate says this on their website. ‘As we continue the legacy set by Dr. Taylor, we offer the most advanced, highest quality medical care available for your pet. We encourage you to visit our clinic or call for a scheduled appointment to make sure your pet remains a “Healthy Pet.”’
The employee said that a neuter/2 paw declaw is $650-$750 and it’s around $150 extra for a 4 paw declaw. They said that Dr. Andrew Queler and another vet can do a declaw and they use a laser.
Researcher asked if they do them regularly and the employee said yes. Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “Yea, they do good because we use laser” and said they don’t have any problems and they have never seen any issues. The employee said that a laser is much better and recommended using laser for a declaw. Researcher asked how is the laser better and the employee said it cuts with a laser beam so you have less bleeding, less bruising, they heal quicker, less pain, and you don’t have to bandage them.
29) Healthy Pets of Bren-Lor. https://www.healthypetsofohio.com/healthy-pets-of-bren-lor/
The employee said they do not perform declawing and said it’s going to be banned eventually and it’s something that they stopped doing about a year ago. Researcher asked if a declaw is bad for a cat and they said yes.
30) Healthy Pets of New Albany. https://www.healthypetsofohio.com/healthy-pets-of-new-albany/
They do not declaw cats but recommended their sister hospital, Healthy Pets of Lewis Center.
31) Healthy Pets of Lewis Center. https://www.healthypetsofohio.com/healthy-pets-of-lewis-center/
They said that you need an exam to get the estimate. They said that they just do the front declaw and said they have a couple doctors who do their declaws.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “As far as I’ve heard.” The employee said they’ve had many cats come in for a declaw and said they haven’t had any issues that they know of.
32) Healthy Pets of Houk Road. https://www.healthypetsofohio.com/healthy-pets-of-houk-road/
The phone recording on their clinics says, “Every pet deserves dedicated high quality care. It’s why here at HPO we treat your pet like our family.”
The employee said that they can email an estimate for the neuter/declaw and they can do them together. They do not use a laser for the declaw. Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said that after the declaw the cat stays the night and they monitor them and said “over time they can get arthritis.”
33) Healthy Pets of Wedgewood. https://www.healthypetsofohio.com/healthy-pets-of-wedgewood/
The employee said that a tech needs to give a price quote. They said that they offer a neuter/declaw, they use a laser, and said they don’t do them all the time but said they definitely offer them as a procedure.
34) Healthy Pets of Hayden Run. https://www.healthypetsofohio.com/healthy-pets-of-hayden-run/
They said that a neuter/declaw is around $1000. They said that a declaw is not really a common procedure and that it’s fading away as far as common place but it’s a procedure they provide maybe several times a year.
Researcher asked if a declaw is bad for a cat and the employee said there are pros and cons and if it’s a larger cat it can cause pain and said, “Because you are, basically it’s….” and stopped and said if the cat is destroying the house and it’s between having the “nails removed” or being kicked out of the house they want the cat stay in the house.
35) Healthy Pets of Rome Hilliard. https://www.healthypetsofohio.com/healthy-pets-of-rome-hilliard/
The employee said that you need to have an exam to get the cost of a neuter/declaw. The employee said that all their vets do the declaws, it’s up to the doctor if they will do a declaw, and it depends on if the cat is healthy and other factors.
OTHER RANDOM VET CLINICS IN OHIO
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VETERINARY WELLNESS CENTERS OF OHIO (VWP).
VETERINARY GROUP COMPANY WITH 5 VET CLINICS
Their website says this, “Our mission is to promote the highest quality of life for companion and farm animals through modern therapeutic, preventative, diagnostic, and consultant services with compassion and professionalism.”
Link to the “Kitten Starter Kit” PDF on Veterinary Wellness Partner’s Cat Care homepage in the “Kitten Care” section.
Their company is owned by veterinarians, Jeff Fink, Gabe Middleton, Marissa Hofstetter, and Michele Awad-Morris.
According to employees who work in these clinics, Dr Jeff Fink and Dr Marissa Hoff
36) Orrville Veterinary Clinic. https://www.orrvillevetclinic.com/
The Veterinary Wellness Partners clinics took off the declaw info from their websites after we published our story.
Link to declawing info. https://www.orrvillevetclinic.com/cat-care
According to a March 29, 2011 facebook post by Orrville Veterinary Clinic, they received their accreditation to be an AAHA accredited animal hospital.
This clinic made a facebook post about it and said, “Orrville Veterinary Clinic belongs to a select group of practices that are committed to meeting the standard of veterinary excellence,” says Gregg Takashima, DVM, AAHA president. “AAHA hospitals pass a stringent evaluation of over 900 standards covering patient care, client service and medical protocols. By attaining accreditation, Orrville Veterinary Clinic is demonstrating its dedication to offering the best care to its patients and clients.”
( AAHA STRONGLY OPPOSES declawing and here’s their position on declawing.)
This clinic has the Fear Free Pets logo on their website however they are not listed on FearFreePets.org’s website as being a Fear Free Clinic or having Fear Free professionals. Fear Free banned declawing in their clinics in 2021.
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Researcher asked an employee at Orrville Veterinary Clinic for the cost of a neuter/declaw and the employee asked, “Are you wanting a two paw or four paw declaw?”
A neuter/2 paw declaw is $520 and a 4 paw declaw/neuter is $630 and they said Dr Fink and Dr Hofstetter perform their declaws and said both are great but recommended Dr Fink for the declaw as they said he is at their clinic more consistently.
They said they use an electro-cautery for the declaws said, “it encourages quicker healing.”
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said yes and said that they keep their cats there two nights to “monitor and make sure they are not losing too much blood” and to make sure everything is healing ok. Researcher asked if after a couple nights the cats are ok long term after the declaw and the employee said yes.
Researcher asked if they perform declaws regularly and the employee said, “Yes, we do.”
37) Seville Wadsworth Veterinary Clinic. https://www.sevillevetclinic.com
Link to declawing info. https://www.sevillevetclinic.com/cat-care
A neuter/declaw is $800-$1000 and Dr Studds and Dr Hofstetter are their declawing vets. They require a pre-surgical consult first to talk about the reason for the declaw and approval and said “usually they do not have an issue with a declawing younger cats” and said usually their only issue is if the cat is over 1 year old.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “As far as we know, yes” but said there can always be complications with declaws.
Researcher asked if they do declaws often and the employee said, “Yea, they do a few a year” and said it’s not like they get declaws weekly. They said they use an electro-cautery for the declaws which cauterizes as it cuts, but said it’s a big procedure for the cat.
They said that they do not perform 4 paw declaws but provided the number for their sister clinic, Orrville Vet clinic for a 4 paw declaw.
38) Southern Medina Veterinary Clinic. Medina, OH. https://www.smvetclinic.com/
Link to declawing info. https://www.smvetclinic.com/cat-care
Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw and the employee said, “we only do the front, are you looking to have all four done or just the front?”
The employee said that a declaw starts at around $1000. They said that Dr Studds performs their declaws.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok after a declaw and the employee said the cat needs an exam to discuss the long term effects that can happen after a declaw and after the exam they will go ahead and schedule the surgeries. They said sometimes there can be side effects long term.
Researcher asked if Dr Studds performs the declaws regularly and the employee said they don’t do a whole lot of them but she is familiar with a declaw and they have done them in the past.
39) Canal Fulton Jackson Veterinary Clinic. Canal Fulton, OH. https://www.cfjvetclinic.com/
The employee said that they do not perform declaws but said that their Orrville clinic does.
40) Akron Barberton Vet Clinic. https://www.abvetclinic.com/
They do not declaw cats and refer cat owners to their sister clinic for the declaws, Orrville Vet Clinic.
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41) Murray Ridge Animal Clinic. Elyria, OH. https://www.murrayridgeanimalclinic.net/laser-declaw
Murray Ridge says this on their website, “Laser declaw is one of the nicest ways to declaw your cat. Laser surgery cauterizes as it cuts resulting in a quicker, less painful recovery. Call us today to schedule your pre-op exam.”
The cat needs to get exam first to see if the cat is healthy enough for the anesthesia and to get an estimate for the surgeries. Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said they are ok, there are no long term negative effects, and said their vet would not do them if there were any issues.
The employee said Dr. Theresa Staveski does their declaws with a laser. Researcher asked if the laser is better for the declaw and the employee said “Oh yea” and said that it is way better for the cat with the procedure and healing is way better. They said that the previous method of declawing was more problematic but they seem to heal better with the laser and have less problems in the long run. They said that they haven’t seen any issues with all the patients they have that have been declawed.
Researcher asked if she performs declaws regularly and the employee said, “She does.”
Researcher asked if she does a declaw once a week and the employee said, “usually, yes” and said she performs surgeries Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays and “there’s usually a couple declaws spread around in there.”
Just for reference, this is a photo of a laser declaw.
The facts are that laser declawing is just as mutilating and painful as the other methods of declawing and causes the same long term negative consequences. Here’s our FACTS VS MYTHS section and #8 gives you the facts about laser declawing.
Also here are a couple one minute videos we put together about the facts about laser declawing. Be aware that they show how a laser declaw is performed and it is graphic. The truth about declawing.
Laser declawing vet promotes false information about it in this video.
42) Stringtown Animal Hospital. Grove City, OH. https://www.stringtownanimalhospital.com/about/
The employee said you need an exam first to make sure the cat is healthy for surgery and go over options for the declaw, what you have tried already, and reason for the declaw. They said that if the doctor agrees to the declaw and you agree to the pricing, they will schedule it.
Here’s an excerpt from our story about a cat who was declawed at this vet clinic in 2018. “According to the cat owner, she discussed with a vet tech at this hospital that she was having scratching issues with Chicken and was thinking about getting nail caps. The cat owner said that she felt that declawing was not an option and felt it was cruel. According to the cat owner, the vet tech reassured her that declawing was the best option, never said anything bad about declawing, and said that she even had her cats declawed and it was the best decision she had ever made. After this discussion with the vet tech, Chicken’s owner decided to go ahead with the spay and declaw procedure. Chicken the cat was declawed with a scalpel on June 6, 2018 by Dr Ellie Scott at Stringtown Animal Hospital in Grove City, Ohio. Chicken has been limping, standing up with her paws up, walking on her wrists, crawling, eating laying down in her food, and not covering her waste in her litter box ever since. Stringtown Animal hospital determined in an exam in September 2018, that Chicken’s declaw has healed, her fever is resolved, and that she has possible phantom pain. They advised the cat owner that “no treatment is needed at this time.” https://citythekitty.org/a-declawing-vet-in-denial-and-chicken-the-cats-tragic-story/
2019. Chicken was transported to the St Louis area so she could see a Paw Project veterinarian who is experienced in declawed cat issues.
Chicken’s foster mom, took her to The Pet Doctor on January 7th, 2019 to see Dr Marcy Hammerle. An exam of her toes revealed that all digits of both front paws were fixed in a bent position and that they could not be extended manually. X-rays confirmed flexion of the forelimb digits. This is consistent with a diagnosis of bilateral flexor tendon contraction.
This is a common condition that most declawed cats develop that owners would never know about unless they had xrays done.
Dr Marcy said that when the toes contract after being declawed, over time, it shifts the ends of P2 so they are no longer cushioned by the toe pad. She said that they will see calluses build up where the bone is hitting the ground. This condition starts to become painful because they no longer have any cushioning.
43) Glenway Animal Hospital. Cincinnati, OH https://www.glenwayanimalhospital.com
This is an AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital and AAHA.org still allows declawing in their hospitals even though they say they strongly oppose it. Here’s our petition to AAHA.og.
The past President of the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association is Dr. Diana Dornbusch Cron and this is her vet clinic.
Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw for a 5 month old cat. The employee said that they perform declaws on a case by case basis, a neuter/declaw is probably over $1000, and their declawing vet is Dr Brian Cron. The employee said it’s up to the doctor if they will do the declaw. The researcher asked when is it ok to do a declaw and the employee said “we basically kind of discourage a declaw” and said Dr Cron wants to go over all the possible side effects of the surgery because a declaw is basically cutting off the part of their fingers and said there can be lasting complications sometimes. They said he wants you to be fully informed before the declaw.
Researcher asked if once you are informed do they go ahead with it and the employee said, “Probably, because he is 5 months old, so he’s young enough.”
Researcher asked if he performs declaws regularly and the employee said, “We don’t do them really really often, but he does do them.”
They will not perform a 4 paw declaw.
44) Claremont Veterinary Clinic. Ashland, OH. https://www.ashlandsource.com/2025/01/15/a-new-era-begins-for-claremont-veterinary-clinic/
The employee said that a neuter/front declaw is $150 and a 4 paw declaw/neuter is $170.
They said that they perform the old fashioned declaw with a clipper and said that Dr Kaeser is their declawing vet. They said that the bandages on the cats can be taken off after 24 hours.
Researcher asked if the cats get take home pain meds and the surgical vet tech said, “Only if you request them.”
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “Yes
Researcher asked if he does declaws regularly and the employee said, “Oh yea.”
They said if the cats are heavier cats like 12-14 lbs they say no to the declaw, but if they are “tiny kittens”, they “do great.”
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Here’s a news media story about the 2025 declawing bill in Ohio.
Dr West, who owns Perrysburg Animal Hospital and West Toledo Animal Hospital, was interviewed for this Sept.9, 2025 story by WTVG 13 ABC TV Toledo, OH. Dr West said in this interview that declawing is a “controversial subject and everyone has an opinion on it.” She also said they really try to discourage owners from doing declawing, they educate owners, and they don’t encourage it. She talked all about the humane alternative to declawing. She said that when you have owners with a medical condition like on blood thinners or easily bruising, removing the claws takes that potential of them getting scratched or hurt and ultimately having severe medical consequences from it. She said she doesn’t see declawing nearly as often as they used to.
Dr West was also interviewed for this Sept. 10, 2025 Cleveland’s 19 News story.
(Here’s our Facts vs Myths section and #11 has all the evidence on why declawing is not recommended for any human health reason. https://citythekitty.org/declawing-facts-vs-myths-humane-options/ )
45) Perrysburg Animal Hospital. Rossburg, OH. https://www.perrysburganimalhospital.com/meet-our-team
The employee said that the low end of a neuter/declaw is $772 and the high end is $1675.
They said that it is removing the whole knuckle, the cat needs to stay overnight. They said that Dr West performs their declaws. Researcher asked if she does declaws regularly and the employee said, “She does kind of advise against them” and said there are other options but she does perform declaws.
Researcher asked after the exam and if the cat is healthy enough will they do a declaw/neuter and the employee said yes.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said that after a period of time they can get arthritis, it’s a pretty intense surgery, and it’s pretty hard on the cat.
The employee mentioned the humane option of claw covers for the cat.
46) West Toledo Animal Hospital. Toledo, OH. https://www.westtoledoanimalhospital.com
Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw and the employee asked, “Just the front two paws or all four?”
The employee said that they need to see the cat first for an exam and can give the exact cost for the neuter/declaw at that time.
They said that a neuter/declaw is from $600- $1000 , closer to the higher end cost for the neuter/4 paw declaw. They said that they have a couple vets who can do the declaws.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said it just really depends on the cat and is a longer healing process but they should be ok.
Researcher asked if they perform declaws regularly and the employee said they are not “too too common anymore” but said that there are people who get them done.
Researcher asked if after an exam, do they perform the declaw and the employee said yes, they can perform the neuter and declaw all at once.
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47) Worner Veterinary Hospital. https://www.wornervethospital.com/services
The employee said they only do front declaws, if you are a client there they have a $55 off discount, Dr David Worner does their declaws, and it costs $500 for the neuter/declaw. Researcher asked if there are any complications from the declaw and the employee said there can be aggression issues and they are prone to bite.
48) Oakley Square Animal Hospital. https://www.oakleysquareanimalhospital.com/feline-services
49) Cryan Veterinary Hospital. Westerville, OH. https://cryanvet.com/surgical-services/
Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw and the employee asked if it was for 2 or 4 paws. The employee said it’s between $539-$1,000 for a neuter/2 paw declaw. Researcher asked if there are long term problems with a declaw and the employee said it depends.
The employee said since they use laser it doesn’t hurt as much.
Dr. Balazs performs their surgeries.
50) Market North Veterinary Hospital. Canton, OH. https://www.marketnorthvet.com/
Link to the declawing info on this clinic’s website.
The employee said the cat needs to have an exam and blood work first before a neuter/declaw. Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw and the employee asked if it’s for the front or back paws.
A neuter/2 paw declaw is around $800 and Dr. Faust does their declaws. Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said the cat may get arthritis later in life.
51) Steel Valley Spay Neuter Clinic. Girard, OH. https://www.spayneuterclinics.net/services/declawing/
They have declawing listed in a couple spots on their website and say this on their website, “Steel Valley Spay Neuter Clinic offers declawing. We only do front paw declaws. We do offer four paw declaws, however we require a medical excuse from a human medical doctor for people who have medical reasons their cat must be declawed. We prefer cats be 8 weeks to 1 year for declaws. We really don’t like doing older or obese cats. It is a much more difficult surgery and recovery time for them. Generally, we recommend older or obese cats are declawed at one of the wonderful veterinary clinics in our area that offer laser surgery. Again if medically necessary or human or the pet, we will consider it on a case by case basis.”
They also say on their website, ” All declaws are kept overnight, and are given pain medications at surgery, and to go home” and “Four paw declaws are kept at least 2 nights at the clinic.”
52) Animal Wellness and Healing Center. Hubbard, OH. https://animalwellnessandhealingcenter.com
Their website says, “We offer many veterinary services to keep your pet healthy!” and then list “Feline Declaw” below that comment on their “Services” page.
The employee said that a neuter/2 paw declaw is around $735 and it’s around $70 extra for the 4 paw declaw. They said that they only have one vet who performs their declaws, Dr Gainey.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “No” and said they are seeing a lot of how the pain and arthritis can cause behavioral issues later on but not with all of the cats. They said the ones that they see the problems have had a declaw when they were very young and they have arthritis, painful, and hard time walking sometimes. They said that Dr Gainey didn’t declaw those cats since he’s a relatively young doctor.
Researcher asked if Dr Gainey perform declaws regularly and the employee said they said as often as they get them but they don’t get them too often and he has done a handful this year.
53) Far Hills Animal Clinic, Dayton, OH. https://www.farhillsanimalclinic.com
A neuter is $208 plus $30-$50 for pain meds and a declaw is $327 plus $40-$60 for pain meds. They said they only do the front feet declaws.
54) Cuyahoga Falls Veterinary Clinic. Cuyahoga Falls, OH. https://fallsvetclinic.com/about/
The employee said that a declaw is $950-$1200 depending on if you want front or all four paws and the 4 paw is around $1200 and their vet, Dr Ryan, does their declaws.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term with a laser declaw and the employee said, “Yes, it’s the best way to do that procedure right now” and said that there are no issues that they know of.
Researcher asked if Dr Ryan does declaws regularly and the employee said, “Yes, every Monday.”
Researcher wanted to confirm and asked, “He does declaws every Monday?” and the employee said yes.
Link to declawing info on Cuyahoga Falls website.
BLOG post titled, “Laser Declaw: The Gold Standard for Surgical Technique” from Cuyahoga Falls Vet Clinic from around 2007.
Blog post titled, “Laser Declaw: The Best Comfort For Your Kitty”
(Laser declawing is not more humane and it causes the same long term negative issues for the cat as the scalpel method. #8 in our FACTS vs MYTHS section is about laser declawing. https://citythekitty.org/declawing-facts-vs-myths-humane-options/
The facts are that laser declawing is just as mutilating and painful as the other methods of declawing and causes the same long term negative consequences. Here’s our FACTS VS MYTHS section and #8 gives you the facts about laser declawing.
Also here are a couple one minute videos we put together about the facts about laser declawing. Be aware that they show how a laser declaw is performed and it is graphic. The truth about declawing.
Laser declawing vet promotes false information about it in this video. These are laser declawed toe bones and claws from a cat in this photo.
55) Animal Medical Care Center and Cat Hospital. Niles, OH. https://animalmedcarecenter.com/pet-surgeries-niles-oh/
They said, “Ensuring the health and well-being of your small pets is our priority at Animal Medical Care Center and Cat Hospital” on a Feb. 26, 2025 Facebook post.
The employee said it’s $125 for neuter $395 for front declaw up to a year old. Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said sometimes they are ok, there could be pain, or be depressed, and it is an amputation. They said Dr. Singh performs their declaws.
56) Mayfield Pet Hospital. Cleveland, OH. https://www.mayfieldpethospital.com/our-team/
The employee said a neuter & declaw is $650 and you need a consultation with doctor for my questions, they said the cats are ok if declawed at an early age, and they have one vet who does their declaws, Dr. Lee.
57) Waldo Animal Clinic. Ohio. https://www.facebook.com/WaldoAnimalClinic/
They said that a neuter/declaw is $269 and the cat needs to have an exam to make sure they are a good candidate for surgery and they only do declaws if the cat is under 10 lbs. Researcher asked if they do declaws regularly and the employee said, “Semi-regularly” and said they are kind of weaning out the procedure and said it’s not the best surgery, it’s “pretty, honestly a little brutal” and said they don’t do a lot of them but have done quite a few over the years.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said it can cause health problems down the road and behavioral issues where the cat is uncomfortable with their feet and they can be aggressive and start marking and said it’s like chopping the end of their fingers off and it’s not the most pleasant surgery.
Researcher asked, “But your vets still do them.” The employee said, “We do” and said they like to make sure that the cat is a good candidate before they do anything for them. Researcher asked what’s a good candidate and the employee said if the cat is under 10 lbs and under a year old and they make sure the cat doesn’t have any medical conditions.
They said that all three of their vets can do a declaw. Researcher asked if they use a laser and the employee said they do not and recommended Edgefield Animal Care Center for the laser declaw.
58) Edgefield Animal Care Center. Marion, OH https://edgefieldanimalcare.com/home-page
The employee said you need an exam first to see if the cat is healthy, is over 3 lbs and under 10 lbs, and the cat is under 1 year of age which is the age limit that their declawing vet, Dr Ryan prefers. A neuter/declaw with a laser is around $500 and they said they only do the front feet.
The employee said the laser declaw is less invasive because as you are doing the surgery it’s making sure it’s “closed up” and it’s “less cutting.”
Researcher asked if they do declaws regularly and the employee said he’s done a couple this year and he’s done declaws many times.
59) Brown County Veterinary Services. Russellville. OH. https://www.yelp.com/biz/brown-county-veterinary-service-russellville
The employee said that it’s $250 for a neuter/declaw and Dr Jenny Cowdrey performs their declaws.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “We’ve never had any issues.”
Researcher asked if she does the declaws often and the employee said, “Here and there, yes.”
60) Rolling Hills Veterinary Service. Bethel, OH. http://www.rollinghillsveterinaryservice.com/
A neuter/declaw costs $280. They use the laser for the declaw and they recommended Dr. Liming and Dr Patchell but said all their vets perform surgeries.
They said they only declaw the front paws. Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “Yes, it does take a little bit of healing” and said they usually heal up just fine.
Researcher asked if they do declaws often and the employee said, “Yes.”
61) Bethel Community Pet Hospital. Bethel, OH. https://bethelvet.com/
Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw and the employee asked, “Are you going to do a neuter and declaw at the same time? Researcher asked what they recommend to people and the employee said it’s cheaper to get them done at the same time. They said a neuter is $92 and if you do a declaw with it, it’s an additional $112 plus the pain medication. They said Dr. Donahue performs their declaws with a scalpel. https://bethelvet.com/veterinarian-bethel-oh/
Researcher asked if they do the declaws regularly and the employee said, “Oh yea. That’s a routine surgery we do.”
Researcher asked if the cats are OK long-term after a declaw, and the employee said they do just fine, but said it depends on the cat and if they are a large cat, they have a little trouble with healing up, but said most of them heal up just fine and do ok.
62) Porter Pet Hospital. North Olmsted, OH. https://www.porterpet.net/laser-declaw.html
The employee said that a neuter/declaw is from $455-$485 and Dr. Liz Brucchieri does their declaws with a laser. Researcher asked if a laser is better and the employee said yes and researcher asked how, and the employee said that the cats heal faster.
Researcher asked if they do the declaws regularly and the employee said, “Yes.”
Researcher asked the employee if the cats are OK long-term after a declaw, and they said yes and said it’s best to do a declaw when the cat is young because the older they are the more difficulty they have healing or it can change their demeanor. The employee said as long as you do the proper care when you take the cat home they do very well.
Here’s a Dr Brucchieri’s opinon on declawing. https://www.porterpet.net/laser-declaw.html
She also has this info on that page. “Owners of adult cats need to try to utilize all options available to stop improper behavior without declaw if possible. Options such as weekly nail trims, plastic nail caps, and multiple scratching post options. Some cats due to aggression or difficult handling are very difficult to maintain.”
She highlights “adult cats” when cats owners should utilize all the options for ALL CATS to stop improper behavior and should NEVER resort to this animal cruelty (declawing).
63) Byland Animal Hospital. Loudonville, OH. https://www.bylandanimalhospital.com/
A neuter/2 paw declaw is $400-$450 and a neuter/4 paw declaw is $450-$500. They said that Dr Cawrse does their declaws and she won’t do them if the cat is older than 6 months and they have get an exam to see the cat first. They said that declawing is not a common procedure anymore and is a pretty invasive procedure.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “Well, it depends on the cat, sometimes yes and sometimes no.”
Researcher asked if Dr Cawrse uses a laser and the employee said she uses a scalpel and cuts the nails out. They said that if you are going to get a declaw they recommend a clinic that uses a laser because they said it is “less invasive.” (#8 in our Facts vs Myths section is about laser declawing. It is not less invasive and is just as mutilating and inhumane as the scalpel method. https://citythekitty.org/declawing-facts-vs-myths-humane-options/ )
They said that a declaw is cutting the first knuckle to take out the nail.
They said they do not do a lot of them because it’s a procedure they prefer not to do but she will do them. The employee said, “If we can avoid it, we don’t want to have to declaw a cat, especially all four paws” because they said it is very invasive and a lot of times will lead to behavior issues and they don’t use the litter box because of painful paws. They said that cat owners do not get declaws much anymore.
Researcher asked, “Your vet doesn’t like to do them and it’s bad for the cat but she will do them?” The employee said, “Yes.”
64) Tri County Animal Clinic Inc, West Salem, OH. https://tcacinc.com/
They do not declaw cats. Researcher asked if a declaw is bad for a cat and they said yes.
65) Town & Country Veterinary Clinic. New Philadelphia, OH. https://tncvc.com/
A neuter/declaw is $700. They said the cat needs to get an exam and it’s up to the doctors if they will do the declaw since it’s case by case. Researcher asked if they use a laser for the declaw and they said they do not and recommended Valley View Animal Hospital for the laser declaw.
66) Valley View Animal Hospital. Dover, OH. https://valleyviewvets.com/main-page/services/lasers/
Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw and the employee asked, “You want just the front declawed, do want them all declawed?”
They said that a 2 paw declaw is $370-$480 and a 4 paw declaw is $400-$500.
They said that Dr Rod Tienarend does their declaws with a laser.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “Yes.”
Researcher asked if he does the declaws regularly and the employee said, “Yes he does.”
67) Day Heights Veterinary Clinic, Milford, OH. https://mydhvc.com/our-veterinarians/
The employee said that a 2 paw declaw/neuter is $413-$447 and a 4 paw declaw/neuter is $457-$490.
They said that Dr Kirwin (AVMA member) and Dr Stearns are their declawing vets.
They said that Dr Kirwin uses a clipper and Dr Stearns uses a scalpel for the declaws. (The clipper method is the most mutilating and inhumane.)
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “Typically, yes.”
Researcher asked if they do declaws regularly and the employee said, “Yes.”
68) Country Road Veterinary Services. Apple Creek, OH. https://www.countryroadveterinaryservices.com/
The employee said a neuter/2 paw declaw is $700 and any of their doctors can perform a declaw.
Researcher asked if they perform declaws regularly and the employee said, “They do.”
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “I don’t think any cat is good long term after any declaw because you’re cutting off their first knuckle.”
Researcher asked, “The cats are not ok but they still do them?” The employee said if people want declaws done because they are scratching things and scratching them, it’s a “hefty price to have it done” because you are taking away their first knuckle.
Researcher asked if it’s bad for a cat why are they still doing them and the employee said “it’s not necessarily bad for the cat, it’s really painful.”
Researcher asked if they give take home pain meds for the cat and the employee said, “You don’t have to but if you want to you can.” They said the pain meds they give to the declawed cats while they are there last 72 hrs.
Researcher asked if the cats should be feeling good after the 72 hrs and the employee said they can’t promise anything and if it were them and they had their knuckles taken off, they wouldn’t be feeling good for quite some time.
69) Mt. Orab Veterinary ClinIc. Mt Orab, OH. https://mtorabvet.com/
A neuter is $70 and a front declaw is $185 and a 4 paw declaw is $245.
They said that Dr Hayes does their declaws.
Researcher asked if he does the declaws regularly and the employee said, “Yep, pretty much.”
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “Well, some have trouble long term because it’s taking off the last digit of the toes.” They said it’s like taking off the last digit on our fingers.
Researcher asked if a declaw is bad for a cat. They said some cats have trouble when they are older with their feet being sore and because it’s going to change the way they walk and some do great with it and don’t have any problems.
Researcher asked if it’s like rolling the dice and the employee said, “pretty much” and laughed.
70) Maple Run Veterinary Clinic LLC. Mt Gilead, OH. https://www.maplerunvet.com/our-veterinary-team/
The employee said that a neuter is $100 and a declaw is $90 and they only do the front.
They said that Dr Mooney does their declaws and said she doesn’t use a laser anymore for declaws and uses instruments that cut out the nail and that kind of looks like a nail clippers.
They said that sometimes the laser doesn’t help them heal faster like everyone thinks.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “Yep, usually they are ok, we haven’t had any issues.”
Researcher asked if she does declaws regularly and the employee said, “Yep, she does them all the time, every Wednesday.”
71) Hillside Small Animal Hospital. Batavia, OH. https://www.hillsidesmallanimalhospital.com/
The employee said that Dr Fouts and Dr Hopping do their declaws. They said that they can do the neuter/declaw together and “typically that’s what’s recommended” and said they do the traditional declaw which means they remove the entire claw.
They said that they do not do declaws regularly.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “I haven’t seen anything bad or good necessarily with that.” They said they haven’t seen an horror stories with a declaw and cats can live long lives with having any claws but to talk to a vet for more information about that.
They recommended Clermont Animal Hospital for laser declaw. https://www.clermontanimal.net/
72) Clermont Animal Hospital. Batavia, OH. https://www.clermontanimal.net/
We emailed Clermont Animal Hospital and asked if they perform declawing and told them that Hillside Small Animal Hospital recommended them for the laser declaw and they emailed us back and said, “We do not provide declawing services unless medically necessary for the owner. We also do not perform laser declaws at this time.”
We sent them a reply on Nov. 10, 2025 and asked them this, “Do you by chance have any data or info from any human health agency or veterinary organization that recommends declawing a cat for the health of the cat owner? Also, can you provide any data that shows declawing a cat for the health of the owner will keep the cat in the home or will protect the owner from harm, since declawed cats often become aggressive and bite and a bite is much more dangerous to the owner.”
We have not received a reply yet.
Here are the human health agencies that do not recommend declawing for any human health reason. They instead suggest simple measures like sanitation, nail caps, hygiene, and careful handling.
Also, the only animal welfare organization or veterinary organization that condones declawing for the health of the owner is the Cat Fanciers Association. Their position says, ” In certain situations, including high risk of injury or disease transmission to owners with bleeding disorders or compromised immune systems, declawing may be justified in order to maintain the cat-human bond.” However we reached out to CFA and asked them to provide the same data that we did with Clermont Animal Hospital and never heard back.
73) Town & Country Veterinary Hospital. Warren, OH. https://www.tc-vet.com
The employee said that a neuter/declaw is $665-$725 and they couldn’t give a quote for the 4 paw declaw. The employee recommended Dr Fritsch for the declaw.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term and if she does declaws regularly and the employee said yes, it’s just personal preference and she’s been doing declaws for 40 years. The employee was asked again if the cats are ok long term and the employee said, “They seem to be, as long as they don’t get out.”
Dr Fritsch’s bio says, “Dr. Fritsch has a particular passion for feline medicine and promoting overall feline wellness.”
74) Country View Pet Hospital, LLC. Wilmington, OH. https://www.countryviewpets.com/
Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw and the employee asked, “You wanting all four?”
They said the cat needs an exam first and a 2 paw declaw $350 and 4 paw declaw is $375. Researcher asked if they use a laser for the declaw and how they do them and the employee said, “We remove the claw” and the “whole nail is taken out.”
The employee said Dr Gano does their declaws, they don’t do a lot of declaws anymore, and they don’t recommend it but some people still do it.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term and the employee said a lot of people don’t do them much anymore but if they do they do the front paws, and the employee said they personally had a declaw done a long time ago and said “they do fine.”
75) Four County Veterinary Services. Bellevue, OH. https://fourcountyvet.com/
The employee said you need to have an exam to make sure the cat passes the physical and the doctor has to make sure the cat is a candidate for the declaw. They said a declaw is a special procedure and isn’t a routine one like a neuter and spay.
76) Town & Country Veterinary. Mt Vernon, OH
They said they don’t declaw cats anymore but said they believe Complete Care Animal Hospital in Mt Vernon does.
Researcher asked if a declaw is bad for a cat and the employee said it’s just “personal preference.”
77) Complete Care Animal Hospital. Mt Vernon, OH. https://completecareanimalhospital.com/
This is an AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
The employee said that a declaw is subject to doctor approval, and a consultation is required to discuss variables like if the cats healthy enough, the process, the healing, etc.
They said Dr. Amanda Rogers, the owner, does their declaws. Researcher asked if she does them regularly and the employee said she does around one every few months and they are not too frequent, but they are not a rarity.
Researcher asked if the cats are OK long-term after a declaw and the employee said from their personal experience from their previous vet clinic and the cats that are done there, they do fine. The employee said the cat cannot be an outside cat.
78) Family Animal Hospital. Batavia, OH. https://www.bataviafamilyanimalhospital.com/
They said a neuter/declaw is $400 and the vet that does their declaws is Dr Bard and when asked what method he uses for the declaw the employee said it’s a major surgery and amputation they use “a lot of tools.”
They said they use a form of a laser after the declaw for healing.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term and the employee said, “Most of them are as long as they are taken care of appropriately.”
Researcher asked if Dr Bard performs declaws regularly and the employee said, “Yea we do them, it’s not something we do everyday” and said they are not highly recommended because it’s an amputation and is extremely painful for the cat and it’s more of a cosmetic thing and not necessary.
Researcher asked if a declaw is not good for a cat and the employee said it’s very painful.
79) Chillicothe Animal Clinic. https://chillicothevets.com/
They said they no longer declaw. Researcher asked if it’s bad for a cat and the employee said yes.
80) Red Star Veterinary Clinic. East Canton, OH. https://redstarvet.com
The employee said that a neuter/front paw declaw for a cat that is over 8 lbs is $768.
The employee said Dr Trish, their Chief of Staff, does all their declaws and she uses a scalpel.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said that the ones that they’ve done tend to do pretty well but said to do some research because there are varying opinions.
Researcher asked if they do declaws regularly and the employee said, “Yea” and researcher asked if those cats are ok and the employee said yes.
81) Lilac Hill Veterinary Hospital. https://lilachillvet.com/
They do not declaw cats.
82) Green Camp Veterinary Clinic. Green Camp, OH. https://www.greencampvet.com/
A neuter/declaw is $394 and a 4 paw declaw/neuter is $504 but they don’t typically do the 4 paw declaws, those are pretty uncommon, but can still do them.
They said that it’s an amputation of the first digit on each of the cat’s toes and they use the old fashioned way with a tool that looks like a nail trimmer/scalpel blade, depending on who does it. They said Dr Winter and Dr Forshey perform their declaws and said they do a good job with the declaw.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said yes, but you have to make sure the cat just lives indoors and they can have more pain because they are amputating the toes but said typically they do well but there’s a chance for infection. They said they can have pain for few weeks and the next couple months.
Researcher asked if he does declaws regularly and the employee said, “Yes, we do them pretty regularly.”
83) Hills & Dales. Kettering, OH. AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital. https://hdvet.com/pet-surgery/
The employee said that you need an consult exam first and they only perform declawing for health reasons like if someone is on blood thinners.
84) Oberlin Animal Hospital. https://oberlinvet.com/services/surgery/
The employee said that a neuter is $186 and a two paw declaw is $544 and you need an exam first to get the doctor needs to ok the declaw. They said that they have two vets who can do the declaw.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “Typically no” and said that they don’t advise declawing and try to steer cat owners away from it. They said that cats can have a lot of issues after a declaw and try not to do them unless they are absolutely necessary for some reason. They said declawed cats can have pain, they can stop using the litter box, it can cause health issues, and it’s equivalent to an amputation of the first knuckle of your finger.
Researcher asked when is a declaw absolutely necessary and they said sometimes an owner might be on blood thinners and can’t get scratched or it’s medically necessary for the owner and said that’s typically when they do them.
They said they will only do declaws “on healthy cats, that are not overweight, and under a year of age.”
Researcher asked if they do declaws regularly and the employee said no and said that declawing used to be something that everybody did with cats but now there’s more information out about it they said it’s not recommended anymore. They said if you can get away from not doing it, that’s best for the cat.
Researcher asked who recommends declawing for the cat owner’s health reasons and the employee said typically a human doctor. The employee checked to see if they require a note from a medical doctor and the employee said no.
Researcher asked if they use a laser for the declaw and if it’s better and the employee said they do and that it cauterizes the blood vessels as it cuts, helps with healing, with bleeding and “all that good stuff.”
The researcher said that it sounds bad for a cat and the employee said it is and said that declaws “are not good for the cat overall.”
85) All Critters Veterinary Hospital. Grove City, OH. https://www.allcrittersvet.com
We reached out to this clinic in an email to ask if they declaw cats and they said that they do not declaw cats unless it’s for a medical reason for the cat, like neoplasia or a tumor on the cat’s paw.
They also said, “When it comes to owners and their health, we try to educate them about what some of the alternative behaviors may end up being if a cat were to be declawed, and often those behaviors would be worse. We then focus on regular nail trims and proper play techniques to keep everyone safe.”
86) Town and Country Veterinary Clinic. Eaton, OH. https://tcvetclinic.com/
This is a VetCor practice. (Petition to VetCor)
The employee said you have to get an exam to discuss it with the doctor and the cat needs a physical. They said the doctor would deem if the declaw is necessary and it depends on what’s going on and why.
87) Ohio Valley Veterinary Hospital. Marietta, OH. https://ohiovalleyvet.com/
They do not declaw cats. They said that they haven’t done declaws in years. Researcher asked if a declaw is bad for a cat and the employee said, “It is, it’s like ripping your fingernails out.”
88) Spring Meadow Veterinary Clinic. Ashland, OH. https://springmeadowvetclinic.com/meet-our-team/
The employee said it’s $500 for neuter and front declaw. The employee said that sometimes there are complications and their doctors don’t recommend it. They said Dr Lahmon, the owner, does their declaws.
89) Roberts & Wendt Animal Hospital. Lakewood, OH. https://robertandwendt.com/services/vet-surgery
They have this section about declawing on their website.
The employee said that they do not declaw cats.
90) Fremont Animal Hospital Fremont, OH.
The employee said that they require an exam first to get an estimate but said a declaw is over $500. They said they like to make sure the cat is healthy enough, old enough, and if they weigh over a certain amount they won’t perform the declaw. They said that all their doctors perform the declaws.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “Usually not., that’s why we don’t recommend it.”
Researcher asked, “But they do them?” and the employee said yes.
91) Howland Community Animal Hospital. Warren, OH. https://howlandcommunityvet.com/
The employee said they do not declaw cats. Researcher asked if a declaw is bad for a cat and the employee said that some places do the declaws and some don’t. They recommended Steel Valley Spay and Neuter clinic ( #51 here in our survey) and Town and Country Vet Clinic ( #86 in our survey) for a declaw.
92) Lordstown Veterinary Clinic. Lordstown, OH. https://lordstownvet.com/
The employee said they do not declaw cats. Researcher asked why and the employee said they prefer using Soft Paws “instead of cutting their little toes off.” Researcher asked if a declaw is bad for a cat and the employee said yes.
93) Countryside Veterinary Service Champion. Warren, OH. https://countrysidechampionvet.com
The employee said they do not declaw cats. They said it’s painful, it’s like taking off all your fingers, said it could cause severe arthritis at a young age, and the cats don’t like to use the litter box if they are declawed.
94) Pond View Veterinary Clinic. Archbold, OH. https://pondviewveterinaryclinic.com
The employee said you have to get an exam for the cat get to get a physical and consultation first and then they can give an estimate for the neuter/declaw and the employee said they only do the front feet. The employee said Dr. Tasha and Dr Katie perform their declaws.
95) Mahoning Valley Veterinary Centre. Mineral Ridge, OH. https://mvvet.com
This is an AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
The employee said that you need an exam first to see if the cat is healthy and they have a couple of vets who will perform the declaw. They said they don’t usually do the 4 paw declaw because if the cat gets out they can’t climb a tree from a predator.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said yes.
96) Newton Falls Animal Hospital. Newton Falls, OH. https://newtonfallsanimalhospital.com
The employee said that a declaw is around $800 and a neuter is around $200. They said Dr Wendi performs their declaws.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “Well, you are cutting their toes off.” They said if you look at your hand and that first knuckle behind your fingernail, and if they were to declaw you, that’s what they are cutting off. The employee said the cats stay there for 2 days and then they go home and they haven’t seen any come back with an issue but said there’s always the risk of the cat not using the litter box.
They said that when they worked at a rescue there was a kitten that was declawed and the person surrendered the cat back to the rescue because it was peeing all over the house and wouldn’t use litter box because it hurts their toes.
Researcher asked if Dr Wendi perform declaws regularly and the employee said not regularly but she has done them but it’s not something they do on a daily basis.
97) Village Green Veterinary Service. Brookfield, OH. https://www.villagegreenvet.com
The employee said you have to get an exam first and the vet who performs their declaws, Dr J, their owner, comes to their clinic twice a month on a Friday. The employee said a neuter/declaw is around $400.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “Yes with the nails” as far as how he does the declaw but said they can’t tell if the cat will develop problems down the road. The employee said the cats can develop behavioral problems where they don’t use the litter box and other things.
Researcher asked if Dr J perform declaws regularly and the employee said, “He does do them, yes” and said he has experience with the declaws.
98) Gustavus Veterinary Services. Farmdale, OH. https://www.gustavusvet.com
They said you need an exam first.
Researcher asked if a declaw is bad for the cat and the employee said a declaw has a lot more risks than have pros and that’s why their doctor is not “all for it” unless there is a very valid reason and the cat is “very very young.”
99) Main Street Animal Hospital. Amelia, OH. https://mainstreet-animalhospital.com
They do not declaw cats. The employee said a lot of the vets are not declawing now and it’s not really a good thing for the cat.
100) Avery Animal Hospital. Hilliard, OH. https://www.averyanimalhospital.com/service/surgery/
This is an AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
Also, Avery Animal Hospital is a Mission Veterinary Partner (MVP) clinic. MVP banned declawing in all their clinics in 2021.
We published a big story about this AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital in 2017 about how a cat was declawed at Avery Animal Hospital with an update on it this year. Here’s the story. https://citythekitty.org/she-shook-her-front-paw-for-the-rest-of-her-life/
July 2025. Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw. The employee said that a vet tech needs to put an estimate together and a doctor needs to see if the declaw is medically necessary and mentioned if the person is elderly or is on blood thinners. They said that it’s not something that vet clinics in the state do anymore. Here’s our story about AAHA.org hospitals and declawing that Avery Animal Hospital mentioned is in.
Here’s our comprehensive declawing fact section that cuts through the outdated myths veterinarians and cat owners still use to justify declawing. It lays out, in plain, evidence-based terms, the real harm that this mutilating and inhumane amputation procedure does to cats and why those justifications don’t hold up. https://citythekitty.org/declawing-facts-vs-myths-humane-options/
Also, here’s our story on a widely overlooked issue about this inhumane and mutilating amputation procedure: declawing ranks as a source of moral and ethical stress for many veterinary professionals, especially in a profession with one of the highest suicide rates. Many of the vet clinics in Ohio that perform declawing say that they don’t like doing it, don’t recommend it, or they acknowledge the harm it causes to cats.
https://citythekitty.org/is-the-angst-of-declawing-contributing-to-veterinarian-suicide/
