Story published on April 30, 2024.
Why is AAHA.org still putting profits over the welfare of cats by allowing declawing in their hospitals?
Please sign our petition to AAHA.org. We are almost at 50,000 signatures. AAHA Petition
Are the leaders of AAHA.org confused? If you know any of them, please ask them why AAHA won’t ban declawing. AAHA.org “leaders.”
The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has over 50,000 veterinary team members representing 4,500+ animal hospitals and they updated their declawing position statement in June 2021.
AAHA charges around $1500 a year to be an AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
AAHA asks this question and answers it on their website. “So why have more than 4,500 practices representing 50,000 veterinary team members joined AAHA as an accredited practice, willingly striving to meet a higher standard of care?
It’s simple: they want to be the best for their patients.”
Does AAHA think that declawing is best for a cat and is a higher standard of care? Please ask them. AAHA@AAHA.org
AAHA says this on their website, “An AAHA accreditation is a strong indication that a veterinary practice delivers quality medicine – which positively impacts your patients, clients, and team and raises the bar for the entire veterinary profession.”
How can an AAHA hospital that declaws cats be delivering quality medicine and raising the bar for the entire veterinary profession?
Nice try AAHA. Actually all these veterinary companies/organizations have banned declawing and they are the ones who are delivering quality medicine and raising the bar for the entire veterinary profession.
Here’s our story that was published in 2019 that shows how AAHA puts profits over the welfare of cats, how they sicced their lawyers on us after we published the awful truth about their organization and their info about declawing, how they allow their hospitals to advertise declawing, how they are hypocrites, and how they say their hospitals are the standard of excellence in veterinary medicine yet they allow declawing, how many of their leaders make 6 figure salaries and they don’t want to lose their money they get from their declawing hospitals, and more awful things about AAHA. https://citythekitty.org/why-does-aaha-org-choose-profits-over-the-welfare-of-innocent-cats/
Here’s some recent examples of how AAHA Accredited Animal Hospitals are becoming the remaining vet clinics in America that are STILL performing this inhumane and mutilating amputation procedure.
Care Animal Hospital. Temecula, CA. AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
Their website says, “Care Animal Hospital was the first veterinary practice in the Inland Empire to be AAHA certified.”
“This safe and painless procedure can save your home while not providing any issues for your cat.” THIS AAHA ACCREDITED ANIMAL HOSPITAL’S COMMENT IN THEIR DECLAWING SECTION.
FACTS- Declawing is a mutilating and very painful procedure that always causes some sort of negative issue to a cat’s long term health and well being. Declawing Facts vs Myths
Here’s a facebook post from 2022 claiming that behavioral issues after a declaw are “almost non-existent” which is not true.
Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw. The employee said that a 2 paw declaw/neuter is $1209 and a 4 paw declaw is $1575. They said that their vet, Dr Alcorn, has been doing declaws for over 40 years.
Researcher asked if they do declaws regularly and the employee said yes and said that Dr Alcorn is pretty much one of the only doctors that still perform declaws in the area.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said yes as long as the cat is an inside cat.
They said that you can make an appointment for the exam and surgeries on the same day.
The declawing info on their website on April 25, 2024 says that declawing is a “safe and painless procedure.”
It says, “we only work with one method: blade declawing. With this method, the blade will directly cut through the cat’s nail joints, removing just the nail and no other surrounding tissue. ” “This is the best and most ethical medical technique to declaw your cat. Therefore, it is the only method we provide at Care Animal Hospital. Any other techniques are highly discouraged, after all, they compromise your cat’s health and well-being.”
The info on their website says that Laser declawing and “amputation declawing” methods are discouraged.
Here’s the link to all the declaw information. https://www.careah.com/feline-declaw/
They say this, “Amputation Declawing This is the most invasive procedure as it removes surrounding vital pad tissue and bone structure. After this procedure, the cat will have remarkable pain, along with an extended recovery of six weeks or more. This is what makes this method very unfavorable for any cat. As this method could be considered animal cruelty, we highly discourage it here at Care Animal Hospital.”
Here’s the info in Care Animal Hospital’s declawing section in blue text. A lot of the info on their page is not true. https://www.careah.com/feline-declaw/
“Declawing your cat is a common procedure to help prevent household felines from continuously scratching and clawing. This safe and painless procedure can save your home while not providing any issues for your cat.
Why Declawing Services?
An Onychectomy, or declawing, is a process in which a cat’s claws are surgically removed. We often perform this procedure on cats with conditions such as compromised immune systems and bleeding disorders. Also, it is very common among pet owners who suffer from their cat’s scratching behavior.
It is frequently used to control a misbehaving cat and to reduce the risk of injury from a cat’s scratch. After this procedure, children and other pets will be safe from scratches. This will make daily life more comfortable for you, your family, and your house.
Why Declawing Services?
An Onychectomy, or declawing, is a process in which a cat’s claws are surgically removed. We often perform this procedure on cats with conditions such as compromised immune systems and bleeding disorders. Also, it is very common among pet owners who suffer from their cat’s scratching behavior.
It is frequently used to control a misbehaving cat and to reduce the risk of injury from a cat’s scratch. After this procedure, children and other pets will be safe from scratches. This will make daily life more comfortable for you, your family, and your house.
Why Choose Care Animal Hospital’s Feline Declawing Services?
Our team is formed of ethical, efficient, and experienced veterinarians who are ready to assist you and your cat at any time. We will work together to ensure that your feline friend receives the best possible care and medical attention. Also, we ensure that our methods are the safest for your cat.
We make certain that your pet is not anxious or stressed. Also, in our clinic, we only provide the best care and assistance. We only use the best, most up-to-date technology. This enables us to provide your cat with the best declaw possible.
Likewise, we are always prepared for unexpected situations. We will do everything possible to ensure your pet’s health and well-being. We will provide you with only the best care.
What to Expect From Our Feline Declawing Services
Regarding our feline declawing services, we only work with one method: blade declawing. With this method, the blade will directly cut through the cat’s nail joints, removing just the nail and no other surrounding tissue. Then, the surgical site will be closed with one drop of surgical glue.
This is the best and most ethical medical technique to declaw your cat. Therefore, it is the only method we provide at Care Animal Hospital. Any other techniques are highly discouraged, after all, they compromise your cat’s health and well-being.
Discouraged Declawing Methods
Below are the methods to declaw cats that we do not condone. Learning about these methods can help you understand that our technique (surgical blade dissection) is one of the best procedures, as it is relatively painless.
It’s important to note that almost all of these procedures include cutting off the very last bone on your cat’s paw, which the claw is attached to. Also, they all affect the cat’s ability to live normally and do activities such as climbing, stretching, and defending itself.
After these procedures, the cat will feel pain and discomfort for weeks, and even months. There could be many complications, such as bleeding, nerve damage, and infections.
Laser Declawing
Although this is a highly advertised method, it has been shown that it produces more scarring than the blade technique. Therefore, it can cause more pain, and it could cause their paws to be less flexible. This can prevent them from doing day-to-day activities such as climbing.
Amputation Declawing
This is the most invasive procedure as it removes surrounding vital pad tissue and bone structure. After this procedure, the cat will have remarkable pain, along with an extended recovery of six weeks or more. This is what makes this method very unfavorable for any cat.
As this method could be considered animal cruelty, we highly discourage it here at Care Animal Hospital.
Are Declawing Services a Necessary Procedure?
This heavily depends on the needs of both you and your cat. After all, some felines may benefit from a declawing procedure due to underlying medical conditions. Some cats, for instance, can seriously hurt themselves with their claws, which can result in multiple infections.
Other cats with compromised immune systems shouldn’t take a chance on self-scratching. After all, this could seriously endanger them. If they expose a wound, they run the risk of contracting numerous illnesses, which would quickly worsen their health.
On the other hand, it is not necessary to declaw a cat due to behavioral issues. Therefore, choosing to declaw a cat should be carefully considered and discussed with one of our veterinarians. Before making this choice, you should consider other options to meet the needs of the cat and the household.
Aftercare
After declawing your cat, I will arrange a follow-up appointment to examine the incisions and monitor the cat’s recovery. You will also receive some instructions from them to follow.
Some of them comprehend giving them medication, keeping an eye on them, preventing them from licking their injuries and restricting their activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Declawing Hurt My Cat?
During the recovery period, your cat will be on pain medication and an anti-inflammatory drug to relieve any pain or discomfort. During the first two weeks at home after surgery, your cat should be confined to a small room with food, water, and a litter box.
You can spend time with them for a visit, but the cat’s activity needs to be reduced.
The idea is to prevent your cat from jumping and running around, which could decrease the ability of your cat’s paws to recover. Your cat will get used to the changes and will be back to normal.
Is It Cruel to Declaw a Cat?
Declawing a cat or agreeing to go through with the procedure, like other procedures that raise ethical concerns for your pet, depends on your and your family’s needs and desires. Declawing properly helps to avoid harmful injuries and unfavorable feelings among family members.
Can Declawing Result in Personality Changes?
For many, there is a concern that feline declawing can lead to personality changes. However, several studies have proven that the correlation does not exist. Behavioral changes from declawing are almost non-existent.
Like most surgeries, be it human or animal, if you choose the right surgeon that uses the right technique with proper aftercare, you will enjoy your special cat friend without concern for human injury or property damage.”
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(The “several studies” link goes to the AVMA.org website but there is nothing there. Many studies have shown that there are behavioral issues after a declaw. )
Link to Care Animal Hospital’s declawing information on April 25, 2024.
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Palmdale Veterinary Hospital. Palmdale, CA. AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
A neuter/declaw is around $1840. The employee said that Dr Lynn McEwan does their declaws and you need to make an exam first.
The employee said that he’s been a doctor for over 40 years after the researcher asked if he does declaws regularly and is skilled at the declaw.
In 2018 Dr Lynn McEwan sent this letter of opposition to the declawing bill to the committee consultant. Dr McEwan said, “Performing the procedure with a CO2 laser is efficient and humane.”
The facts are that declawing with a laser causes the same long term negative issues that the other methods do and is not humane. ( Section 8 has the facts about laser declawing. https://citythekitty.org/declawing-facts-vs-myths-humane-options/)
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Shadowridge Veterinary Hospital. Vista, CA AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
The employee said that a neuter/declaw/exam is $773.14. They said that Dr Jenny Schiebert, their owner, does their declaws and they don’t get them often. Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said that it’s removing the end digit of the toe, with the piece of bone, so the cat can’t be outside again. The employee said that a lot of people don’t do declaws anymore unless the cat is extremely destructive.
Lompoc Veterinary Clinic. Lompoc, CA AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital
Link to this info on their website. https://www.lompocvetclinic.com/services
The employee said that they only do declaws if it’s medically necessary for the cat, if there’s something going on in the environment where it’s necessary like if the cat is doing a lot of destruction to household objects. You have to get an exam with their vet to decide if they will do the declaw.
Cats Only Veterinary Hospital. Norristown, PA. AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
Link to this AAHA hospital’s declaw info. https://catsonlyvethosp.com/laser-surgery/
A neuter/2 paw declaw is $542.76. They said that Dr Ask does their declaws and he uses a laser and they find the recovery time is significantly better.
Researcher asked if their vet does declaws regularly and the employee said, “Yes, we do a ton of them” and said, “we do them everyday.”
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term and the employee said yes.
Here are some of Cats Only Veterinary Hospital’s declawing reviews from Yelp and Google.
Avery Animal Hospital. Hilliard, OH.
AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
This hospital used to be a Cat Friendly Practice. AAFP banned declawing in their Cat Friendly Practices in 2020.
Link to this info on their website. https://www.averyanimalhospital.com/service/surgery/
The employee said that you have to make an appointment with one of their vets and they only do declaws if they are medically needed. They said, for example, if you are on blood thinners and can’t stop bleeding. They said a spay/declaw is $660.
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Animal Hospital of Dauphin County, Harrisburg, PA. AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
Link to this page on their website. https://www.ahdcvets.com/services/surgery/
A neuter/2 paw declaw is around $1000-$1200.
The employee said Dr Bob Sarsfield and Dr Audrey Zajac do their declaws.
They said their other doctors don’t declaw because they don’t like to do it and it’s not necessary in most cases.
Researcher asked if they are skilled at the declaw procedure and the employee said, “Yes, they do it all the time.”
Researcher asked if a declaw is ok for a cat long term and the employee said it’s a service they offer because some people need it done but they encourage to not have cats declawed.
They said there is no reason to declaw the back claws on a cat.
They said they use a laser and said it’s better because the old style doesn’t make a clean incision and the laser has less inflammation and is better the whole way around.
Coventry Animal Hospital. Pottstown, PA. AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
Link to this page with declawing. https://www.coventryanimalhospital.net/surgery/type/feline-declaw
The employee said they will only do 2 paw declaw for medical issues and you need to have a doctor’s note saying that you have to get your cat declawed because you have a health condition or something like that.
Researcher asked why they don’t declaw and the employee said it’s becoming illegal in certain areas of PA. They said they try to educate you on what else you can do without declawing.
Researcher asked if it’s bad for a cat and the employee said, “Yea it is bad for a cat, it will cause arthritis down the line, they can’t defend themselves.”
Bushland Veterinary Clinic. Amarillo, TX.
AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
Link to this declawing review on the home page on Bushland Veterinary Clinic’s website. https://bushlandvet.com/
Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter. The employee said they like to wait until the cats are 6 months old for a neuter.
Researcher asked how much extra do they charge for a declaw with a neuter and the employee said that if they also do the declaw then they can neuter the cat at 4 months old because they like to do the declaw at that time.
They said that Dr Robin Carlson and Dr Whitney Buntyn can do the declaws. Researcher asked if the vets do declaws regularly and the employee said, “We do them pretty often.”
Researcher asked if the cats are ok after a declaw and the employee said, “Usually. We only do front feet here.” The employee said they use a harmonic scalpel for the declaw and said it helps to cauterize it.
Researcher asked if they have an age limit for a declaw. The employee said that they start at 4 months old and they don’t really like to do them when the cats are older.
A neuter/declaw cost is around $300.
Wyllow Pet Hospital. Beaver Dam, WI. AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
Link to this info on Wyllow Pet Hospital’s website. http://www.wyllowpethospital.com/Services.html
A neuter/declaw is $392 – $422. The employee said they aren’t taking new clients now. They said that they only do two paw declaws because no one does 4 paw declaws anymore.
They said that their vet, Dr Vicky Smith does their declaws. The employee said that in Madison, WI declawing is outlawed.
Researcher asked why it is outlawed and the employee said, “Because it’s kind of cruel. You’re cutting off the first knuckle, all their fingertip bones, you are cutting all those off.” The employee said that the cats are walking around on their nubs.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok after Dr Smith’s declaws and the employee said, “Yea, absolutely.”
Researcher asked if Dr Smith does declaws regularly and the employee said that they aren’t that common anymore and a lot of people like to just clip their cat’s nails and that declaws aren’t that popular anymore.
The employee said more people are concerned on how painful it is for the cat and you should try to do it as young as possible because the more weight they have it’s harder to heal.
Researcher asked if Dr Smith considers declawing to be cruel and the employee said, “Well we are still doing it because it’s not outlawed in Dodge County, and it will probably change everywhere so you won’t be able to do it anymore.”
Researcher asked if a declaw is cruel then why does Dr Smith perform them and the employee said, “Because people still want it. It’s a matter of opinion.”
They said if you are trying to save your furniture or you have an older cat that’s declawed, it’s not fair to have one that is declawed and one that isn’t since then they play and fight and one would get more beat up than the other one.
They said there are circumstances where a declaw makes sense, like if you have furniture you don’t want them to wreck and that people have different reasons for it.
They said in the U.S. people are just looking at it like it’s unnecessary because you can just trim their nails and that’s what they do for their own cat. The employee said that it’s a service that vets offer and until it’s illegal they are probably going to do them to help people.
Brook Falls Veterinary Hospital. Menomonee Falls, WI. AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
Link to this info on Brook Fall’s website. https://www.brookfallsveterinary.com/services/cats
The employee said that they can’t give out an estimate but that they perform declaws. The employee said they have 8 vets and they all perform declaws. The employee said that declaws are a regular procedure.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “From what I know, yes.”
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North Oatlands Animal Hospital, Leesburg, VA. AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
The employee said that Dr Valeria Rickard does their declaws.
Researcher asked of the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “There have been recent studies about declaws that indicate there might be problems sometimes.”
Researcher asked if Dr Rickard does declaws regularly and the employee said yes.
Stream Valley Veterinary Hospital. Ashburn, VA.
AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
The employee said that Dr Mary Corey does their declaws and a neuter/declaw is around $1100.
They said that the doctor will need to see the cat first and the doctor could talk to you about the reason for the declaw and she would discuss the risks and the consequences. They said after the exam, the doctor would do the declaw.
Ross Hospital for Animals. Bloomfield Hills, MI.
AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
Their website says that their laser declaw is virtually bloodless and painless.
An employee at this AAHA hospital said they only take the nail off rather than going down to the knuckle. Link to their bloodless and painless laser declaw info. https://www.rosshospital.com/feline-declaw-laser-surgery/
(Declawing always involves taking off the last bone in a cat’s paw otherwise the nail will grow back.)
Researcher asked for the cost of a declaw and the employee asked, “Would you be doing the front declaw or all four?”
A four paw declaw is $1300 and 2 paw is $1200 plus the cost of meds to go home.
The employee said that Dr Mazzuchi does their declaws with a laser.
Researcher asked if she does declaws regularly and the employee said, “Yep, she’s been here for almost 30 years.” The employee said that Dr Mazzuchi just had a declaw the other day and said, “she does them quite often.”
Researcher asked if the cats are ok after a declaw and they employee said, “Umm, yea” and laughed. They said you can do a little bit more research on declawing and that would be able to tell you more.
Researcher asked how the laser is better for a declaw and the employee said that it’s quicker healing and said, “We only take the nail off rather than going down to the knuckle.”
Researcher asked, “Dr Mazzuchi only takes the nail off and not the knuckle?” and the employee said, “correct.”
Researcher asked the employee how they know that Dr Mazzuchi only takes off the nail and they said that the tech is back there with her is there when she does the surgery.
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Ingersoll Animal Hospital. Des Moines, Iowa.
AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
This is a National Veterinary Associates (NVA) practice and AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital. (In November 2022. NVA told us that they do not support declawing and communicated to their clinics that it should NOT be performed. Why are so many NVA clinics like Ingersoll Animal Hospital STILL declawing cats a year later? Please ask @NVApets on social media or call 805 777 7722 or write them a note on their contact form on their website- https://www.nva.com/contact-us
Ingersoll Animal Hospital had the Cat Friendly Practice logo on their homepage and also in their About section.
We reached out to the American Assoc. of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) and asked them why this Cat Friendly Practice is still offering declawing since AAFP banned it in 2020 and they said that Ingersoll hasn’t been a Cat Friendly Practice for years.
Ingersoll finally took off the Cat Friendly Practice Logo and the info that says they are a Cat Friendly Practice from their website after we had to reach out to AAFP about it.
Did Ingersoll Animal Hospital stop being a Cat Friendly Practice so that they could keep declawing cats?
AAHA’s Ingersoll Animal Hospital also says this in their new declaw section, “While declawing a cat might be medically necessary for some pets or family members who are immunocompromised or on blood thinners, the surgical monitor procedure is no longer recommended by the American Veterinary Medical Association.”
Here’s their declaw section. https://www.ingersollanimalhospital.com/2023/12/05/declaw-decision-giving-you-pause-try-these-4-alternatives-for-your-cats-paws/
AAHA.org states the facts in their position statement that declawing is not required for any human health issues. https://www.aaha.org/about-
The new declaw section on this AAHA hospital’s website. December 5, 2023. https://www.ingersollanimalhospital.com/surgery/
Here’s what we found when we looked into how Ingersoll Animal Hospital addresses declawing.
Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw. The employee asked, “Did you want just 2 paws or all 4?” A neuter/2 paw declaw is $640. A neuter/4 paw declaw is $680.
Employee said that most of their doctors perform declaws.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term from a declaw and the employee said it depends on the cat and that it could cause arthritis, and they could start biting but said it’s completely up to the cat. They said sometimes they are completely fine.
Employee was asked if they do declaws regularly and they said, “I wouldn’t say regularly because no on really asks for it anymore because it’s an amputation.” But they said that they do declaws sometimes.
Another employee was asked what the cost of a spay/declaw was and the employee asked, “Just a two paw declaw?” They said a 4 paw declaw/spay is $800.
They said that they only have a couple vets who do declaws, Dr Peterson and Dr Kendall.
They said that a couple of their doctors don’t perform declaws because ethically they don’t believe in it and don’t want to do that to a cat, and it’s painful.
Researcher asked if a declaw is bad for a cat and they said it’s just personal opinion, some people believe in it and some don’t. Researcher asks what the facts are about declawing and if it’s bad for a cat and they can’t answer that. They said, some people don’t believe in removing something they were born with like the claws. They said it’s a very painful surgery, they are on pain meds, and the bigger the cat the longer recovery time.
It says on Dr Nancy Peterson’s profile on her website, “To give back to these loving creatures who have such generous spirits, Dr. Peterson has dedicated her career to helping improve animals’ health, comfort, and quality of life!” “She also appreciates new pain management and oncology treatments, and keeps up with the latest advances in those fields. Dr. Peterson is a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist (CCRT), and received her certification from the Canine Rehabilitation Institute in order to help both companion and performance animals improve their quality of life.”
We reached out to Dr Peterson for this story but never received a response.
Manheim Pike Veterinary Hospital , Lancaster, PA
AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
The employee said that they aren’t taking new clients however they said they do perform neuters/declaws.
They said a neuter/2 paw declaw is around $700-$1000 and a neuter/4 paw declaw is around $1000-$1200.
Researcher asked if they are a Cat Friendly Practice and the employee said, “We are.”
Researcher asked again and the employee said, “Yes, through AAHA. We were certified at one point as a Cat Friendly Practice.”
They said that they don’t know if they re-certified or not. The employee said they have a very good practice and they deal with cats all the time.
They say on their website, “Our association with the American Animal Hospital Association goes back to 1970 when we were first accredited. Why is this important to you? AAHA is the only organization to accredit veterinary hospitals. As a result, we can confidently hold ourselves to a higher standard.”
Town and Country Veterinary Clinic. AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital. Marinette, WI.
This AAHA hospital offers traditional and laser declawing for cats and they had this sign up in their lobby in 2022. 
More stories about AAHA and declawing.