AAHA “Standard of Excellence” & Declawing Cats

Photo is from an AAHA hospital with American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) vets, that declaws cats with their laser, tells cat owners there are no long term negative consequences from this inhumane procedure, suggests declaws with neuter surgeries to first time cat owners, doesn’t offer any behavior advice for scratching issues and cats, doesn’t suggest scratching posts or Soft Paws (they have a section on their website called “Behavioral Medicine” with a photo of a dog with a torn up pillow and say they help with behavior issues.)
They say their laser declaws aren’t painful, and say that it’s $199 for the front declaw, and they say, “doing it by a laser doesn’t hurt them as much as it used to when they used to just pull them (claws) out and it hurt them more.”
One of the many declawing factories in America

“Most people will just have the front claws taken out , the only time we would recommend having the rear claws removed also is there was a small baby at home or if you have leather furniture but if that isn’t an issue we would recommend the front.”
“We do several declaws a day. There is no age limit for a declaw.”
“Yep they should be ok unless it’s an outdoor cat and we don’t recommend doing it because they learned how to use their claws . I got mine declawed at 3 yrs and she was completely fine. The 4 paws is ok too? “yea that’s what I did on my cat. It’s more common to get the front ones done just because the front ones are what they claw with and tear your furniture up with but you could get all four done.”
“there’s no consequences or anything like that. Why people think it’s inhumane is just because it’s like cutting their knuckle off, which it isn’t, we’re taking the nail out of the cat and that’s where a lot of people think it’s inhumane but personally I don’t just because indoor cats don’t use their nails that much and but if it’s an outdoor cat and catches mice and all sorts of stuff like that, then yea I could see it, but indoor cats don’t use their nails much for anything.”
Never Give Up Protecting Kitties

City, I need help urgently. I am a seventeen year old college student at Northwest Missouri State University. I recently qualified for an emotional support animal for my various mental health problems. Over the weekend, I got a kitten to come live with me after the processing is finished. However, today I learned that they are requiring me to front declaw him before he moves in. Obviously, this is not going to happen, but I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to have to drop out/transfer schools, but I will not mentally make it through the semester without him, and there is no way I am going to mutilate my baby just so he can live here.
We Trusted Our Vet

Our vet told us that declawing should be done to be proactive. Never once did he mention he could teach us how to trim our cats nails. He didn’t offer a choice. He didn’t offer any education as to what the operation entailed. It was all so routine. Like it was just ‘what you did’.
We trusted our vet with the care of our babies. He hurt them and we didn’t even know it. What is even worse, is that he thinks he was providing a SERVICE to us.
I’ve not once had a vet explain to me the horrible side of declawing but they are quick to offer it as a “proactive solution”.
Near Pain Free Cat Declaw By An 18 yr AVMA Member Veterinarian

Near Pain Free Cat Declaw By An 18 yr AVMA Member Veterinarian. This is another example of why declawing needs to be banned.
Property Management Companies Who Took The Declaw Requirement Out Of Their Pet Policies

I did receive your email and discussed it internally with the regional managers yesterday evening before we left for the day. We have come to the agreement that we are going to remove the declawing policy in our current Resident Policies. However, due to hardwood floors and trim, we will be increasing our Pet Deposit. I appreciate you reaching out to us and we are more than happy to accommodate our furry friends the way they are! We plan on having another internal meeting within the next week (most likely after Labor Day weekend) and will re-write the policies to become truly pet friendly across all 6,000 units across Indiana & Ohio.
Touting A New Way To Use This Radio Surgery Tool To Declaw Cats

Here’s another BIG veterinary convention with so many CE courses that help the health and well being of animals. Unfortunately there is also a course that basically promotes radiosurgery as a cost effective way to amputate cat’s toe bones and claws.
The Big, Ugly, Unethical Business of Amputating Cat Toes & Claws

“We can’t declaw a dog. Dog’s nails are different than cat nails and dogs nails have veins in the nails. Cats don’t have veins inside their nails,” said the employee at this veterinary practice after asking the veterinarian.
When you know better… you do better

Our chat was back in the spring some time. You were kind enough to educate me and forever change my views on declawing as i truly has no idea what the procedure really was. So…. I’m happy to introduce you to my 8 year old rescue I got this week named Bubbles ? … she was rescued by our local spca from a horrific hoarding situation and i fell in love with her the moment i met her ❤❤ she is the most loving and cuddly cat i’ve ever met!
Declawing her will NEVER be an option thanks to you and I found a great solution i think you will be proud of…. thanks again for helping me understand what declawing is and leave it in the past.
Declawed Your Cat? Join a Class Action Suit

An international group of Pro bono animal advocates is looking for people who had their cats declawed at VCA Hospitals, Banfield Hospitals, any hospital chain or even single private practitioners in the last 4 years and who want to participate in a class action lawsuit, based on the failure of these veterinarians to disclose the true facts, risks, and consequences of declawing and based on the inappropriate veterinary recommendation of declawing cats to protect human health.