“I feel like I have failed you”
I received this sad note from an awesome woman who really cares about the welfare of cats. It’s really sad that this cat cruelty and abuse is happening in around 80% of veterinary practices in America. It’s hard to believe that all those declawing vets took an oath to EASE the suffering in animals yet are causing it by amputating the toe bones and claws in around 5000 cats a DAY in America.
American Association of Furniture Protectors, The Cash Friendly Organization
“The declaw procedure is a surgical removal of the claw. Contrary to rumors and misinformed sources, declawing is not the removal of any of the actual toe itself, just the claw.”
Dr. Julie K. Broshar, AAFP CAT FRIENDLY, Purr-Sonal Care Cat Clinic, Waterloo, Iowa
Declawing A Cat Is NOT “Cat Friendly”
An American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) Cat Friendly Practice, recently posted a video on facebook of a ragdoll kitten that was just declawed and said he is doing “great” after having his toes amputated. Here is a screenshot of the video that was posted on June 15, 2017.
This vet has declawing info on her website that says, “The declaw procedure is a surgical removal of the claw. Contrary to rumors and misinformed sources, declawing is not the removal of any of the actual toe itself, just the claw.”
This is a complete lie.
URGENT! How Can We Save These 14 Kittens From Being 4 Paw Declawed
Last night I received many notes from concerned people who were outraged about this animal hospital in Pacific, Missouri that was going to 4 paw declaw these 14 kittens that they rescued.
The veterinary professionals at this hospital deserve the accolades for helping with saving the lives of kittens and cats that they rescue, but then they turn around do a mutilating and inhumane procedure to the cats that will harm their health and well-being for a lifetime.
Amputating Laboratory Cat’s Toes To Test A Pain Med
These unethical humans used some of their cats that were purpose-bred laboratory cats from their colony and amputated the toes and claws on ONE paw, then did a washout/crossover, and 2 weeks later amputated the toes and claws on the cat’s other paw. Whatever treatment they got (Simbadol or nothing) the first time, they got the opposite the second.
They say in this study that none of the cats required “rescue” pain meds. Really??? In this day and age, why would anyone think it’s EVER okay for ANY cat to receive ZERO pain meds after barbarically having their toe bones and claws amputated is beyond me.
I Was Bullied For Not Declawing A 7 Year old Cat
Dear City, So my story goes like this… In 2015, I declined to perform a declaw on a 7 year old cat. The husband and wife wanted me to declaw their cat who they were afraid would jump into their newborn babies crib and scratch it. She was still pregnant and they didn’t want to […]
My vet, friends, and family started recommending that I look into getting them declawed
They also taught me that contrary to popular belief, cats CAN be trained to used appropriate scratching posts and that declawing is 100% unnecessary.
Lastly, and most importantly, they taught me that saving a couch, drapes, and carpet can never replace saving a life…..the life of a cat whose chances of making it out of a shelter alive drastically decreases if it doesn’t have claws on its paws.
It is time to make a change
My decision to stop doing this surgery now is that other veterinarians will hopefully follow the new position statement from CVMA and stop declawing cats. As fewer and fewer veterinarians perform this procedure there is less of a concern that clients will go somewhere else and less concern that the surgery is not being done properly with the appropriate pain control.
The demand for this procedure comes from the public, and veterinarians should not be the only ones at fault . Cat owners need to stop asking us to do this procedure and we need say no and provide alternatives.
Clairabelle, the declawed kitty who is suffering from her amputations
In 2015 I adopted a 5 year old calico that was front paw declawed. She was declawed with her spay surgery.
I was told that she is a pure breed straight ear Scottish fold.
I picked her up in a freak snowstorm at 4 am because her former owner was leaving on vacation and would be dropping her at the vet for euthanasia if I couldn’t get her that morning. They said she was having cat pan issues. I was certain I could help her and I fell in love with the pictures they sent me of her. I’m happy to say that we never had any pan issues.
She is getting older and I noticed that her right leg was sensitive sometimes after she would jump down off the furniture. Lately, she is limping most of the time. I can feel a pointed piece of what I think is bone in her sore toe.
She is a love bug but when she is hurting she will gently bite my hand while I’m checking her feet. I love her dearly and I know she was destined to be my baby for the remainder of her days
I Think I Would Know If My Cats Toes Were Gone
This veterinary practice in Oklahoma uses a guillotine clipper for their declaws and says that they, “cut off the nail and nail bed then use surgical glue to close the incision.”
They charge $69 for a 2 paw declaw and $97 for a 4 paw declaw.
When a cat owner asks them if there are any negative consequences to declawing or if there will be complications they say, “typically not, we do them frequently with no problems.”