California Veterinary Medical Association | www.cvma.net . . . 9

CatDeclawCat declaw (onychectomy) continues to be a topic in the news for the public, animal welfare groups, and the

veterinary profession. The CVMA’s position is that veterinarians should counsel cat owners on the pros and cons of the procedure, and the risks of surgery, so the client can make an informed decision. The CVMA believes the

procedure is appropriate in some cases only after attempts have been made to prevent the cat from using its claws destructively or when its clawing presents a medical risk for its owner.

The CVMA asked Dr. Elizabeth Colleran to share her thoughts on the issue. Her article starts on the following page .

CVMA Position Statement on Cat DeclawThe decision to declaw a cat should be made by the owner in consultation with their vet-erinarian. The declawing of cats may become necessary for medical or behavioral reasons and should be used instead of abandonment or euthanasia.

Dr. Colleran, a 1990 graduate of Tufts University’s School of Veterinary Medicine, owns and operates the Chico Hospital for Cats in Chico, CA and the Cat Hospital of Portland, OR. She is President-elect of the American Association of Feline Practitioners.

CatDeclaw: An Issu

. . . California Veterinarian | March/April 201010

By Elizabeth J. Colleran, DVM, MS

Black and white, unequivocal, no grey, no discussion. Some issues are just like that, but only for some people. Declawing cats is an

issue that inspires passion mainly for those unequivocally opposed to it. Those who perceive grey do not tend to feel passion. It is diffi cult to be passionate about something that might have two or more sides to it.

It is true that declawing is a surgery that involves the amputation of 10 or more digits of the forelimb that is not medically necessary for the cat. Put like that it is hard to see a place for it in the veterinary repertoire. There might be more to it, however, when you consider both the future of the cat and the client.

Ellen & HannahAs a single mom, Ellen was raising her daughter Hannah. When she was ten, Hannah asked for a kitten.

The problem was that Ellen was immunocompromised. In the seventies, Ellen had contracted breast cancer and undergone a radical mastectomy. In the end, she thrived but for the lymphedema that aff ected her left arm and left it twice the diameter of her right. As time went on, Ellen contracted frequent infections because of the edema and poor circulation. She was often bandaged and on antibiotics. Minor cuts and scrapes became major health challenges. Given that, a kitten in her home could be lethal.

Balanced against that, a kitten for Hannah meant someone to love and be loved by. Ellen gave in, and Hannah got two cats. However, because of her health issues, Ellen had them declawed.

Before the surgery, Ellen sat with her veterinarian, who described the procedure so there would be no mistaking how serious a decision this was. Ellen assured her veterinarian that the kittens would never be allowed outdoors.

The kittens would be admitted the night before surgery and fentanyl patches would be applied. These would become eff ective before any perception of pain occurred. During the surgery, an intravenous catheter would be in place for anesthetic induction and access to a vein should any problems occur.

Because laser surgery has been shown to be less painful, more precise and eliminate the need for a tourniquet, a laser would be used for the surgery. Prior to amputation, a ring block of anesthetic would be placed around each foot. The feet would be bandaged afterward to protect the incisions. An anti-infl ammatory would be added for pain management as soon as blood pressure was back to normal. After the second night in the hospital, the kittens would be discharged. Ellen listened carefully to the description and understood the complexity of the surgery.

FranklinFranklin had a busy life: two kids, a working spouse, commuting and a good job. He also now had Phoebe and Luigi, two stray kittens

his children brought home from a feedstore. As the kittens grew they started to do all the things kittens do. Mostly they played and slept.

The problem was the cats liked Franklin’s furniture. As time went on, the expensive chairs in the living room began to show the eff ects of their behavior. Ruined furniture would not do. Franklin made an appointment with his veterinarian to have the kittens declawed.

The receptionist asked him to come in and speak with the doctor about his concerns. Reluctantly, Franklin agreed. During the appointment, the veterinarian fi rst listened carefully to Franklin’s concerns. In response, she explained the reasons why cats scratch, suggested alternatives to declawing, and reviewed the procedure.

“Scratching is an expression of normal behavior,” she began. “Tree scratching is widespread among cats and has multiple functions, including removing loose claw layers, depositing scent and stretching. If there aren’t alternatives, household items ‒ furniture, carpet, fi rewood or other wood ‒ will be used. Once an object is chosen as a favorite it can be diffi cult to discourage scratching it without an acceptable substitute. Scratching posts or similar items are necessary to preserve the furniture.

“The ideal physical characteristics of a scratching post or board depend on the preference of each cat, but certain characteristics are important. Some cats prefer scratching a horizontal surface, others a vertical

one. In both cases, the object must be stable so the cat can rest on its hind limbs and reach out to scratch. Alternatives to the selected household object should have a similar texture. Carpet, sisal, cardboard and wood can be favored. Catnip may help. The number of such products on the market indicates how varied cats’ preferences can be: catnip infused rope, horizontal cardboard, corrugated paper － the list is long. By being aware of the texture the cat prefers, an appropriate material can be selected.”

Acknowledging that he understood, Franklin still felt that he had a problem that only declawing surgery would solve. The doctor went on to suggest that nail trimming along with scratching materials would be helpful to reduce the damage. She explained that temporarily covering the furniture Phoebe and Luigi had selected while training them to use the scratching post could also be useful. Perhaps the chairs could be removed from the room for awhile. She went over other training techniques that might be helpful, including a motion-activated fan, two-sided tape and positive reinforcement of the desired scratching behavior. Use of the kittens’ favorite treats would go a long way to reinforce the use of scratching posts or pads. In addition, there were claw covers which could be placed on the kittens. While they fall off as the nails grow out, they are easily replaced. After this discussion, Franklin agreed to try claw covers, scratching posts and temporary covers on the chairs. The veterinarian off ered to demonstrate application of the claw covers with the family present.

DiscussionThere are a number of circumstances in which, with the proper guidance

and education, some clients might wish to have their cats declawed. No veterinarian should ever feel compelled to do so and no veterinarian should do so without appropriate protocols for analgesia and safe surgery. A careful history and discussion with the owner is imperative to understand the motivation for their request. Often, the behavior can be altered with good planning and detailed coaching. A cat who is engaging in play aggression, for example, may seem like a natural candidate for declawing if there are children present. Interactive toys and behavior modifi cation techniques with positive reinforcement may be a more appropriate plan. Children can be taught how to properly handle their cat and how to avoid injury. Still, some cats simply are resistant to training and may not respond.

Some medical conditions might warrant declawing. Though some would say that people with compromised immune systems or chronic illness should not own a cat, there is ample evidence that pets improve the quality of peoples’ lives in many ways. To deprive a person of the opportunity to enhance their lives can be seen as heartless or cruel. Compromised immune function can be a part of many diseases, cancer chemotherapy, and natural aging. Time should be set aside to allow for an in-depth discussion of the procedure, aftercare and the importance of keeping the cat indoors.

There is no evidence that declawing alters the personality of the cat or increases the likelihood of biting. On the other hand, studies have shown that 70-90% of cat owners report an improvement in the cat-owner relationship after the procedure. Indeed, veterinarians estimate that half of owners would choose to surrender the cat if they did not have this surgery. In these cases, declawing is a life-saving procedure. The decision to declaw a cat should be made carefully and with the full consideration of the circumstances of the cat and the owner. The veterinarian must also be faithful to his or her own beliefs and decide whether to perform this surgery or not. The skill of the surgeon, his or her ethical position regarding the surgery, the time devoted to client counseling, and the analgesia protocol all enter into the equation and will aff ect the outcome for the patient, the veterinarian and the client.

ue for Our Times

California Veterinary Medical Association | www.cvma.net . . . 11

Do you have an opinion on this issue? Go to the CVMA’s Facebook page and reply to the “Cat Declaw”topic on the discussion tab.