Declawing Is Bad, But Is It Worse Then Shelter? Also Any Studies Showing Long Term Effects On Cats?

[Kieka]

There is a long term study in declawing with 274 cats in the study: SAGE Journals: Your gateway to world-class journal research

"Results
Significant increases in the odds of back pain (odds ratio [OR] 2.9), periuria/perichezia (OR 7.2), biting (OR 4.5) and barbering (OR 3.06) occurred in declawed compared with control cats. Of the 137 declawed cats, 86 (63%) showed radiographic evidence of residual P3 fragments. The odds of back pain (OR 2.66), periuria/perichezia (OR 2.52) and aggression (OR 8.9) were significantly increased in declawed cats with retained P3 fragments compared with those declawed cats without. Optimal surgical technique, with removal of P3 in its entirety, was associated with fewer adverse outcomes and lower odds of these outcomes, but operated animals remained at increased odds of biting (OR 3.0) and undesirable habits of elimination (OR 4.0) compared with non-surgical controls.

Conclusions and relevance
Declawing cats increases the risk of unwanted behaviors and may increase risk for developing back pain. Evidence of inadequate surgical technique was common in the study population. Among declawed cats, retained P3 fragments further increased the risk of developing back pain and adverse behaviors. The use of optimal surgical technique does not eliminate the risk of adverse behavior subsequent to onychectomy."

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

I’m going to have to disagree. I don’t think a person who is requesting a declawed cat should have a cat at all.

I would adopt an already-declawed cat from a shelter/rescue in order to give it a better life and lots of love. To me, these are special needs cats.

 

[Neo_23]

I would adopt an already-declawed cat from a shelter/rescue in order to give it a better life and lots of love. To me, these are special needs cats.

I would do the same. What I meant was that someone who specifically only wants a declawed cat because they prefer the cat to be declawed shouldn't be able to adopt. But of course someone who wants to help a declawed cat have a good life and doesn't have a preference should be able to adopt.

 

[foxden]

Yes, the policy in the US is that an owner who wants to declaw is not acting in the best interest of the cat.
Declawing is illegal in the United Kingdom except for medical reasons.

Long-term, declawed cats may develop arthritis and severe joint problems because they are walking unnaturally when part of their toe is removed. Problems with the quality of the surgery are frequently reported.
Declawed cats tend to have litterbox issues because their feet are tender. Declawed cats are also reported to bite more often as they have no other defenses.
I did have 2 cats declawed 35+ years ago. The procedure was much more common, and I did not understand the process or potential issues. One of those cats lived to be 20, the other to 17. I did try to adopt another cat who was already declawed when Patches was 1.5 yo. That cat exhibited all the negative behaviors that are reported for declawed cats, now that I consider the problems we had with Dusty. I was a renter and in grad school, and I had to return her to the rescue after a few months of attempting to correct her negative behaviors.

All of the cats I have adopted since those two cats have not been declawed. The shelters I visited in the 2000's refused to adopt to someone who wanted to declaw.

Anyone who wants a declawed cat should only be permitted to adopt a declawed cat surrendered to the rescue because of behavior issues.

 

[Kieka]

I would do the same. What I meant was that someone who specifically only wants a declawed cat because they prefer the cat to be declawed shouldn't be able to adopt. But of course someone who wants to help a declawed cat have a good life and doesn't have a preference should be able to adopt.

I firmly disagree with declawing in all situations and levels. But if someone is dead set on declawing and it isn't illegal I'd much rather they ask the shelter/rescue for one whose already had the declawing done then find a kitten and declaw it.

 

[Neo_23]

I feel like adopting out a cat that was surrendered because of behaviour issues due to declawing to someone who wants a declawed cat to prevent behaviour issues is just setting the cat up for being surrendered again. That cat should be adopted out to someone who understands that he/she has special needs.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

I firmly disagree with declawing in all situations and levels. But if someone is dead set on declawing and it isn't illegal I'd much rather they ask the shelter/rescue for one whose already had the declawing done then find a kitten and declaw it.

Well, never say Never, and never say Always... there might be a reason to declaw that I would agree with:
Polydactyl Kitten Selective Declaw Opinions

 

[adventuregirl]

When I adopted Oscar they didn’t bother to tell me he was declawed by his previous owners. It is most likely because he had 3 failed adoptions before me. I think people saw he was a handsome orange cat and that he was declawed and didn’t bother to check about ahis temperament with children and other pets. Oscar needs to be the king of the castle. He doesn’t like to share his attention with anyone. If my husband and I are cuddling on the couch Oscar is cuddling too! Anyway I think the shelter stopped advertising he is declawed because the wrong kind of people were adopting him. People who want a declawed cat don’t know how to problem solve they just want a quick fix. Oscar is a curious naughty obnoxious cat (but we love him because of that) he needed a home that understood cats. Honestly if I had know he as declawed I wouldn’t have even given him a second glance. I think declawing is mean. Oscar seems to be okay with it though. He has no litter issues and doesn’t limp. However I do wonder if the declawing is what has made him such a jerk to children and other animals. He just doesn’t feel safe around them with no way to defend himself.

 

[Lari]

Well, never say Never, and never say Always... there might be a reason to declaw that I would agree with:
Polydactyl Kitten Selective Declaw Opinions

Yeah, it's kind of like "would you amputate your child's finger?" Certainly not for behavioral reasons like they were poking people but idk, if they had gangrene or a tumor and cutting off one finger would save their life? Yeah. I'd do it. So if there's a legitimate medical reason for amputating a claw, then that's probably okay.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Yeah, it's kind of like "would you amputate your child's finger?" Certainly not for behavioral reasons like they were poking people but idk, if they had gangrene or a tumor and cutting off one finger would save their life? Yeah. I'd do it. So if there's a legitimate medical reason for amputating a claw, then that's probably okay.

I'm glad that my cat cannot "de-hand" or de-arm" me.

I'm pretty sure that the times when I am a complete failure and ignoramus with my behavioral issues (of wanting to pick her up or cuddle her when she doesn't feel like it, etc.), my cat Milly probably wonders if she could have me "de-armed" because I don't seem the least bit trainable or smart. Thank goodness she doesn't believe in amputating human fingers, hands or arms. She continues in her training of me.

 

[duckpond]

I have a friend that adopted an already declawed cat from our local shelter. She didn't go looking for that, just an older cat, as she likes to give the older ones a good home. they had this gray 8 year old male that had been declawed, so she took him home.

He is a sweet cat, but he does bite sometimes, he doesnt have claws so i think he bites more. He is very well taken care of but even so he will have times that she says his feet seem to bother him. and he is very particular about his litter. She is using the grass litter now and it seems to be easier on his feet.

She has had the cat about 5 years, he was 8 ish when she got him according to the vet, so he has been declawed a long time, but still has tender feet.

I am a fan of inside cats, and cat free shelters. But i think i would rather see a cat remain in a shelter, or live outside whole, than be declawed. And people who declaw but then let them outside are the very worst of the worst. Cats should never be declawed, unless there is a specific medical reason for that one cat.

 

[Willowy]

Oh boy, I sincerely hope it was never 50%!@?

I kind of think that was lowballing it :/. For a while it seemed like every pet cat was de-clawed. Ours weren't (1989) and they were the only pet cats (including outdoors) I knew who weren't de-clawed.

Well, never say Never, and never say Always... there might be a reason to declaw that I would agree with:
Polydactyl Kitten Selective Declaw Opinions

Selective removal isn't the same---physically, yes, but not psychologically. The cat still has claws and isn't helpless. In some cases a full de-claw IS medically necessary. . .you do what you have to do. I hope nobody would remove their cat's leg to prevent them from jumping on the counters, but if a leg amputation is medically necessary it must be done.

 

[saleri]

I feel like adopting out a cat that was surrendered because of behaviour issues due to declawing to someone who wants a declawed cat to prevent behaviour issues is just setting the cat up for being surrendered again. That cat should be adopted out to someone who understands that he/she has special needs.

Good points as usual! Hope most shelters realize this.

 

[Willowy]

I can't link to a pdf on my phone, so here's the Google results for the study: Risk factors for relinquishment of cats to an animal shelter. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1996;209:582–588. - Google Search
Did anyone post this link yet? I think it's a good one: Declawing and Science | Little Big Cat

 

[saleri]

So anyone got thought on this article?

https://digital.lib.washington.edu/...73/34157/Fritscher_washington_0250O_14353.pdf


I sometimes see this article pointed out and I'm not sure how to respond. Stats like:

- "12% of cats are given to shelters because of destructive clawing".
-"pointing out that at shelters there are less declawed cats then clawed relative to population. Based of her sample of 1013, 9.1% were declawed, compared to 24.4% in general population"
-"Declawed cats were not more likely to bite than non-declawed cats. Logistic regression showed no effect of declaw status on the likelihood of biting (p=0.456)"

Although she doesn't mention anything about other points of worry like pains the cats will endure.

-she acknowledges that cats are declawed at shelters are there a bit longer then non-declawed, but she argues that is because of the belief of them having problems and shelter people making this unknown to adopters. Though this is just an assumption.

 

[Willowy]

- "12% of cats are given to shelters because of destructive clawing".

Well, that's what the owners put on the surrender forms. Since de-clawing is legal in most of the US, why didn't they have the cat de-clawed then? I suspect they simply didn't want the cat and thought that seemed like a good excuse.

It's hard to argue "de-clawing must be available or people will dump their cats!" and "even though de-clawing is available, people dump their cats and say it's for scratching anyway!" in the same discussion .

 

[saleri]

Just so you guys know, once again I don't plan to ever get my cats declawed, I was just curious on figuring out the facts, and trying to persuade others not to get their cats declawed.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

This is what declawing is:

This is what it would be if you were human:

SOME cats adapt fairly well, but even those are at a MUCH higher risk (about 3 times, I believe) for developing back pain and arthritis, as the entire gait is changed...much like a person having to walk with ALL of his weight on his heels all the time. And that's at best. So their cats may be fine for now, but suffer for it down the line. Even if they don't develop litter box issues and biting issues.

Personally, if a person is more worried about their belongings than an animal's health, no matter WHAT animal it is, that person is better off with a nice fish tank. And even those can leak. Get a plant.

 

[cheesycats]

My Female cat has always had this bizarre upper back and shoulder pain. She was attacked outside once (her first and last time being outside unattended to while being with me) and I used to chalk it up to that. Not that she was declawed at some point in her life before making her way to me. But the more I think about it I don’t really believe her back leg being mamed has much to do with her upper back. But when I pet her in certain spots on her back/shoulders she howls in pain and bites me. And when she gets down from cabinets sometimes she’ll land on her front paws and limp for the rest of the night. She has 0 litter box issues and would probably use it if there was a mountain of poop in it but I really believe she has the pain and attitude problems because of her declawing. I have people tell me all the time at work that if their cats don’t stop tearing up their furniture they’re going to be declawed. I always tell them how cruel and unnecessary it is when there are other options. And I often ask if people have tried these other options (cat towers, scratching posts, caps, keep off, tape, etc) and of course 90% of them haven’t tried anything at all and leave thier cats with nothing stimulating while they work 9-5 mon-Friday and then they have the audacity to blame the cat and rip it’s finger tips off. I just do not get it at all. I mean would anyone here have their dog declawed for tearing up hardwood floors? Probably not. The thought wouldn’t even come to mind because of how outlandish it sounds. You would get area rugs and trim the dogs nails. Not to mention if you even asked any vet anywhere to declaw your dog you would get laughed at. Not sure why vets even participate in it anymore. If you find a vet that will do it they are not good vets. They are not in the slightest interested in helping you or your cat or educating anyone on alternatives. They are simply in it for the money. But as others have pointed out when people honestly consider this for reasons other then medical they simply are thing about their needs and are very selfish cat owners. It’s a shame. But I’m glad most shelters In my area will not adopt to folks who want to declaw or make a cat be an outdoor cat.

 

[mani]

I think this part of the title of the thread: Declawing Is Bad, But Is It Worse Then Shelter? assumes that there is any relationship between the two things. If people understood that declawing can well lead to other problems, it wouldn't be an either/or situation.

Two things:

• TCS is vehemently anti declawing In our Forum Rules: 4. This website is anti-declawing. Understand that if you are pro-declaw in your posts, you will encounter opposition. Please learn more about alternatives for declawing (not that you are pro-declaw saleri .. just pointing out that a recognised cat site doesn't make this a part of their rules unless there is good reason, and that should help to convince people )https://thecatsite.com/ams/declawing-and-alternatives.29667/

• As others have pointed out, declawing is becoming illegal in more and more places. It has been illegal here in Australia for a long time. Countries do not make surgery of any type illegal unless there is a very good reason. Surely that brings up warning bells for anyone who is contemplating this procedure.

If you are looking for studies that will help to convince people that it's really not the way to go saleri , Kieka has linked to one, above and there is also:
Declawing linked to aggression and other abnormal behaviors in cats from May 2017.