For the health and wellbeing of our patients we, at Greendale Village Vet, have taken the stance not to perform declaw procedures unless medically necessary.

The “declawing” procedure involves amputation of the third phalanx. This is equivalent to a human having their fingertips and toes removed at the first knuckle. “The AVMA strongly discourages veterinarians from performing onychectomy, tenectomy, or any other surgical procedure intended to prevent the normal use of the animal’s claws that is not medically necessary.” Declawing cats is illegal in 32 countries, six states, and multiple cities including Madison, Wisconsin.

Scratching is a natural behavior that maintains nail health, is thought to relieve stress, and allows cats to participate in social and territorial marking.

Declawing is a painful procedure in the short and long term. Research has found that declawing increases the risk of chronic and persistent pain. This can manifest as several undesirable behaviors such as soiling outside of the litterbox, overgrooming, and increased aggression including biting.

Even with proper surgical technique, bony fragments may be left behind after declawing. These patients have an even higher risk for infection and chronic pain. Cats may also have nail regrowth due to incomplete amputation.

Some believe that declawing will stop the spread of zoonotic diseases to immunocompromised cat owners. “To avoid disease transmission from scratches, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend flea prevention, keeping cats indoors, away from strays and avoiding rough play with cats.” Declawing is not a recommended part of their strategy. Without the ability to scratch, cats who have been declawed are more likely to bite. This poses a much greater health risk.

Greendale Village Vet has made the decision not to perform declaw procedures. We are committed to providing humane, compassionate care and instead recommend safe, effective alternatives.

Resources used
https://icatcare.org/position-statements/position-statement-on-the-declawing-of-cats
https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-pets/about/cats.html?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/pets/cats.html
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11103313/