DECLAWING
WE DO NOT ALLOW OUR SPHYNX KITTENS TO BE DECLAWED
PLEASE EDUCATE YOURSELF ON AMPUTATION AND HOW INHUMANE IT IS
Declawing a cat might sound as simple as trimming your pet’s nails. But it’s actually major surgery.
It has a big part to play in your Sphynx cat’s overall health.
A veterinarian cuts through the joint to amputate part of the cat’s toes, from the last knuckle out to the tip of the claw.
Scratching things is a natural behavior for cats. It lets them get healthy stretching exercise and also provides stress relief.
A cat might accidentally scratch you while playing. Or a cat might aggressively lash out with its claws. A pet owner usually chooses onychectomy, as declawing surgery is technically called, to prevent scratching injuries to people or damage to objects.
Declawing will not address the real issue causing a cat to behave aggressively, so the risk of injury from biting remains. One study found that almost 50% of cats occasionally display aggression toward both people they know and strangers.
This surgery comes with risks of complications. Right after being declawed, the cat will be in pain. Vets will prescribe medicine to help manage the immediate pain. There may also be bleeding, swelling and infection.
One study found that 42% of declawed cats had ongoing long-term pain and about a quarter of declawed cats limped. In up to 15% of cases, the claws can eventually regrow after the surgery.
Once a cat is declawed, it must stay indoors only. Removing the claws removes the cat’s main way to defend itself and climb well.
Some pet owners see declawing as their last option before getting rid of a cat that scratches. The American Veterinary Medical Association “strongly encourages” people to learn more about the procedure before signing a cat up. It’s possible an owner might not understand normal scratching behavior or how serious the surgery is.
Many veterinarians, including me, do not perform declawing surgery. In most cases it’s because they feel the elective procedure is not medically necessary and that it’s not a humane choice for cats.
Declawing is illegal in some American cities, including Los Angeles and Denver, and the state of New York. The U.K., Australia and many parts of the European Union and Canada have also outlawed declawing.
If you have a cat that just won’t stop scratching, there are some other solutions. Frequent nail trimming and the use of plastic nail caps over the cat’s claws can help. Offering scratching posts and spray posts with cat nip spray and other forms of environmental enrichment can also reduce scratch damage. Double sided tape on areas that the cat scratches is also a great deterrent. Veterinarians can prescribe therapies to reduce feline anxiety, too, including medications and pheromone diffusers that spread calming chemicals that cats naturally release.
Living with a cat comes with the responsibility to keep that pet healthy and content. That means finding a fair balance between protecting the health of family members and that of the household cat. It may also mean coming to terms with the idea that some cats express their normal need to scratch on the furniture. Fortunately, veterinarians are available to discuss options to keep everyone in the household comfortable and happy.
Understanding Declawing (Onychectomy)
The anatomy of the feline claw must be understood before one can appreciate the severity of declawing. The cat’s claw is not a nail as is a human fingernail, it is part of the last bone (distal phalanx) in the cat’s toe.
The cat’s claw arises from the unguicular crest and unguicular process in the distal phalanx of the paw (see above diagram). Most of the germinal cells that produce the claw are situated in the dorsal aspect of the ungual crest.
This region must be removed completely, or regrowth of a vestigial claw and abcessation results. The only way to be sure all of the germinal cells are removed is to amputate the entire distal phalanx at the joint.Contrary to most people’s understanding, declawing consists of amputating not just the claws, but the whole phalanx (up to the joint), including bones, ligaments, and tendons! To remove the claw, the bone, nerve, joint capsule, collateral ligaments, and the extensor and flexor tendons must all be amputated.
Thus declawing is not a “simple”, single surgery but 10 separate, painful amputations of the third phalanx up to the last joint of each toe. A graphic comparison in human terms would be the cutting off of a person’s finger at the last joint of each finger.
Many vets and clinic staff deliberately misinform and mislead clients into believing that declawing removes only the claws in the hopes that clients are left with the impression that the procedure is a “minor” surgery comparable to spay/neuter procedures and certainly doesn’t involve amputation (partial or complete) of the terminal-toe bone, ligaments and tendons. Some vets rationalize the above description by saying that since the claw and the third phalanx (terminal toe bone) are so firmly connected, they simply use the expression “the claw” to make it simpler for clients to “understand”.
Other vets are somewhat more honest and state that if they used the word “amputation”, most clients would not have the surgery performed! Onychectomy in the clinical definition involves either the partial or total amputation of the terminal bone. That is the only method. What differs from vet to vet is the type of cutting tool used (guillotine-type cutter, scalpel or laser).
Problems with socialization and behavior
Ann Segrest of Kiriki Korats dispels the myth that older kittens won’t bond with their new humans, emphasizing that cats do not need to establish a “pack” hierarchy like dogs.
Separating kittens from their mothers at a young age can lead to unhealthy behaviors such as dependency on humans, fearfulness, and neuroticism.
Proper socialization with their mother and siblings between four to fourteen weeks old is crucial for kittens to learn how to interact with other cats and recognize cat body language.
Exposure to a variety of people during this time is also important to prevent fearfulness towards certain individuals. Marj Baker, a Manx breeder, and Deborah Feldham of Glendoveer’s Abyssinians share their experiences with orphaned kittens who exhibited behavioral issues due to early separation from their mother.
They stress the importance of kittens spending time with their mothers and siblings to learn essential life lessons that contribute to their overall happiness, health, and confidence.
June Abbott Colwell of Velpaws Siamese highlights that kittens taken away too young may develop behavioral issues and lack tolerance and self-assurance compared to older kittens.
THE KITTEN AT TWELVE WEEKS
At twelve weeks of age, most kittens are weaned or nearly fully so, have had adequate socialization with mother and siblings, have received their full series of kitten shots, and have gotten through the critical immune system “kick-over” period.
Properly handled and socialized by people, these kittens have learned to explore their world and will meet it with a happy, outgoing confidence that will carry them throughout their lifetime. This may vary from cat to cat, or breed to breed.
The important thing to remember is this: it should be the kitten’s current and future well-being that drives the decision of age to place, not finances or a simple desire to have a younger kitten for whatever reason.
Kittenhood is a fleeting time. You will have a kitten only for a short time, but the cat may be with you for many years to come.
You may find it personally disappointing to allow a kitten an extra month or two with its mother when you had hoped to have it earlier, but it will make a world of difference to the mental, emotional, and physical health to the kitten throughout its entire life.
If you are searching for a pet through a shelter, you may not have an option. If you are getting a kitten through an acquaintance or through a breeder, insist on at least twelve weeks for the kitten’s health. You will have a healthier, happier, and better socialized feline friend because of it.
Are you interested in adopting a Sphynx kitten? Then, learn more about the sphynx breed, including information on how young is too young to adopt a sphynx cat.