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A lot of cat lovers are divided over the debate: to declaw or not to declaw. Most of us (myself included) find the painful surgery, in which the cat’s knuckles are broken and from which the cat suffers a long recovery, cruel.
Yet I can see the benefits of declawing; even though I try to keep on top of trimming my cat’s nails he does still scratch things sometimes, and it would be nice to not have to worry about him damaging any furniture, or even worse, a person. Cole isn’t violent and has rarely scratched the sofa and never gone after a person, but the reassurance wouldn’t go amiss.
Still, I think the cruelty of the declawing surgery outweighs its benefits, especially because I don’t have any real problems with my cat. But what about those whose cats do have serious scratching issues? They might have a new solution: laser declawing.
Laser declawing is exactly what it sounds like, laser surgery to remove a cat’s claws. Vetinfo.com has the details, explaining the procedure. Rather than the surgeon needing to break the cat’s knuckles like in the normal declawing operation, with a laser the vet can go in and directly remove the clawed bone from the cat’s toe.
Because the surgery is less invasive the cat does not bleed much during the surgery. This is also because the laser seals blood vessels and nerve endings. Overall it makes for a less painful surgery and recovery and the cat might not even need to wear bandages on its feet afterward, also speeding the recovery.
Still, laser declawing is not entirely painless nor is it as simple as clipping a cat’s nails. It’s still an operation, so the cat must go under anesthesia for the duration. Cat owners must also consider the cost of the surgery.
Laser declawing isn’t cheap. While the traditional procedure costs around $50 on average, laser declawing is at least $150. Because the equipment is so expensive and the technology so new, it might also be difficult finding a vet who could both afford to purchase the equipment and who is properly trained to use it. I would be wary of taking my cat for such a delicate surgery to any vet with whom I didn’t have prior experience, especially if I didn’t have specific and preferably personal recommendations for that vet.
Although laser declawing sounds like a much better alternative for those who have cats with serious clawing problems, I still don’t like the concept of declawing at all. I suppose if it must be done an owner should try for the laser surgery instead of the traditional one. Owners should also declaw their cats when they are young, because the recovery is much easier on younger cats.
I just can’t keep from thinking it’s cruel; I can’t even imagine the cognitive dissonance for the poor cat, to suddenly not have claws anymore. It would be too strange for me to not have nails, and I don’t use them nearly as much as a cat uses its claws.
Those who have cats with clawing problems do have an additional option beyond declawing: nail caps. They are soft vinyl caps that cover the cat’s claws: no painful surgery, no further scratching problems. Please consider the nail caps as a possibility before declawing your cat.
Related Articles:
Cats and Dogs Really Can Get Along
To Declaw or Not to Declaw, That is the Question
*(This image by kevindooley is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.)
