What are the behavioral and quality of life risks of declawing a cat?

Question

I have a 4-year-old cat with all of its claws. My fiance wants me to get him declawed. Should I be worried about behavioral & quality of life issues?

Sabina Snyder, Specialty Surgery Technician · Accepted Answer

Absolutely. Declawing a cat is traumatic surgery to begin with, but in an older cat it can be even more so. When you declaw a cat, you are removing the last digit of the toe. Think of your finger, and think of removing the last knuckle on each of your fingers. This is what they do when they perform this surgery. They are not just trimming the claws off. There are many complications that can happen, from lifelong pain, regrowth of the bone tissue which can cause deformation and lifelong behavioral issues. Many cats who are declawed become biters and stop using their litter boxes due to the pain in their feet. There are many other options other than declawing your cat such as soft paws, or using scratching devices or training options. I would highly suggest watching the movie The Paw Project before you consider this procedure for your cat. I've been a Tech for over 14 years now. I have cats who have been declawed and I've seen the terrible effects it can have. Check the statistics of cats in shelters. Most cats who are surrendered to shelters are declawed because of the behavior issues they developed after they were declawed. There are always other options.

What are the behavioral and quality of life risks of declawing a cat?

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