Why You Should Never

Declaw Your Cats

The Paw Project Report

Table of Contents

Abstract......................................................................................................................................3
The Impacts of Claw Cutting.....................................................................................................3
Physical Effects of Declawing...............................................................................................4
Mental Effects of Declawing..................................................................................................4
Alternative Solutions to Declawing...........................................................................................5
The Benefits of Cat Scratchers...............................................................................................5
Get to Know Your Feline and What They Enjoy...................................................................6
Adjusting to Your Cats' Needs Will Stop Them from Scratching the Unwanted......................7
Creating Places for Your Cat to Scratch................................................................................8
Learn Your Cats’ Cues...........................................................................................................8
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................8
References................................................................................................................................10

Figures

Figure 1 6

Figure 2 6
Abstract
Whenever an individual imagines the fierce feline also known as a cat, some correlations that
pop into their minds are their mysterious nature, their sharp teeth, and their nails. Not only are
cat claws a recognizable feature they possess, but their claws are also extremely important in
their everyday life. All cats, even indoor cats, need their claws for balance, mobility, protection,
grooming, and gripping prey and objects. Cats naturally scratch to promote nail health to shed
the outer nail husk, stretching for isotonic exercise which leaves spine and joints supple, and to
mark territory by leaving visual and scent marks (pheromones deposited from scent glands in the
paws). Scratching may also act as a pressure valve, allowing cats to release pent-up stress (Keep
those claws! Why cats need them, 2019). This means that cats need their nails to be able to
spread their sent onto objects around the home. They also need their nails to release stress
through scratching, similar to humans using a stress ball with their hands.

Since a majority of cat owners don’t want their feline to potentially harm them or other in-house
pets or ruin their furniture by scratching away at the couches or rugs, some owners resort to
declawing their cat. The procedure of declawing cats has been exercised in the United States for
many years but illegal in many other countries. Most cat owners who have decided to declaw
their cats are not fully aware of all the harm it creates for their pet. For some owners hearing the
damaging effects of declawing does little to no effect on their decision due to the importance of
their belongings and desperation to keep their cats' claws far away from them.

That being said, the act of declawing should be completely eliminated in the United States.
Going through with this procedure is animal abuse and should not be tolerated by any animal
clinic or specialist. With increased awareness of the harmful effects, as well as increased
knowledge of alternative solutions, declawing can ould be a procedure solution of the past.
The Impacts of Claw Cutting
When a cat is declawed, it causes numerous problems for the feline in multiple ways. Some
of these problems could not only affect a cat physically but mentally as well and change the way
that they live their everyday lives for the worse. Cats’ claws are incredibly important detrimental
to how they operate, so when it is taken from them it becomes extremely hard for them to
manage themselves and their chance of a happy, healthy life is impaired.

Physical Effects of Declawing

Some owners may have the misconception that declawing a cat has no negative effects and
that essentially their nails are cut off in a way that prohibits them from growing back. This
thought process couldn’t be any father from the truth. Many people, including animal lovers, do
not realize that declawing is a surgical procedure in which the animal’s toes are amputated at the
last joint. A portion of the bone, not just the nail, is removed (About the Paw Project). “The
surgery is actually amputation of the cat’s third toe or finger bone. Cats’ nails are different than
those of humans in that they are actually part of the bone. A comparison in human terms would
be cutting off a person’s finger at the last joint of each finger.” (Scherk, Keep those claws! Why
cats need them). Declawing leaves cats to be in great pain every time they walk. Due to the pain,
cats may change the way they walk which ultimately leads to more problems like arthritis. The
stresses caused by the abnormal posture and movement may produce arthritis in the legs, which,
in turn, may cripple the cat further and cause it more suffering (The Paw Project-Cats Paws Need
Their Claws). This can cause further problems that affect the animal mentally as .well.
Mental Effects of Declawing

Besides the physical effects, declawing also has mental effects on cats as well. Because the
cat suffers from pain when walking, movement becomes something they dread. This will cause
the animal to be less active, playful and welcoming. A cats need to scratch is something that is
innate to them. When cats no longer have the ability to scratch, they must find other ways to
satisfy their needs. Cats instinctively mark their territory with the scent glands in their paws as a
way to say they own you and the home they share with you. Declawed cats cannot use their paws
to mark their territory in the manner that nature intended, so they may resort to marking furniture
and carpets with urine, instead (The Paw Project-Cats Paws Need Their Claws). Without claws
cats may feel increased stress and anxiety with no way to free those emotions. Scratching may
also act as a pressure valve, allowing cats to release pent-up stress (The Paw Project-Cats Paws
Need Their Claws).

Alternative Solutions to Declawing

Declawing your cat is not the best solution to getting your feline to quit scratching. to what
most pet owners who plan to go through with the procedure are intending to achieve. The three
main problems that cause owners to declaw are scratches to the furniture, other people in the
home, or other animals in the home. All three of these problems cannot be solved with
declawing.; each problem worsens.

The Benefits of Cat Scratchers

A cat's desire to scratch cannot be solved with declawing. Even after declawing cats will still
feel the need to scratch. Instead of taking away their ability to scratch at all, create places that
they are allowed to indulge in the activity. A perfect way to accomplish this is by placing cat
scratchers or posts around the home that is accessible to the animal. Provide a suitable outlet for
your cat’s natural instinct to stretch and exercise its claws by placing a scratching post near
where it might like to scratch. Place scratching posts
 around your home (they come in all shapes and styles to match your decor), and let your cat
choose the ones it likes (The Paw Project-Cats Paws Need Their Claws). Another solution to
unwanted scratching is nail covers for cats. These plastic or gel covers slip over your cats’ nails
and do not harm them in any way. They also come in many colors and styles that allow you to
accessorize your cat in a safe way.

Figure 1: Cat playing with scratcher Figure 2: Kitten playing with scratcher

Get to Know Your Feline and What They Enjoy

A fantastic way to improve the relationship you or other members in the household have with
your feline is to listen to your cats’ cues. Cats have physical cues that will tell you when they like
or do not like something. Owners can use this information to learn about their animals in more
depth, which will benefit the cat’s wellbeing too. Without their claws cats may become more
aggressive overall. Deprived of their natural defenses, cats are acutely aware of their
vulnerability without their claws, so they may become irritable and lash out, biting to protect
themselves. They may avoid the litter box, because it hurts their paws to dig in the sand. These
and other unwanted behaviors can cause more damage to your furniture, family and other pets
than might otherwise occur with their claws left intact (The Paw Project-Cats Paws Need Their
Claws). This is why it is important to spend time with your feline and get to know what they are
comfortable with.
Adjusting to Your Cats' Needs Will Stop Them from
Unwanted Scratching
Creating Places for Your Cat to Scratch

One main reason owners’ resort to declawing is due to their cats ruining their furniture by
scratching. Creating areas where your cats are allowed to scratch eliminates that problem. It can
be acknowledged that adding scratching places in your home may not stop all cats from
scratching on furniture. That being said, the act of declawing does not fully solve the problem of
scratching and creates many other problems that are much more consequential like rejecting the
litter box or arthritis.

Learn Your Cats’ Cues

Learning how to interact and play with your cat will be beneficial to both the owner and the
animal. This will ultimately lessen the amount of aggressive and territorial behavior in your pet.
On the other hand, declawing creates aggressive behavior that wasn’t present in the cat
beforehand. That is why it is important to spend time engaging with your feline and getting to
know them on a deeper level.

Conclusion
Many cats owners’ resort to declawing in hopes of altering the way their animal acts on
natural instinct. This procedure removes the cats’ claws and part of their bone so that they lose
their ability to scratch. Declawing has serious, life-long negative effects on cats. These effects
can completely change how cats act physically and feel emotionally in ways that negatively
affect them and their owner. Cats’ claws are incredibly important to how they operate and live
their lives. Without them, they are forced to live in a condition that is not normal or natural for
them. Declawing is animal abuse and should not be performed on any cat.
References
Marek, R. “Keep those claws! Why cats need them.” Fear Free Happy Homes, 31 March
2021. https://www.fearfreehappyhomes.com/keep-those-claws-why-cats-need-them/

Cat paws need their claws. The Paw Project. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2023, from
https://pawproject.org/

About the paw project. The Paw Project. (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2023, from
https://pawproject.org/about-us/about-the-paw-project/