BS – “Laser Declawing Makes Declawing Safe and Humane”

This is unmitigated bullsh*t from the vets at Parker County Veterinary Hospital, 1724 Blair Drive, Weatherford, TX 76086 — (817) 596-0909. The vets, Dr Pat and Dr Kim (such friendly names) boldly state on their website that “Laser Declawing Makes Declawing Safe and Humane”.

These vets actively promote declawing and do their utmost to assuage any guilt that the cat’s owner may feel when requesting declawing…

“With a skilled doctor and the latest technology, declawing does not have to be an issue that you feel guilty about. Laser declawing is safe, effective, and humane….”

So, you see these veterinarians understand that cat caretakers are likely to feel guilty or bad about it. This is the correct emotion. Yet these vets try and convince cat owners to put these good emotions to the back of their minds, to forget them because everything will be alright. Not.

There are other cynical encouragements to declaw your cat on their website….

Scratching can be a real problem with felines. They may use scratching to “mark their territory” (aka: ruin the new couch).

“Ruin the couch”. Talk about a cynical ploy to tweak the minds of houseproud cat owners. No mention of using a well sited cat scratching post.

They state that a cat might scratch their owners in play, which is a serious matter. More bullsh*t.  No attempt to comply with the AVMA policy statement that states at the beginning:

Declawing of domestic cats should be considered only after attempts have been made to prevent the cat from using its claws destructively or when its clawing presents a zoonotic risk for its owner(s).

(And that is still inadequate by the way)

Avoiding a cat scratch when playing with your cat is down to the cat’s caretaker using common sense. I have never been scratched in play in 30 years.

Not once do these vets provide advice about alternatives to declawing or to educate the client inline with AVMA policy:

The AVMA believes it is the obligation of veterinarians to provide cat owners with complete education with regard to feline onychectomy.

How can declawing ever be humane. “Humane” means: “Characterized by kindness, mercy, or compassion” (Freedictionary).

No kindness, mercy or compassion in directed towards the cat before, during and after the declawing operation. These qualities neither enter the minds of the cat’s owner nor the veterinarian. The one thing on the mind of the cat’s owner is her all new couch in her gleaming wood floored living room. The one thing on the mind of the vet is, you’ve guessed it: $$$$$$$$.

This is where the hospital is:

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This is what it looks like: