Too many cat owners don’t understand the declawing operation judging by a mini-poll which I am running on PoC. I am not out to blame anyone..except veterinarians. Where are they when it comes to educating cat owners? Take a look at the results of the poll below:
The correct answer is the one at the top of the list of three. About 30% of visitors doing the poll still believe that cat declawing is the removal of the claw and no more. This is very incorrect. It is the removal of a lot more than just the claw. The veterinarian chops off the end of the cat’s toes from the last joint. This removes everything from the last joint including the claw. It is not infrequently botched.
You can see what is removed in this picture.
The point is that a lot of vets use the equivalent of a crude guillotine to slice through the last joint. The device looks like something out of a builder’s tool box. This often leaves bits of bone in the paw. You can imagine what that does to the cat: pain, pain and more pain.
Sometimes the claws grows back. Guess what? That causes pain too.
There are other complications.
Too many vets have abdicated their responsibilities to cat owners and cats in failing to explain to their clients the true nature of the declawing operation called ‘onychectomy’. This misleadingly means ‘nail excision’.
It is a lot more than removing the ‘nail‘. It is a partial amputation of ten toes. The cat walks on his toes. See the image below for a how we would walk on our hands if we were a digitigrade.
Imagine what that feels like for the cat. Then imagine shards of bone in the paw as well. No don’t image in it. It is too horrible to contemplate.
Poster and Mystery Shopper
I am shocked at the results of the poll but can’t too critical of cat owners. The blame is with vets. The AVMA should make it obligatory for all their members to place a poster on the wall of all veterinary clinic receptions explaining the full extent of the operation. The AVMA should also instigate a nationwide mystery shopper program so all vet clinics are visited once a month to check the posters are up and also to check the general level of service. It is time to educate the cat owning public about this legalized cat cruelty.
Yep! You nailed it. I trip over myself often!
It is interesting that you say that a cat owner should have some cat health knowledge to make sure that their veterinarian is fully informed and deals with the matter correctly. I have advocated this over many years. A good cat owner knows something about cat health and how to prevent it and should have a dialogue with their veterinarian in my opinion. It just makes it more likely that the cat will receive the best possible care. Veterinarians are like any other person. Some are good and some aren’t and unless you ask questions and probe you won’t know which one is which. And as you say, cat owners should be observant about their cat. Sometimes I think a percentage of cat owners simply aren’t that concerned or that observant which allows certain illnesses to go unchecked and unnoticed such as mouth disease
I have a feeling that you type very quickly and do things quickly in general. If that is true then you’re like me!
Thanks Michael. I think tiny, tablet keypads and me not having pixie sized finger tips do not help either. Cats claimed the stylus the second it came out of the bag.
My patience dissipates after the 27th attempt to correct a typo.
Some might think it would make type less!😸
Yes and it points to a disturbing lack of empathy. Student vets study neurology, biochemistry and a lot of anatomy, how can they not understand the basic, hugely important function of claws? It used to be that it was only the really bright kids got into vet school. Maybe vet schools run modules on sadism in countries where de-toeing is legal?
I don’t do veterinary work, I did help out at our old vets when I was a teen (free help for my rescues within reason!) until I went off to college. I never wanted to be a vet or a nurse, even so many years back I knew my limits. Socially there are a few vets around here as we live very close to a huge university vet school, so they crop up in odd places.
I’ve seen a lot of vets & practices due to usually having a “Puss Project” of some sort on the go. Even if it is just keeping a weather eye out & trying to sort out if the cat has a home.
With the vet care of my animal friends I am a pain in the bum to vets.I ask for all the details,diagnostic rationale, differentials, drug details/choices, anything and everything. My rationale is that the more I know and understand, the better care I can give my furry friends when they need it. Anything that helps me comply with care needs is useful. Currently we have vets who are on board with this and happy to pass on references so we can learn what the vet is going on about.
Never again, if I can possibly avoid it, will I be fraught with despair and unable to save a cat because I didn’t know the right questions to ask and wasn’t able to spot when a vet wasn’t giving a cat a fair chance.
I do far less helping animals than so many do, but I won’t pass an animal in need. So many cats are invisibly in need, please people, get your eye in, learn how to spot a cat that needs help, what to do, even just knowing who to ask for help, it could save so much misery and may save an important little life. It can also bring amazing joy when a person & cat are reunited.
I’m very interested in all aspects of the human relationship with other species. I keep coming back here because there is always something new to learn & so many diverse opinions. The articles are little life savers when I need a break. Interesting comments too, you have a very knowledgable following!
Thanks Jane. Although I agree it is chilling. A lot of vets just don’t understand what they are doing with respect to the cruelty element and their breach of oath. They are unsuited to being vets in my opinion.
Do you do veterinary work Jane?