This week I was asked about declawing a cat. Put simply, the operation amputates the end of the bones to remove the claws. Many countries have outlawed it. A declawed cat can have residual pain that causes litter box problems and difficulty walking. I have witnessed it myself in several foster cats who have come into our rescue already declawed. 

I can think of several examples, but I'll tell you just one where I heard normal pre surgery precautions were taken by the veterinarian and loving owner. One of my foster cats was pregnant, and she had her kittens in our home. Months later one of the kittens was adopted while I was out of town, so I never saw him again. Saying goodbye is one of the hardships of fostering, which is hard enough to do at the time of adoption but even harder under these circumstances. Soon after being in his new home, the owner had him declawed. He died. The doctor said he heard a heart murmur in his initial exam, but he did not know what the cause of death was. There were no other health concerns.

Don't have your cat declawed! 

To see a list of countries where declawing is outlawed, click here.