The Pros & Cons of De-Clawing a Kitten

The American Veterinary Medical Association, or AVMA, the American Association of Feline Practitioners, or AAFP, and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or ASPCA, all oppose the de-clawing of kittens and cats except for health reasons by owners who are immunocompromised. The AVMA and the AAFP, but not the ASPCA, say it is also OK if the kitten would otherwise be given up. De-clawing is illegal in Australia, New Zealand and the U.K.

  1. De-Clawing Procedure

    • De-clawing is a surgical procedure where kittens are anesthetized and the nail and the part of the bone where the nail comes out is amputated. There are two types of de-clawing procedures. The most commonly used method involves cutting through the joint between the bigger piece of bone and the small piece of bone at the end of the kitten's toe and through half of the pads. The cosmetic method dissects only a tiny piece of bone with the claw without cutting the pads. This method is more complicated and time consuming but causes less pain to the kitten.

    Pros of De-Clawing

    • Many kitten owners want to get their kittens de-clawed to prevent them from scratching people, furniture and other pets. De-clawing won't stop a kitten from scratching but it will remove the ability to cause damage. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that about 40 percent of cats carry the Bartonella henselae bacterium on their claws at some point in their lives, according to the ASPCA. This bacterium causes cat scratch disease which poses a danger to owners who are immunocompromised.

    Cons of De-Clawing

    • Putting a kitten under for surgery for any procedure has risks. The de-clawing procedure in particular is risky, because the area cannot be properly sterilized so the risk of infection is high. The kitten may die as a result of complications of the surgery. Further, recovery from the surgery is painful for the kitten because it has to walk around on its injured paws. If the cosmetic method is used, the pain of recovery is lessened.

    Changes in De-Clawed Kitten

    • According to veterinarian Drew Weigner, despite popular misconceptions, there is no research that supports the proposition that de-clawing leads to changes in a kitten's personality or litter box behavior.

    Alternative to De-Clawing

    • There are many alternatives to de-clawing a kitten. Scratching is an instinctual behavior so it can't be stopped but kittens can be taught appropriate scratching behavior with a scratch post. Soft claws are vinyl nail caps glued to the kitten's nails to prevent the damage from scratching.