Why We Do Not "Declaw" Cats and Alternatives to the Procedure

Covington Creek Veterinary Hospital does not perform convenience or cosmetic surgeries of any type, including onychectomy, otherwise known as "declawing". The term declaw is somewhat of a euphemism, as it is actually a series of amputations. More details are provided below. Note that a surgical amputation performed for a medical reason, such as cancer of the nail bed, is a completely different and appropriate therapy.

At CCVH we are continually amazed with the form and function of felines. We know that the natural form of the cat is truly wonderful, and the thought of trying to "correct" or "improve" this form via painful and unnecessary surgery goes counter to our core philosophy.

We do realize this is a complex subject and therefore provide the information below both on the procedure and alternatives to it. We are happy to discuss this topic further for those who wish to learn more.

INFORMATION, RESOURCES & SOLUTIONS

http://www.declawing.com/

Informative web site about declawing, by a veterinarian. Links to a variety of topics are provided.

http://www.de-clawing.com/

HUGE directory of web sites related to declawing.

http://www.api4animals.org/search/index.php?query=declaw&category=11&search=1

Informative search for information about declawing.

http://www.declawing.com/htmls/declawing.htm

Understanding the technical details of the declaw surgery. Detailed explanation of what the surgery involves, which is anatomically equivalent to amputating a person’s fingers at the last knuckle.

TRAINING, MORE SOLUTIONS AND MORE INFORMATION

http://www.catscratching.com/

Lots of great information including a great section titled “How to get Kitty to prefer the post.”

http://www.maxshouse.com/understanding_scratching.htm

Good article by a veterinary behaviorist at Tufts University.

http://cats.about.com/cs/catmanagement101/a/ownmanchthree.htm

Lots of information on many cat-related topics. Make sure to see the “Scracthing is GOOD” section.

http://www.michiganhumane.org/site/PageServer?pagename=behavior_catScratching

Scratching and destructive behavior in cats – solutions.

http://www.caws.org/catclaws.html

Trimming a cat’s nails.

SCRATCHING POSTS

http://www.purrfectpost.com/

Excellent scratching post with a money-back guarantee. Note also the other information on the web site, such as scratching post placement and trimming your cat’s claws.

http://community-2.webtv.net/zuzu22/Howto/

Choosing a scratching post.

http://amby.com/cat_site/cattree.html

http://www.smithindustries.com/How-To.html

http://216.92.11.169/articles/scratching_and_declawing/build_a_scratchingpost.html

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/981001b.cfm

http://pashmina1.interfree.it/tiragraffi/index-en.html#2

Do-it-yourself sites.

NAIL COVERS & FURINTURE PROTECTORS

http://www.softpaws.com/

Nail covers. Good information on site including application instructions and questions & answers.

http://www.stickypaws.com/

Protective product similar to double-sided tape.

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Appointments preferred.

Covington Creek Veterinary Hospital
30303 Highway 20
Fort Bragg, CA 95437
(707) 964-6109
Info@CovingtonVet.com

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