Onychectomy

amongst veterinarians, animal behaviorists, and pet owners as to whether or not it should be illegal. Onychectomy or declawing is a procedure where the toe bones and attached claws of a cat are amputated through a surgical operation. Advocates of declawing cats argue that it is a necessary procedure to provide cats a better chance at being adopted and retained in their new homes. The surgery is practiced in order to stop scratching behavior like destroying furniture. However, a majority of those adopted cats that go through this procedure end up being readmitted to the shelters due to other behavioral problems that arise after surgery. These issues arise as a result of a combination of long-term and short-term pain that occurs once they are declawed. It is not necessary to resort to onychectomy as there are other solutions that cat owners or future cat owners can use instead. For these reasons, cat declawing should be illegal as this cruel practice does not benefit cats.…

Amanda Dufficy Research Paper Ethics - Week Six The Ethics of Declawing There is much controversy surrounding the declawing of cats in the veterinary field. The procedure is called an onychectomy, which means removal of the nails. However, the nail is not simply removed. Instead, an onychectomy is the removal of the toe at the last joint. This removes the claw and the bone from which it originates. If you take a look at your own human hand, this would mean removing the tip of your…

There are several options available to cat owners who wish to stop damaging or injurious scratching behaviours. These include behaviour modification, nail caps, frequent nail trims, tendonectomy and declawing (onychectomy). Non-surgical options include behavioral modification, frequent nail trims, nail caps and feline pheromone sprays. Nail trimming and nail caps do not modify the cat’s behaviour, but it can reduce the damage done from scratching behaviour. Nail caps may need to be replaced…

Declawing, a Pet Catastrophe There are twenty-eight countries across the globe that declare declawing, also known as onychectomy, illegal or inhumane and can only be performed under extreme circumstances (Schelling, “Places Where Declawing Is Illegal”). With so many countries banning this procedure, it becomes clear that there is something wrong with the practice of declawing. Declawing cats has become highly controversial and discussed in the cat community. Supporters of onychectomy argue…

horrors it can cause to your beloved feline friend. When an onychectomy, otherwise known as a declaw, is performed it is equal to cutting off your finger at the first knuckle. The bone of the third phalanx is removed, it is not just cutting the nail off. Cat's nails retract, by cutting into these muscles and tendons you risk serious long-term physical and emotional impacts. 61 of 163 cats experienced chronic pain for 1-42 days after the surgery ("American Veterinary Medical Association", 2016).…

cats that couldn’t fight for themselves. Conrad is from California so she started there. A quest to persuade officials in nine different cities how inhumane it was that America has yet to put a ban on this million dollar industry. We are one of the last countries to not have a law against harming cats by way of onychectomy, nail removal. Many vets fight what Conrad is doing because it gets them so much money; “it makes him between $75,000 and $80,000 a year.” This documentary wasn’t just the…

Should people declaw their cats? Scratching is a normal behavior in cats. Cats scratch to attack, defend,mark their territory, remove aged cuticle, and stretches the muscles. (McKeown, et al., 1988, Leaders, 2009) When the scratching becomes a problem some owners chose to declaw their cats. Declawing, or onychectomy,is the surgical amputation of the cat’s third phalanges, toe bones, and the claws. (Leaders, 2009) Declawing is performed by using a sterilized nail trimmers, scalpel blades, or…

Cats are delightful pets that provide an endless amount of love and affection to their human companions. In contrast, most owners find the claws of their cat to be problematic and in some cases, highly dangerous. Onychectomy, or declawing, is a surgical procedure that removes each one of a cat’s claws, typically for reasons that are suitable for their guardians. Cat owners usually decide to declaw their pets in order to protect the people around them, household objects, and supposedly for the…