Declawing cats: Why one Toronto vet will no longer do it

Saying that it's a painful, unnecessary procedure that amounts to an "amputation," one Toronto veterinary clinic says it will no longer offer cat declawing among its services.

In a statement on its website, theBloorAnimal Hospital says it has decided declawing isn't in the best interest of their feline patients.

"This is a procedure that is not medically necessary, it does not benefit our patients in any way," saidDr. Suzanne Lyons in an interview on Metro Morning Thursday. "When we sat down to think about it, we just couldn't justify continuing to do such a procedure."

Lyons said de-clawingwhich cat owners do to save their furniture from damageamounts to an amputation. If done to a human, it would mean the removal of every bit of bone from knuckle to finger tip.

"It's an amputation of every digit of the four limbs," she said.

Lyons said although de-clawed cats can have "great lives," the procedure can also be painful and lead to complications post-surgery.

Some alternatives

So what are the alternatives for catowners?

Lyons hasthe following suggestions.

A scratchingpost:"If you introduce them at a young age, they'llprobably take to one."

Frequent nail trims:To minimize the damage.

Soft Paws A product Lyons describes as similarto "press-on nails for cats." Applied with glue, the soft plastic tips go over the cat'snails, making clawing impossible."They're soft, they're comfortable and should your cat do that scratching behaviour, it won't damage your furniture," said Lyons.

Her clinic's website also suggestsFeliway, a hormone that helps "decrease stress in cats" as a solution to clawing.

Lyons said declawing is coming under increasing scrutiny among her colleagues.

"I think it's something more vets will take a stance on," she said.

Metro Morning4:48Ban on declawing cats

Saying that it's a painful, unnecessary procedure that amounts to an "amputation," one Toronto veterinary clinic says it will no longer offer cat declawing among its services.