Cat Paws Need Claws

by Dr. Elizabeth Holland

As a designated Cat-Friendly Practice®, it is our mission to implement the highest standards of care and stay up-to-date on best practices in feline medicine. We are constantly learning more about these amazing animals and as we do, our care and approach change.

Based on new research showing long term health consequences, Adel Veterinary Clinic is proud to announce we will no longer be offering declawing procedures!

Feline declawing (onychectomy) is an elective and ethically controversial procedure that entails the amputation of a cat’s third phalanx (P3), or third ‘toe bone.’ Recent scientific studies have shown that even when done correctly, and with excellent pain management, declawing can cause lifelong pain and increased behavior problems in cats such as arthritis, chronic lameness, and litter box issues.

Scratching is a completely normal and natural feline behavior. The primary reason cats scratch is to maintain the necessary claw motion used in hunting and climbing. Cats also scratch as a means of visual and olfactory (scent) communication, to stretch their body, and remove old nail growth.

We’re here to guide you through decisions regarding your cat’s health and we know that you may need support! You can access a number of helpful resources, including educational brochures, flyers, scratching post/pad recommendations, and more at www.catfriendly.com/scratching.

We are here for your cat and we are here for you too!

Regular claw trimming, training, and meeting your cat’s environmental needs will eliminate the vast majority of undesirable cat scratching behaviors and we are committed to sharing more information, so please stay tuned!

Thank you for your support - we are proud of our decision of putting the health and welfare of your cat first!