Removal Of Claws In Cats: Advantages And Disadvantages Of The "soft Feet" Operation, Technique Of The Procedure, Consequences, Reviews Of The Owners

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

Onychectomy: surgery to remove claws in cats

When deciding to purchase a cat, not every person is ready for the fact that a pet is capable of harming upholstered furniture. Claws can cause other troubles - scratches. Therefore, owners often decide to remove claws from cats.

Content

• 1 Functional purpose of claws

• 2 Operation to remove claws in cats

  • 2.1 Features of the procedure

    2.1.1 Video: amputation of the ungual phalanx

  • 2.2 Types of claw removal surgery
  • 2.3 Advantages and disadvantages
  • 2.4 Contraindications and possible consequences
  • 2.5 Price
  • 2.6 Veterinarian views
• 3 Preparing your pet for surgery
• 4 Care after the procedure

• 5 Alternatives to surgery

  5.1 Video: how to avoid cat damage to furniture

• 6 Reviews of the owners of cats and cats

The functional purpose of the claws

A cat has five toes on each paw that end in claws. The peculiarity of the latter is that they hide in leather bags. That is why when walking they do not touch the floor, and therefore do not dull.

Normally, the claw is hidden in a leather pouch.

A cat needs claws for:

• grabbing prey;
• movement in trees and other objects;
• defense.

The claw point is a vital necessity for every cat. But they do it not about furniture, but with their teeth. A cat can scratch a sofa or carpet for several reasons:

• try to remove the old claw shell, in the event that a new one is already growing;
• mark the territory - there are glands on the pads that secrete a special secret, which the cat leaves on the surface of objects;
• exercise muscles - scratching furniture for a cat is a kind of exercise that most often the animal does after waking up.

Cat claw removal surgery

This operation is considered a radical method and is recommended only in exceptional cases.

Features of the procedure

This operation (onychectomy) consists in the amputation of a part of the paw to the joint, which is equivalent to the amputation of a phalanx of a toe in humans. Some veterinarians prefer to do a deeper procedure by removing the bone completely. This option is easier to carry out.

Removing claws in cats can be compared to amputating the phalanges of human fingers.

The operation is performed both at home (but only by a veterinarian) and in a specialized clinic. Removal of claws is performed under general anesthesia.

Video: amputation of the ungual phalanx

Types of claw removal surgery

The classic claw removal operation is performed with a scalpel. After removing the claw, the leather bag is sutured with a special absorbable suture.

Recently, laser nail removal has become popular. It differs from classical onychectomy in a faster implementation and a period of rehabilitation. Such an operation is extremely rare, since it requires special equipment.

Advantages and disadvantages

There is only one advantage of this procedure - the cat will stop spoiling the furniture. There are many more disadvantages:

• the use of general anesthesia, which can negatively affect the general condition of the animal;
• the use of narcotic substances in order to eliminate pain during the rehabilitation period, which definitely affects the cat's health;
• impact on psychological health, after the operation, the animal can become overly aggressive, irritable, bite the owner and strangers.

I believe that the whole furniture is not worth the cat's disability. After all, she is akin to a family member. For children, no one decided to cut off their fingers just because they paint on the walls. And obviously the pet does not deliberately spoil the furniture, and if this is really revenge (this cannot be ruled out), then you should think about your behavior, and only then about a possible operation.

Contraindications and possible consequences

Onychectomy can only be performed on cats that constantly live at home. If the animal spends most of the time on the street, then the operation is contraindicated for him. It is also not recommended to perform this operation on old animals, since the risk of bleeding is high, and their regeneration will be prolonged.

After claw removal surgery, a long rehabilitation period follows.

This operation is considered to be quite complex, and it can have negative consequences:

• an infection that can enter the cat's body both during the operation and after it;
• heavy bleeding;
• if the removal is performed incorrectly, the claws may re-grow, but after the operation they will grow inward, which will lead to severe torment of the animal and repeated operation;
• arthritis;
• lack of coordination;
• lameness.

Price

The cost of such an intervention depends on:

• location (if the veterinarian goes home, the operation will be more expensive);
• region;
• claw removal method (laser removal is the most expensive procedure).

On average, an operation to remove claws from cats will cost its owners from 1,500 to 3,500 rubles. If a laser is used for the procedure, the owners will have to pay at least 10 thousand rubles.

Veterinarians' opinions

Preparing your pet for surgery

The success of the operation largely depends on the correct preparation. Before removing claws, you must:

• follow a fasting diet for 8-12 hours before the operation so that vomit does not enter the respiratory tract;
• take care of the psychological balance of the cat, be with her before the operation (as well as after it).

It is better to perform the onychectomy in the morning, because at this time the cat is not yet completely hungry and is not yet in an agitated state.

Post-procedure care

The rehabilitation period can last up to one month. At this time, the animal needs anesthetic injections. In addition, you must:

• change dressings daily;
• process seams;
• put on the cat a special collar that will not allow her to gnaw the bandages.

For the first time after the operation, the animal will limp. It may be that it will stop going to the toilet in the litter box, because it will hurt him to rummage through the filler.

Alternatives to surgery

Onychectomy is a radical method. You can solve the problem of damage to furniture in other ways that have a temporary effect:

• clipping (can be done independently or in veterinary clinics);

• the use of anti-scratches - silicone pads on the claws, which are attached with special glue (they need to be changed monthly);

  

  Silicone claw pads need to be changed once a month

• training to a scratching post;

  

  A cat can only be trained to sharpen its claws in one place.

• the use of deterrent sprays (they contain natural ingredients that are safe for animals);
• the purchase of toys that will distract the cat from scratching the furniture.

Video: how to avoid damage to furniture by cats

Reviews of the owners of cats and cats

The owners are responsible for the life of their pets, so you need to do everything that he was healthy and cheerful. If the decision to remove claws is final and irrevocable, then you need to select an experienced veterinarian for the operation and provide proper care during the rehabilitation period.