Basically I tend to believe that any medical procedure being done on your pet needs you to be aware of the PROS and cons, and unfortunately...only the CONS in this area have any media attention. Also, any procedure you are likely to put your companion animal through you should thoroughly investigate the physician doing the job...you know..just like you would for your own surgery. It is a purely personal decision, sometimes medically needed for the pet owner. Most vets will tell you that many more animals would be euthanized if not for this procedure. Until the time when people actually make it a serious duty to spay or neuter their animals, then, I dont believe that such a frenzy whould be worked up about the CONS of the procedure. Its like anything else...theres good, theres bad, and when its your animal, if you are responsible enough to take on the responisibility of that animal, then you are responsible for the responsiblity of all decisions you make for that animal from that point onward for the rest of their life.
Just so there are some PROS listed here, if you would like to actually read them and find out that perhaps its not so bad as you think it is, have been lead to believe it is, or might just want to be informed about....Ive added it here.
I believe that it being a personal decision, and the times we live in still where the animial population is out of control, not type of procedure that allows animals to be placed in loving homes should be illegal...its ridiculous. But, Thats Just Me.
http://www.animalnetwork.com/cats/reference/d
Quote:The Pros and Cons of Declawing
Procedure is for indoor cats only.
Cat owners commonly want to know whether declawing is a "humane procedure." A properly performed declaw is minimally traumatic to the cat and does not change behavior as is often reported. All declaws should be done under general anesthesia with pain medication administered during and after the procedure, regardless of whether the cat outwardly demonstrates pain. A cat's instinctual M.O. is to hide pain—demonstration of vulnerability is taboo in the wild kingdom. A cat can be in considerable discomfort without external signs.
A fore-foot declaw does render the cat less able to protect itself, and the owner must keep the cat in a safe environment. Declawing all four feet is strongly discouraged as the rear feet seldom cause damage to people or furniture and do provide some degree of protection and tree-climbing ability should it become necessary. Combining the declawing procedure with neutering reduces anesthetic exposure, cost and recovery time. Younger cats show more rapid return to normal mobility than older cats. Every attempt should be made to perform the declaw prior to one year of age. Cats expected to spend unsupervised time outdoors should never be declawed.
Other options include flexor tendonectomy (a procedure in which the cat's tendons are cut, curtailing its ability to extend its claws), nail caps, frequent nail trims and behavior modification techniques. It may be better for the cat to experience the short-term discomfort associated with a surgical procedure than a lifetime of a yelling, irate owner and possible sentencing to the outdoors or the pound.
Companion Animal Hospital Page on Declawing...with 20 years of experience...minimal pain and suffering....
Declawing
Lots of Information here-
Cat Help
Quote:When considering whether or not to have your kitty declawed, please make every effort to speak to your vet about the risks, costs, and postoperative care involved. Most declawing operations are performed safely and usually there are no complications, but as with any surgery, declawing has its risks, and complications can sometimes develop. It is up to you to make informed decisions regarding this procedure and whether or not you feel it is completely necessary. There are numerous alternatives to declawing, which are discussed below, and CatHelp urges you to explore those options fully before making a decision to have your kitty declawed. Your vet can answer your questions and concerns and will be happy to do so. If you choose an alternative as described below, please also inform yourself of the risks and benefits of those as well. Ideally, it would be wonderful if declawing was never necessary, but we understand that that in some cases some behaviors cannot be successfully modified, or that there are sometimes other considerations involved, so we therefore accept the reality that some cat owners will make the decision to have their pet declawed. We ask that you be fully informed about your choices, and we therefore strongly suggest that you speak to your vet in detail about all of the options available before making a final decision.
Contrary to some opinions, declawing is not likely to drastically change your kitty's behavior or personality, nor does it necessarily predispose her to future behavioral problems. However it can be a painful ordeal for your kitty and CatHelp suggests that declawing only be considered as a very last resort after being fully apprised of all of the other options available. It is up to you to incorporate behavioral training if necessary and to provide your kitty with a comfortable environment for her health and well-being. That commitment to her health, happiness, well-being, and safety should be the foundation for making these choices.
CatHelp also strongly suggests that you give full consideration to one other important factor, that being, whether or not your kitty will ever be allowed outdoors. CatHelp agrees with those experts that believe that a kitty that has been declawed should always be kept indoors. Although cats are not totally defenseless without their claws, they are arguably at a disadvantage without that main form of self-defense in any situation where she must defend herself.
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