Outlining the Risks of De-Clawing Cats
There are many risks of de-clawing cats that are not usually thought about. Before you take your cat in for a de-clawing surgery you should become aware of some of the associated risks of de-clawing cats.
When you take your cat in to get de-clawed it is a surgical procedure that requires your cat to go under general anesthesia. Anytime you have a surgery with general anesthesia there is a risk of complications that are possible. Your cat may have a reaction to the anesthesia causing them to have permanent damage or even die. Your cat could stop breathing while under anesthesia and die. Improper monitoring can put the life of your cat in danger.
There are also behavioral risks involved when you de-claw your cat. Some cats do have a change in personality once they have become de-clawed. Cats that were once friendly and lively animals become withdrawn or introverted. Many cats that have become de-clawed and have lost their primary form of defense may then become nervous or fearful where they never were before. Some cats will become more aggressive even to a loving owner because of their loss of claws.
Think twice about de-clawing your cat.
Cats that become more and more fearful because of the de-clawing can become prone to disease. Fearful cats will begin to use their teeth more and have been known to bite their owners. De-clawed cats will stop using the litter box when they become too scared of their surrounding environment that they feel they have no protection in.
Not only are there medical and behavioral risks associated with de-clawing your cat there are also safety risks that will affect your cat. Cats that are de-clawed should not be allowed to go outside at all. The cat has lost its ability to defend themselves with predators or other attackers because the cat no longer has their claws. If your de-clawed cat goes outside and is attacked the cat will find it hard to climb trees in order to find protection or to jump over fences to get away from the attacker.
Indoor and outdoor cats that are de-clawed will share in most of the same health risks when they are de-clawed. Health related issues are one of the main risks that can befall a de-clawed cat. Because cats use their claws to aid them in stretching the neck and back muscles then a de-clawed cat isn't get a good enough stretch. This lack of stretching can lead to the gradual weakening of a cat's muscles in their legs, shoulders and back.
Cats that are de-clawed are also seen as less graceful because they have lost their ability to grasp quickly to objects with the claws. De-clawed cats are not as surefooted as their clawed cat peers. Cats use their claws to gain traction on any surface whether they are jumping or running. A cat that does not have this surefootedness is actually putting themselves at risk for being injured in a fall.
De-clawed cats will also become more prone to stress. Cats use their claws for stretching and when cats stretch they are also relieving any stress. Cats' claws help them to dig in a little on any surface for some traction while they are stretching and this gives them a really good stretch. While a cat is stretching they release the stress from their bodies. As previously stated your de-clawed cat may also become more stressed because they have no way to defend themselves now. Partner this new stress with no way to get rid of the stress and your cat could become a whole other cat.
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