Local Veterinarians Respond To Cat Declawing Ban

Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill on Monday, July 22, to immediately ban cat declawing throughout the State of New York, a decision celebrated by numerous veterinarians and animal advocacy organizations.

Cat declawing, according to the Humane Society of the United States, is often thought to be the removal of a cat’s nails. However, the organization states, that is far from the truth: Declawing involves the removal of the last bone of each toe. If performed on a human, it would be like cutting off each finger at the last knuckle.

“Declawing is the amputation of the first digit of each phalange,” said Dr. Teri Meekins, the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation’s senior medical director. “Assimilate this to losing each first digit on both hands. This is totally unnecessary in this day and age, with so many nonsurgical, less invasive alternatives.”

According to Dr. Meekins, while anesthesia is required during the operation and pain management is used after the operation, declawing can result in several complications, such as trouble digging in litter boxes and difficulty walking because of the resulting soreness, along with behavioral issues.

“As a vet, I am so proud New York State stood up for the animals,” Dr. Meekins said.

Dr. Barry Browning, the owner of the Sag Harbor Veterinary Clinic, said he also is in favor of the ban.

“Long-term nerve pain and infections are possible, as well as behavioral stress due to the lack of an important part of the cat’s anatomy,” Dr. Browning said via email. “Although domesticated for many thousands of years, cats are still animals with complex social and environmental needs.”

Similar to the teething behavior of puppies, cats only have a brief period as kittens when their scratching can be destructive, according to Dr. Browning. Otherwise, cats mostly use their claws for hunting behaviors and for marking their territory through scratching, as cats have scent glands on the pads of their feet.

“Environmental enrichment such as plenty of play with toys, ability to climb and hide, scratching posts, [catnip exposure], litter box management, [among other methods] will help keep a cat content and stress free,” Dr. Browning said.

Dr. Browning went to veterinary school in the United Kingdom, completing the first three years of his career there as a vet. In the United Kingdom, declawing a cat is illegal.

“When I moved to the [United States], I was expected to perform the procedure as it was often considered routine by vets and pet owners,” Dr. Browning said. “I am very happy to see the culture around declawing change in this country. We so rarely have pet owners request the procedure anymore, which I have declined to do shortly after opening my own practice.”

Assembly member Linda B. Rosenthal first introduced New York’s declawing ban in 2015, calling the practice “painful, inhumane and medically unnecessary under all circumstances.” Last month, both the Assembly and Senate passed the measure; Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. and Senator Kenneth P. LaValle both voted in favor of the bill.

Now that the legislation has been signed into law by Mr. Cuomo, declawing a cat is punishable by a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000.

“Declawing is a cruel and painful procedure that can create physical and behavioral problems for helpless animals, and today it stops,” Mr. Cuomo said in a statement. “By banning this archaic practice, we will ensure that animals are no longer subjected to these inhumane and unnecessary procedures.”

Not all veterinarians support bans on declawing, however. The New York State Veterinary Medical Society publicly stated opposition to any legislation that would prohibit the procedure, as the society believes the decision to declaw should be left to the discretion of fully trained, licensed and state-supervised professionals. According to NYSVMS, veterinarians take the surgical procedure seriously, often urging pet owners to educate themselves on alternatives before making the final decision to declaw their cats. NYSVMS shares the same position as the American Veterinary Association.

An argument often raised when talking about cat declawing is that pet owners with medical vulnerabilities such as immune system issues, skin fragilities or a blood thinner prescription, among other conditions, could face substantial harm if scratched by their cat.

“These are real concerns that can make the issue more complicated, especially when euthanasia is the considered alternative,” Dr. Browning said. He added that with regular nail clippings or the use of glue-on nail caps, or by rehoming cats, most of these situations can be addressed.