It’s 2025. Why Are We Still Declawing Cats?

I casually opened my social feed—just scrolling, not expecting anything heavy.
Then I saw it.
An image. A story.
And it rocked me.

I reacted—not just as a cat sanctuary operator or lifelong animal advocate—but as someone who has spent more than 60 years living alongside and caring for cats.

The post came from a veterinary hospital in Florida.
It showed a surgical tray holding the severed first knuckles of an 11-year-old cat named Precious.
She had just been declawed.

Yes. Still happening. In 2025.

I posted a comment—raw, real, and deeply felt. Was it helpful?  Probably not. With nearly 600 angry replies (and counting) piling up, I can't even find my own words to take them down.

But the moment stayed with me.
And it became a mirror, reminding me how easily we can react from emotion—even when we know better.
Moments like these are invitations:
To pause.
To reflect.
And to lead with intention.

What Declawing Actually Is

Declawing (onychectomy) is the surgical amputation of the entire first joint of each toe.
Imagine having each of your fingers removed at the first knuckle.

This procedure permanently alters how a cat walks, stretches, balances, and defends itself.

Long-Term Consequences Commonly Reported:

• Chronic pain and lameness

• Arthritis in the spine, shoulders, and hips

• Litter box avoidance due to paw sensitivity

• Increased aggression and biting (as a substitute for lost defense)

Some cats suffer silently. Others develop behavioral issues that lead to rehoming—or worse.

“But Isn’t Laser Declawing Better?”

Laser declawing may reduce immediate bleeding, but the result is the same: amputated bones and a lifetime of altered movement and pain.

There is no such thing as humane declawing.
The term “laser declaw” is a marketing euphemism—not a solution.

The Global Reality

Over 42 countries have banned declawing as inhumane.
The United States has not.

Why Do Some Still Choose Declawing?

Often, it comes from fear, frustration, or misinformation:

• “My cat was destroying the furniture.”

• “They scratched my child.”

• “I thought it was just like trimming their nails.”

Here’s the truth:

• Scratching is normal, instinctual feline behavior.

• With the right training and tools, it can be redirected.

• Humane alternatives exist: frequent nail trims, scratching posts, deterrent sprays, nail caps, calming pheromones, or—when necessary—rehoming to a cat-savvy household.

Declawing doesn’t solve the problem.
It silences the symptom by removing part of the animal—and often creates new, deeper problems in its place.

Conscious Leadership and Choice-Making

Conscious choice-making asks us to pause and go deeper.
To move beyond convenience and consider impact—on our homes, our relationships, and the lives in our care.

Conscious leadership isn’t just something we practice in our work.
It lives in the micro-decisions we make each day.
How we treat animals reflects how we relate to the world around us.

Are we protecting what’s easy?
Or are we honoring what’s right?

My Ask

Let’s end this outdated, unnecessary practice.

Let’s raise awareness.
Let’s advocate for compassionate solutions.
Let’s hold ourselves—and our veterinary community—to a higher standard.

If you’re a guardian considering declawing—please, don’t.
If you’re a veterinarian who still offers this procedure—please reconsider.
And if you’re someone who made this choice years ago and now feels uncertain—I say this with love:
You didn’t fail.
And now, you can be a voice for change.

A Word to the Veterinary Community

Veterinarians are healers. Advocates. Leaders in animal care.
Not service providers for convenience-based procedures.

You have a responsibility—to educate, to elevate, and to say:
“There’s a better way.”

I understand that in rare, complex medical situations, declawing may feel like the only option.
But let’s be honest: in the vast majority of cases, it is not medically necessary.
There are always alternatives that preserve the cat’s well-being and respect the household’s needs.

🐾 Let’s protect paws.
Let’s protect dignity.
Let’s protect the well-being of the animals entrusted to our care.

— A deeply heartbroken, but fiercely hopeful advocate for conscious living