EIGHT CALIFORNIA CITIES HAVE NOW APPROVED DECLAW BANS

The short video below shows the dramatic contrast between Kona, a cougar who suffered painful and crippling health problems after declawing, and the natural, pain-free range of movement in an undeclawed healthy cougar.

Declawing is not merely the removal of the claws. To declaw a cat, the veterinarian cuts off the last knuckles of a cat's paw – cutting through bone, tendons, skin and nerves. In a person, it is equivalent to amputating each finger or toe at the last joint.

Declawing is the same mutilating procedure for house cats or big cats. Learn more about cat declaw surgery »

The following video clip illustrates why declaw surgery can cause debilitating injury in cats:

Cats normally walk with their toes bearing the weight of their bodies; each step is cushioned by the pad under the toe. Declawed cats experience extreme pain supporting their body weight when standing or walking, if the tendon attached to the retained segment of the third phalanx pulls a bit of bone under the foot. The displaced bone fragment produces a painful "pebble-in-the-shoe" sensation when they stand or try to walk.

Also, this bone fragment may contain remnants of nail-forming tissue that may continue to grow deep within the foot, causing infection. The pad is often displaced backwards, toward the rear of the foot, allowing the weight of the cat's body to push the end of the second toe bone (second phalanx, or p2), through the thinned tissue on the underside of the foot. These complications may occur in combination, invariably resulting in great pain for the animal to stand or walk.

To compensate for the pain in their tender paws, cats will attempt to shift their weight farther back on their feet, in effect walking on their "wrists," like Naala, an African lioness shown here (left). The stresses caused by the abnormal stance and gait, may produce arthritis in the legs, further crippling the cat and making worse their suffering.

In more severe and particularly heartbreaking cases, the mutilation from declaw surgery may cause so much tenderness or pain that the animal can move only by walking on its "elbows," like Kona, the mountain lion shown here (left).

Learn more about cat declaw surgery »

Declawing is the surgical amputation of your cat's toes. It would be unthinkable to do this to a human. In veterinary medicine, the procedure is considered so severely painful that it is used by drug manufacturers to test the effectiveness of pain medications in clinical trials on cats. The reality of declaw surgery in pictures – case studies »

In the United States, The Paw Project has helped introduce and support legislation to make cat declawing illegal. In April 2003, the West Hollywood City Council, California, voted unanimously to pass an ordinance banning cat declawing, making it the first law of its kind ever enacted in North America. In September 2004, the California Animal Cruelty Declawing Bill AB 1857, which bans declawing of wild and exotic cats, was signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger; the law became effective January 1, 2005. After these legislative milestones were enacted, various appeals have been made challenging the West Hollywood ordinance and California State Law. To date, each of these challenges have been defeated.

Although declawing can stop cats from scratching, depriving them of their natural, instinctive means of self-defense may make them more likely to bite if they feel threatened. Cat bites are serious to humans, especially small children. Also, because claws are a cat's main defense, declawing leaves cats vulnerable and less able to defend themselves if attacked.

The pain of digging in the kitty litter with tender paws may cause some cats to avoid using the litter box, leading them to urinate elsewhere. Without claws for marking, cats may also urinate to mark items or territory.

Declawing renders a cat more likely to lose its home because of the behavior problems, such as biting and avoiding the litter box, which have been linked to the trauma of this inhumane procedure.

Declawing is not necessary to make a cat safe companion animal living with babies, the elderly or chronically ill people. Please read The Better Alternatives, below, or ask your veterinarian for humane alternatives to declawing!

Cats may be abandoned after declawing, because owners find that their cats develop behavioral changes or other problems after the declaw surgery. These behaviors include urinating and defecating in unwanted areas outside of the litterbox and biting. Declawed cats with these behaviors are more likely to go to the pound, where an estimated 70% will be euthanized (killed). The pain of declawing sometimes causes cats to be reluctant to walk or play, and as a result, owners sometimes neglect them or mistreat them.

Declawed cats are deprived of the means to defend themselves or flee from danger. Declawed cats have been injured or killed by other animals when they could not climb out of harm's way or had impaired ability to protect themselves.

Soft Paws, adorning the tabby cat shown here (left) in a fashionable shade of shocking pink, are plastic nail shields that are safe, non-toxic caps adhered to your cat's natural nails. They protect your furniture from scratching damage without interfering with the cat's natural ability to extend and retract its claws. After a few months, the caps are shed with the natural growth of the cat's nails. Items like Soft Paws and scratching mats will protect your possessions and provide the necessary outlet for your cat to scratch. Remember, the time you invest in training your cat will be rewarded over a long and happy lifetime together.  read more about better alternatives to declawing»

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The Paw Project

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The Paw Project is a 501(3)(c) non-profit organization

The volunteers of The Paw Project and all of our feline friends thank you for your support!

PAW PROJECT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. Over 70 Big Cats maimed by declawing have been helped by declaw repair surgery, which was made possible through generous donations made to The Paw Project.

The Paw Project initiated efforts leading to the ban on declawing cats in West Hollywood, CA, the first law of its kind in North America. The Paw Project was also the sponsor of California's AB 1857, introduced by former Assemblyman Paul Koretz (D-42nd District). Read about the US landmark ordinance banning cat declawing on the City of West Hollywood web site »

AB 1857 – In September 2004, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 1857, enacting the first state law in the US banning declawing but only for wild and exotic cats.

In 2009, the CVMA sponsored SB 762, a bill that will effect potentially far-reaching changes in current State law. SB 762 will preempt local government authority from exercising its traditional authority to regulate incidentally businesses, occupations or professions licensed by the State. This amendment to California Business & Professions Code §460 did not revoke the West Hollywood ordinance.

The CMVA gave over $169,000 in last-minute campaign contributions to legislators voting in favor of AB 2427, an earlier version of the bill that passed in both the California Senate and Assembly but was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger.

The Paw Project is commited to continuing active support of legislation to ban declawing of all animals and using every available medium to educate the public about the harmful effects of declawing.

PAW REPAIR SURGERY –THE COST and THE BENEFITS. The suffering of big cats that have been injured or crippled by declawing often can be alleviated through paw repair surgery. The procedure requires up to two separate operations, each lasting 5-6 hours and costing up to $3,500 USD. Reparative surgery can offer big cats immense relief after years of pain, as in the case of Naala, an African lioness.

Your contribution makes a huge difference in helping The Paw Project educate the public about the painful practice of declawing and in improving the quality of life for a magestic animal like Naala. (See Naala's story»)