Will The United States Ever Ban Declawing?

Jennifer Conrad, DVM, is a wonderful soul. She is an animal lover, and she's discovered the way to heal cats who have been declawed—via operating on large cats like tigers and lions, and removing nails growing underneath sealed skin! Her endless desire to help both house cats and large cats is inspiring and contagious. The Paw Project is a fabulous nonprofit lead by Conrad and others; their mission is to ban declawing and help those who have suffered dearly.   

Randall: Was it hard discovering how many of your peers and others in your field perform declawing services? What was that like for you to look around and see this gross procedure being carried out by so many veterinarians?

Jennifer Conrad: I have to tell you, Randall, I had no idea how common declawing really was and how much it is promoted by many of my vet colleagues. In the beginning, I thought, “Everyone will be on my side in wanting declawing to be illegal. It’s so obviously wrong.” It wasn’t long before I realized how naïve that was of me. It was a hard lesson to suddenly be ostracized by some of my fellow veterinarians for speaking up for the animals.

RANDALL:  Do you think fewer cats out there would go through this horrific procedure if their owners were actually told what declawing really means to their feline? 

JENNIFER CONRAD: I believe that if people realized that declawing was not a magical manicure, but instead a cold hard amputation of toe bones, they would not let this happen to their beloved cats. I also believe that people might think twice if they knew that declawing their cat might lead to serious side effects and behavior changes, which in too many cases results in the cat being dumped at the pound. 

The scientific literature says that, in general, declawed cats bite more than cats with claws because their paws are no longer their primary defense, and they avoid the litter box more often because their paws hurt too much to dig in the litter. So, if someone is intolerant of cats scratching on the couch, it seems logical that person is also going to be intolerant of the cats biting or urinating on the carpets or couches. I recently explained what declawing really was to a family who had just adopted their first cat and wanted to do everything right for the newest member of their family. Needless to say, they were horrified and did not have the kitten declawed as their vet had recommended.

RANDALL:  I had the absolute pleasure of seeing the Paw Project documentary. It is so well done and inspiring! Can you please tell my precious readers when (and where) we may expect to see this film in theaters or on television? 

JENNIFER CONRAD: "The Paw Project" is officially entered in several film festivals, including Sundance. If it gets selected, people will be able see it first in the festivals. Our goal is for the film to go mainstream and be shown in neighborhood theaters across the country, and then on television and the internet. That way, millions of people will be able to see why they shouldn’t declaw their cats. That’s all I want. My nonprofit, The Paw Project, was started to end declawing. I want this film to put us out of business; our work will be done if people stop declawing. For more information on our documentary, please go to: www.PawProjectMovie.com.

RANDALL: In the film, you discuss providing relief to big cats in performing micro-surgery to remove nails/bone growing under their poor paws — a result of declawing. I'm curious, have you conducted such surgery on smaller, domestic kitties? Is such surgery possible with a declawed house cat?

JENNIFER CONRAD Yes. The Paw Project has been involved in developing techniques to repair the paws of the little guys, too. It’s hard, though.  House cats have the same basic anatomy as the big cats but are much, much smaller in scale.  Those little paws are hard to reconstruct because the tendons are so small.

RANDALL:  I'm shocked by the AVMA's response to declawing, or the lack thereof, rather. (They refused to be interviewed in "The Paw Project" film.) Do you think the AVMA will ever realize their present position is inhumane and eventually change their stance?

JENNIFER CONRAD: Declawing has become such a routine procedure for U.S. veterinarians; I don't think that people have bothered to really examine it. Veterinarians should be leaders in the advocacy for humane treatment of animals. Randall, you may already know declawing is not performed in most other countries around the world; it is either illegal or the vets consider it unethical. I am confident that my North American colleagues will eventually come to the same conclusion. I hope that the AVMA realizes that more and more of its members are quitting the practice because it is unethical and harmful. I believe one day, the leaders of the AVMA will stand up and finally put a stop to this shameful practice.

RANDALL: I now know from your film that the numbers of declawed house cats in this country are simply staggering! Based on the high number, how many of these cats would you say are then given up for adoption because of their behavioral changes? How many cats in shelters today would you say are victims of declawing?

JENNIFER CONRAD: Probably well over 22 million house cats are declawed in the U.S. alone. Statistics are hard to get because most pounds don’t ask whether or not cats are declawed on their intake forms. We do know that there are many declawed cats in shelters and that “not using the box” and “aggression” are the top two behavioral reasons that cause cats to lose their homes. Both of these behaviors often begin because the cat was declawed!

It would be easier, more effective and cheaper just to employ humane alternatives to declawing.  For example, it’s simple to get an appropriate scratching post or trim the nails of the cat. If vets offered this advice, many more cats would keep their homes and that would make everyone happy.

RANDALL:  The whole declawing procedure is gross and inhumane — are there any other procedures being performed on our pets out there that are comparable to this? What about removing a dog's vocal cords? Is that as nasty or does declawing take the cake?

JENNIFER CONRAD: Devocalizing, or debarking as it is sometimes called, is another cruel surgical procedure that has recently been banned in several states. Like declawing, these non-therapeutic surgeries are not solutions to behavioral challenges. Behavior issues need to be addressed with behavior modification, not with surgery. Surgical intervention as a treatment for human behavioral problems went out with the lobotomy.

RANDALL:  You have proven instrumental in making this horrible procedure illegal in some major cities here in California, for which I and tons of felines thank you! Please, can you tell us what happens to a vet who goes ahead and performs the procedure in a city where it's illegal? Do cats get to remove their fingers or toes?! 

JENNIFER CONRAD: The Paw Project worked with many dedicated individuals and organizations to get these laws enacted and we are so grateful for their help. There is the possibility of a fine or even jail time for declawing in the eight cities where Paw Project-sponsored declaw bans exist: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Berkeley, Santa Monica, Burbank, Beverly Hills, Culver City and West Hollywood. It is even possible that vets there who practice declawing could lose their licenses. Many people are happy these laws exist because declawing is simply not an option. Humane options work better, anyway.

RANDALL: What advice, Dr. Conrad, can you give the person who wants to help make a difference and adopt a declawed cat from the shelter?

JENNIFER CONRAD: Declawed cats need love, too. It’s not their fault that they were declawed and dumped. Adopting a declawed cat can be fine if the new parents realize that they have to be a little accommodating of their new cat’s disability. Declawed cats need places to hide that are safe and accessible for them. They might need a litter box that has shredded newspaper in it instead of coarse litter. Some need help getting up into bed and to other comfortable places. I know declawed cats who have lost their first homes but were lucky enough to find new loving homes. These cats can make excellent companions. 

RANDALL: What's next for the Paw Project and what's the best way people can help?

JENNIFER CONRAD: This is a movement of compassion and education. We will be taking our message nationwide in the U.S. and Canada. If we speak up and are determined to make this practice end, we will prevail. If you believe in this project, join us. Tell five people not to declaw their cats — and ask your vet not to declaw anymore. We can start a huge groundswell. Go to www.PawProject.org and become part of our team. Let’s end declawing forever — we can do it if we work together.