Onychectomy, or declawing, is a cruel and inhumane practice. It requires the amputation of the healthy bone, tendons, and claws of a cats paws. Cats are digitigrade by nature, and therefore walk and balance on their toes. Removal of these digits creates a lifetime of pain including severe arthritis. It also creates behavioral issues such as biting and refusal to use a litter box. These behavioral changes lead to more cats being abandoned in shelters nationwide. The USDA has already deemed it cruel and has banned the declawing of large cats, but continues to allow domestic cats to suffer.
Declawing is illegal in 30 countries at this time, and there is no reason to continue this morbid practice in the United States.