Is it good to amputate a cat’s nails?

The answer is no, amputating a cat’s nails is not beneficial for the animal. Retractable nails are part of their nature and they need them to hunt, play, climb, walk, etc. That is, they need the nails to lead a normal life.

Nail amputation or decoupling turns the animal into an invalid for many of the normal activities. If your pet causes problems at home because it scratches furniture or climbs through the curtains, you can find solutions to stop it and, at the same time, remain a happy cat. And, even, you can cut the nails so they are not so sharp.

If you want to discover why not it’s good to amputate the nails of a cat keep reading this article.

What is the deboning?

It is the name by which the surgical process is known by which the first phalanges are removed to cats. The Feline Medicine Study Group of Spain (GEMFE) indicates that it is a very painful intervention and that in the 50% of the cases complications can appear.

In addition to the intense pain that cats go through when they amputate their nails, which may not even go away and become chronic, they can have serious problems after the operation such as hemorrhages, infections, cysts, fistulas and even lameness. In addition, there is a possibility that they will grow back.

Consequences for health

Deunging does not benefit the animal’s health, on the contrary, all the consequences are negative. Over 10 years ago it was a common practice, but nowadays there is more information and there are almost no veterinary clinics where they accept this practice. Even in some autonomous communities, such as Catalonia, is prohibited by law.

The GEMFE gives some reasons why it is not good to amputate the nails to a cat, besides the health complications that the surgery supposes are:

• Nails are the protection weapon of cats. Without them they feel insecure about possible predators.
• Normally their games include the use of nails. They play and climb with them and when they do not have them they can develop anxiety.
• Scratching some object with your fingernails is a way to relax.
• They use their nails also to scratch themselves, without them they can not relieve the itching.
• Because they can not function normally, it is common for unkempt cats to develop attitude problems, such as aggression, anxiety or depression.

What is the solution for not having to amputate a cat’s nails?

Cats like to scratch and this is the main reason why there are people who want to amputate their nails. But nevertheless, it is part of its nature and all those who want to adopt a feline companion must assume it.

There are solutions so that cats do not destroy the house, for example, teaching them to use scrapers where they sharpen their nails and can de-stress scratching without problems. In addition, it is convenient to educate the animal to avoid scratching other objects in the house.

If you do not have time or do not know how to educate your cat, you can always ask a professional for help. Remember that cats need their nails to live happily.

This article is merely informative, in .com we do not have the faculty to prescribe veterinary treatments or make any kind of diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian in case of any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Is it good to amputate a cat’s nails?, we recommend that you enter in our section of Other health problems.