So, without further ado here's..

Declaw surgery is more difficult than either castration or ovariohysterectomy, and post-operative complications are common. If all the germinal cells from which the claw grows are not removed, the claw or claws will regrow, but in abnormal positions so that the claw will point upward or curl under in the digital (paw) pad. These claws usually cannot be retracted because the ligaments have been removed, and they are easily torn and become painful. If the pad is lacerated as the last digit and claw are removed, the pads are mutilated and painful, and the cat may not walk normally on the feet for days or weeks.

If the bone is not severed cleanly, bone chips will break off and remain under the skin. The skin will not heal and will constantly drain a slightly bloody fluid. If bacterial infection is present, pus will drain from the opening. If bacterial infection ascends up the leg, osteomyelitis can occur in the remaining bones of the toe. The ONLY way to stop the draining fistulous tract is to repeat the surgery and explore the toe until every bone chip has been located and removed.

If the cat removes the bandages soon after surgery, hemorrhage may be severe. If the hemorrhage is not noticed and pressure bandages re-applied, the cat will go into shock once it has lost 2 or 3 ounces of blood (60-80 cc for a normal sized cat). If allowed to bleed overnight, the cat will be dead by morning.

Bandages are normally left on for 48 hours and even then hemorrhage may occur after the bandages are removed. Many cats, ready to be taken home, get excited when they see their owners and must be taken back into surgery for pressure bandages to control hemorrhage.

So that declaw surgery can be done in a bloodless field, tourniquets are applied to the legs between the shoulder and the elbow. If the tourniquet is applied too tightly, too close to the elbow, the radial nerve may be damaged - temporarily or permanently. These cats will not bear weight upon that paw or will walk on the tip of the paw.

If the post-op bandages are applied too tightly, the blood supply to the leg, foot, and paw is cut off and gangrene sets in. This particular complication of declawing is NOT infrequent. Cats do just fine with three legs, but what a way to lose a limb!

Finally, declawing changes a cat's personality, especially on subsequent visits to the vet, and also the way the cat interacts with other cats in situations the cat perceives as potentially dangerous. Some, if not all, of the most difficult cats I have had to handle are declawed. These cats behave as though they feel insecure and unable to protect themselves; they adopt the attitude that the best defense is a good offense.

Once the cat realizes that I know it is declawed but am not going to take advantage of that, it can be handled easily. Unfortunately, while some cats learn quickly, others require much more time and patience.

Examining a fractious cat is nerve-wracking for the veterinarian and owners, and very undignified for the cat.

So what is the new owner to do?

The breeder should teach the new owner how and where to clip the claws. Make sure the owner understands the procedure by clipping the claws on one foot while the breeder watches and instructs. The new owner should clip all nails every 2-4 weeks.

The cat should have several pieces of cat furniture (cat house, scratching post, hassock, etc. where scratching is allowed) so that it can groom its claws. The new owner must spend time with the new kitten so that it learns to distinguish ITS furniture from the owner's furniture. If the kitten is exceptionally headstrong and stubborn, a water pistol or spray bottle with warm water may help the learning process.

Will the cat scratch the children? Children should be taught to allow the cat to make the overtures and NOT vice versa. Cats prefer it this way. Unlike bears, big cats and little cats never maul a person unless the person has asked for it.

If you are not sure how a cat will react in a particular situation, back off and watch the cat before acting.

Complications arising from declaw surgery are common. Declawing a cat has no benefits to offer. I think every breeder has the right to insist that kittens sold as pets will not be declawed.