FOR THE LOVE OF FELINES

Veterinarians warn that a new state bill to ban cat declawing will put many pets in jeopardy.

The Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association (ISVMA), which represents more than 1,800 veterinarians across the state, is opposing a bill being considered by the state House of Representatives to ban a veterinary surgical procedure that is sometimes recommended by veterinarians to protect a cat’s health and well-being.

“It’s deeply concerning that politicians propose outlawing medical procedures without consulting the medical professionals who have the expertise and insights necessary to ensure animal health and wellbeing is protected,” says ISMVA President Dr. Joanne Carlson, DVM. “While we appreciate good intentions, this bill will jeopardize the lives of some cats and compromise veterinarians’ ability to uphold their medical oath to protect and save animals’ lives.”

House Bill 1533, sponsored by Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, aims to outlaw the surgical removal of any cat’s claws, known as feline onychectomy, with few exceptions. ISVMA contends the bill is too narrow and puts cats at risk. Veterinarians are concerned about false and misleading information being shared by the bill’s proponents.

“To be clear, Illinois veterinarians perform feline onychectomies infrequently and any suggestions that this is a common practice are untrue. When it is done, as a last resort, it is to protect the health and wellbeing of the cat,” says Carlson. “When the procedure is recommended, veterinarians employ the utmost care while engaging in state-of-the-art procedures and employing the most effective pain management treatment.”

Carlson says there is no evidence that cats who have this procedure experience any long-term difficulties.

“The truth is recovery time is swift, and advanced laser procedures and anesthesia often allow the cat to resume normal activities the same day,” he explains. “Modern declawing is no more painful or complicated than one might expect from a spay or neuter procedure.”

Veterinarians speaking out against the proposed law see unique cat health cases every year, and there are situations where they believe this procedure is the most humane option, and sometimes the only alternative to abandonment or euthanasia.

When Jackie Myers of Bond County, Illinois, was faced with protecting her sick husband from her cat Tiny’s playful scratches, she eventually concluded declawing was the most humane choice for Tiny. Ross Myers was navigating the early stages of Alzheimer's disease and struggling with congestive heart failure and COPD, which caused his arms and legs to swell and blister.

“Ross’ arms literally looked like raw meat. We would wrap them, but it just wasn’t enough,” Jackie Myers says. She immediately took actions to rehome her beloved cat because she didn’t want to put Tiny, who was 5 at the time, through declawing—a procedure she had wrongfully been told was cruel and would change her cat’s friendly demeanor.

To Myers’ dismay, however, all of the no-kill shelters were full. An area shelter that euthanizes pets that aren’t quickly adopted agreed to take Tiny, but predicted she’d likely be put down within two to three weeks, Myers said.

This situation isn’t unique in that regard, because many shelters are full, and adoption rates for cats older than 18 months are low. Many cats get euthanized in the shelter system.

As Myers continued to search for answers, she noticed her husband, who had begun suffering from Alzheimer's-related panic attacks, was finding comfort in Tiny—and she in him.

“When a person has Alzheimer's, they know something’s not right and they get scared. There’s so much fear involved,” Myers says. “But now Ross could sit in his chair and pet that cat … and pet that cat some more … and she would comfort him.”

Myers’ veterinarian recommended declawing for their special circumstance. Tiny had the procedure, recovered quickly, and was able to maintain years of frequent cuddle time with Ross before he passed away last November.

“People keep saying there are options, there are options, but the truth is, for some of us, there are no options,” Myers said. “Depending on where you live, there may not be a shelter that has space to take your cat. There wasn’t for us. And keeping Tiny with our family turned out to be the best choice.”

Carlson says Myers’ story is unique, but emblematic of difficult situations that veterinarians sometimes encounter where the choice comes down to declawing, abandonment or a death sentence for a beloved family pet.

“Rep. Hernandez’ bill begs the question, ‘When well-being is at stake, is it better for the cat to be declawed, or to be removed from a loving home and essentially sentenced to die?’ ” Carlson adds. “We maintain that choice should be made between the pet’s family and a licensed veterinarian.”