![]() A graphic comparison in human terms would be the cutting off of a person's finger at the last joint of each finger. Thus declawing is not a "simple", single surgery but 10 separate, painful amputations of the third phalanx up to the last joint of each toe. The only way to be sure all of the germinal cells are removed is to amputate the entire distal phalanx at the joint.Ĭontrary to most people's understanding, declawing consists of amputating not just the claws, but the whole phalanx (up to the joint), including bones, ligaments, and tendons! To remove the claw, the bone, nerve, joint capsule, collateral ligaments, and the extensor and flexor tendons must all be amputated. This region must be removed completely, or regrowth of a vestigial claw and abcessation results. Most of the germinal cells that produce the claw are situated in the dorsal aspect of the ungual crest. The cat's claw arises from the unguicular crest and unguicular process in the distal phalanx of the paw (see above diagram). The cat's claw is not a nail as is a human fingernail, it is part of the last bone (distal phalanx) in the cat's toe. The anatomy of the feline claw must be understood before one can appreciate the severity of declawing. Removal of the last digits of the toes drastically alters the conformation of their feet and causes the feet to meet the ground at an unnatural angle that can cause back pain similar to that in humans caused by wearing improper shoes. The toes help the foot meet the ground at a precise angle to keep the leg, shoulder and back muscles and joints in proper alignment. This is the only way a cat can exercise, stretch and tone the muscles of its back and shoulders. They stretch these muscles by digging their claws into a surface and pulling back against their own clawhold - similar to isometric exercising for humans. A cat's claws are used for balance, for exercising, and for stretching the muscles in their legs, back, shoulders, and paws. Their back, shoulder, paw and leg joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves are naturally designed to support and distribute the cat's weight across its toes as it walks, runs and climbs. Unlike most mammals who walk on the soles of the paws or feet, cats are digitigrade, which means they walk on their toes. ![]()
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