Are there more humane declawing procedures than conventional surgical amputation using a scalpel blade or nail clippers?
Currently, the most common surgical procedures used to declaw cats are complete amputation using a blade, nail clippers or laser. Partial amputation, nail bed ablation, and tendonectomy (also called tenectomy) are also common declaw procedures. Some of these techniques were developed in an effort to compensate for the mutilating effects, extreme pain, or health complications known to be associated with the other techniques; however, each of these techniques has complicating factors or adverse health risks associated with them.
