Omega-3 Improves Your Pet Health

I know that spaying and neutering have health benefits for cats. It helps prevents cancers and removes the urges that cause them to roam and fight, among other things.

However, I have yet to discover what benefits declawing contributes to a cat’s health. So, my question is what does declawing do to benefit the cat?
So, if there is no benefit to the cat, then why would people do it their cats?
Surely it couldn’t be for selfish reasons, could it?
I would like to hear from people who believe there are benefits to the cat. Or, perhaps there aren’t any?
I’m having a hard time buying into the whole ‘rather have my fingers amputated than not live at all’ reasoning. Humans in civilized cultures would never have to face that decision. Amputation for anything other than a severe medical condition would be considered torture by any reasonable society and the offender would surely be prosecuted. You can’t tell me that having the tips of your fingers cut off would not have some negative impact on your well being.
This comment is for those wondering why I would ask this question when I’ve clearly indicated my views against declawing in other posts. The answer is simple. I think it is healthy for people to challenge their own viewpoints occassionally, especially those we feel very strongly about. I don’t want to fall into the trap of being so strongheaded about something that I fail to consider other possibilities. In this case, I wanted to make sure that I was not blindly missing some beneficial things. After all, declawing is legal in the US so I figured there might be good reason.

Based on the responses I’ve seen here, I think I’ll stay with my current viewpoint. However, one answer has a scenario I hadn’t considered before and I do agree that in that particular situation, declawing actually did benefit a cat’s health.

I’ve being doing some research on Declawing, learning about the procedure, the physical and psychological side affects on the cat, the risks associated with it etc.
However, whilst it did state that declawing should only be done for medical reasons, it never explained in what circumstances a cat might need to be declawed.I was hoping that perhaps anyone who has an knowledge or experience of this might be able to explain further the exact problems that could result in a cat being declawed.
I’d just also to point out that I am not considering declawing any of my cats. I think it is a cruel thing to do, and I would never consider unless it was the health/safety of my own feline friends.

Further to Vixpetrolia’s question and link to 10 year old study, I contacted Annie Bruce, cat expert,author, and cat behavioural consultant, who has been fighting for a ban on declawing for many years and who knows the truth.This is what she says :
I believe this so called ‘study’ is the one every vet cites (done by Canadian vet Dr. Gary Landsberg.) It wasn’t really a study but a questionaire to vets about THEIR perception of the cats THEY themselves declawed. And according to their conclusions, it’s okay for cats to bite and that exercise wasn’t even considered in regard to cat health. The fact that vets continue to cite invalid data is irresponsible and greedy.
These are the stats published on my web and in my book:
Published 2/1/03 on CourierPostOnline.com, “Eighty percent of the cats that are surrendered that are declawed are euthanized because they have a behavioral problem…. Declawed cats frequently become biters and also stop using litter boxes… One or the other…,” said William Lombardi shelter director, Gloucester County , New Jersey .
A study of 163 cats that underwent onychectomy (declawing), published in the Jul/Aug 1994 Journal of Veterinary Surgery, showed that 50% suffered from immediate postoperative complications such as pain, hemorrhage, and lameness; and long-term complications, including prolonged lameness, were found in nearly 20% of the 121 cats who were followed up on in the study.
In a study published in the January, 2001 JAVMA, 33% of 39 cats that underwent onychectomy developed “at least” one behavior problem immediately after surgery, with the most common problems being litter box problems and biting.
In a recent study published October, 2001, JAVMA by Dr. Gary J. Patronek, VMD, PhD., “…declawed cats were at an increased risk of relinquishment.”
A recent national survey of shelters from the Caddo Parrish Forgotten Felines and Friends indicates that approximately 70% of cats turned in to shelters for behavioral problems are declawed.
From the Summer 2002 issue of PETA’s Animal Times: “A survey by a Delaware animal shelter showed that more than 75% of the cats turned in for avoiding their litter boxes had been declawed.” [emphasis added]
In my own three-year experience, 95% of calls about declawed cats related to litter box problems, while only 46% of clawed cats had such problems—and most of those were older cats with physical ailments. Of my calls, only declawed cats have cost their owners security deposits, leather sofas and floorboards. And it’s mostly declawed cats that have been prescribed pain killers, anti-depressants, tranquilizers and steroids. Two-thirds of my calls are about litter box problems. In 90% of those cases, the cat is declawed, sick or old. In 7 years, only 3 people have called about a “scratching-the-sofa problem” – yet countless of “healthy” declawed cats have peed on sofas.
Annie Bruce

Who has had their cats declawed and do you regret it?
I recentlly asked a question and found out that declawing is a very bad nad painful surgery for cats..so please dont tell me cuz i have had enough people tell me that its mean.
Also my mom had got our cat declawed and my mom said that after she recovered she was fine….and that cat was a good cat and it had no health problems and lived to be 16 years old….and now i want to get myself a cat and my mom said that if she lets me get a cat declawed it MUST be declawed cuz she doesnt want all the furniture ruined..and i showed her all my other answers and now she said that she feels bad for doing it to our old cat but still thinks that it must be declawed…so can u please tell me if u have had ur cat declawed and if u regret it and maybe some alternatives instead of having to get it declawed cuz i realize it is really cruel and mean.
BTW.i am asking you for your help….and i want facts but please dont call me or my mom rude, ignorant,mean,animal abusers or anything like that cuz trust me we arent and we dont want the cat to b in pain so please HELP.
thanks.