The Veterinary clinics of North America. Small animal practice
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Vet. Clin. North Am. Small Anim. Pract. · Mar 1991
ReviewFeline scratching and destruction and the effects of declawing.
Scratching is an inherited, normal behavior in cats that is used as a visual and olfactory territorial mark and as a stretching exercise for the forelegs. In addition, it serves to condition the claws by removing the old, worn-out external sheath and exposing the healthy, new claw. When scratching occurs indoors, it often is disruptive and undesirable unless it can be directed to an acceptable object such as a scratching post. ⋯ Although somewhat controversial, declawing is another alternative for those owners who are unwilling or unable to control the undesirable scratching. Declawing can successfully correct most scratching problems with no adverse behavioral effects; in fact, most owners of declawed cats indicate that there is an improved relationship (bonding) between cat and owner. On the other hand, declawing is often unnecessary, because appropriate behavior modification techniques can be used to correct most scratching problems successfully.