Q: I red somewhere that cat owners sometimes have their cats ‘de-clawed:’ Is this operation advisable if the animal is destructive?

Answer: Veterinary removal of the claws (onychectomy) is a painful mutilation which cannot be recommended under any circumstances. Cats with their nails removed are deprived of an important defense mechanism and have difficulty in climbing. Many continue to behave as if they were still able to sharpen their claws, and some undergo a profound personality change following surgery. The operation is very seldom performed in Great Britain, though more often, I am sorry to say, in North America. Any cat which has been de-clawed is automatically disqualified from cat shows under the rules which are in force in most countries. The operation is often performed at three to four months’ old but if not properly performed one or more claws can grow back. If the only way you can tolerate a cat is after this dreadful mutilation, then you should not keep one at all.