Declaw once soared in popularity in the U.S. as more cats were now being kept indoors. Declaw was then, and is still thought by many, as a way to prevent indoor-only cats from damaging the home, therefore preventing relinquishment and unnecessary euthanasias.
Steve Dale, CABC, shares a history of declawing pros/cons and discusses new information related to pain and challenges in declawed cats.
Source: Steve Dale Pet World, March 25, 2017.
Several studies have shown that declawed cats are no more likely to have behavior problems, specifically to have accidents outside the litter box or to bite. On that subject, Dr. Ron Gaskin has given more than 18 declawed cats, with a history of missing their litter boxes, a two-week trial of a pain relief drug (Buprenorphine), and 80 to 90 percent of those receiving the drug begin to use their boxes regularly again.