Attitudes of owners regarding tendonectomy and onychectomy in cats.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the incidence of behavior problems following tendonectomy or onychectomy in cats, as well as attitudes of owners following these procedures.


METHODS
Nonrandomized clinical trial.


METHODS
18 cats that underwent tendonectomy and 39 cats that underwent onychectomy.


METHODS
Owners of cats that underwent tendonectomy or onychectomy between February 1993 and May 1998 were contacted by telephone and asked several questions regarding reasons for surgery as well as complications and behavioral changes in cats following surgery.


RESULTS
The most common reason for considering tendonectomy or onychectomy was to avoid damage caused by the cat scratching household materials. Avoidance of injury to humans or animals was chosen more often by owners whose cats underwent onychectomy than those that underwent tendonectomy. Tendonectomy was more likely to have been recommended by veterinarians than onychectomy. Significantly more cats that underwent tendonectomy (67%) than onychectomy (44%) returned to normal activity within 3 days after surgery. Significant differences were not detected regarding behavior problems after surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Although tendonectomy and onychectomy involved some medical complications and behavior changes following surgery, owners had positive attitudes regarding both surgeries after the immediate postoperative period. Tendonectomy may be a humane alternative to onychectomy, although owners need to be advised that nail trimming is still necessary in cats after surgery.
Yeon
S C
SC
Animal Behavior Clinic, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-6401, USA.
Flanders
J A
JA
Scarlett
J M
JM
Ayers
S
S
Houpt
K A
KA
D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D001290:Attitude; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D002415:Cats / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006724:Hoof and Claw / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000662:veterinary; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013710:Tendons / Q000601:surgery*