declaw

[dee-klaw]

verb (used with or without object)

1. to remove the claws of (an animal, especially a cat) by a surgical procedure.

   Whatever you do, please do not declaw your cat—just trim the claws regularly.

   Many vets now refuse to declaw.

noun

1. the surgical procedure or service of removing the claws of an animal, especially a cat.

   In those days cat owners were told that to save their furniture, a declaw was definitely in order.

Word History and Origins

Origin of declaw¹

First recorded in 1900–05; de- ( def. ) + claw ( def. )

Example Sentences

Other mutilation of dogs could include them having their tail docked, and with cats it could involve them being declawed.

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“You must declaw this Newt and chop off her tail!”

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Painful cosmetic procedures, such as ear-cropping and declawing, are already illegal in the UK.

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The warmth of the family melodrama that powers the internal core of the narrative and provides the impetus to push Monk forward with the fake book tends to declaw the social commentary.

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The Tacoma City Council voted Tuesday to ban cat declawing, except when conducted by a licensed veterinarian for a therapeutic purpose.

Read more on Seattle Times