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

“Mauled by Ads, Incumbents Look to Declaw Outside Groups,” in The New York Times.

From The Daily Beast

But occasionally a new fantasy surges through my beleaguered brain, and it helps to declaw the demons.

From The Daily Beast