Tendonectomy is an alternative surgery to declawing. It involves cutting and removing a small portion of the tendon that allows extension and retraction of the claws. The nails become thickened and continue to grow, so nail clipping is an ongoing requirement.
As with declawing, there are also complications involved with this procedure. It is not routinely recommended. The alternatives listed above should be considered instead, in order to avoid surgery that has no benefit to the cat.