by Lauren Todd

Created on: March 27, 2010

There is an old saying, “By two or three witnesses everything is confirmed.” Consider this article to be the second or third witness against declawing your cat. Never, ever under any circumstances, declaw your cat. Furniture can be protected, you simply cannot separate your cat from his natural defenses, without abusing him. The first article here listed, honestly contains the best description of the effect that declawing has on your cat and I encourage everyone to read it. I just hope to echo its sentiments. I could not even come close to thinking of a better way to describe it. It is like having your own fingers cut off. Declawing your cat is a form of torture and it should be considered illegal.

Indeed in many countries it is. In most European nations it is illegal and considered inhumane as it is deemed as “unnecessary mutilation.” Consider the fact that in order to remove your cat’s claws, the last bone of the claw must be removed. It is partial amputation of the cat’s toe, as it cuts off the joint and the underlying tendon, just above the “extending mechanism” used by the cat to extend its claws.

It is a well known commonality that cat’s hide pain. They will feel weak and defenseless after the operation and usually attempt to sleep the pain away. This type of surgery never heals completely and is likely to leave your cat with permanent changes in behavior. Some cats begin to bite more often, as compensation. This is the part you may not hear from your veterinarian that performed the procedure. Their have been documented cases have resulted in cat’s feet bleeding excessively from the nail bed, after reopening a scab and some cats are reluctant to walk even 24 hours after the operation is completed.

Instances where it would seem that declawing should be a viable option, such as a person with AIDS, should be handled in a way that is better for the cat and the owner. Putting up the cat up for adoption is a good compromise. If the goal in declawing your cat is to save furniture, understand that cats, after undergoing this surgery, have been known to cause worse problems as their mental and physical health has been disrupted, they react by peeing all over the house, (so much for your new furniture,) ruin property, have difficulty walking, have to go into surgery again to have the toes entirely removed. This results in the cat being unable to walk and subsequently having to be euthanized.

A billboard has been seen by many people passing by it in the United States and it simply says, in big black letters - “If you’re for de-clawing cats, raise your hand.” Then it shows a person’s hand with the fingers cut off from the first joint, all of them.

http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/declaw.html

http://www.pictures-of-cats.org/Declawing-Cats.html

http://www.declawing.com/

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/claws03.html

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