Josef using his scratching post: Photo Courtesy of Ruth and Babz
While Fabulous Friday on Frequently Feline is generally devoted to "Pet of the Week" , today I am breaking with tradition, to implore our readers and their friends to consider joining together to ban declaw surgery once and for all.
A few facts about Declaw Surgery:
1.While this surgery is offered throughout the United States, it is considered to be animal cruelty in 25 countries around the world; therefore the surgery is banned. Recovery from the procedure causes cats excrutiating pain. While most vets tell clients that it is no "big deal" cats suffer needlessly.
2. Declawing frequently results in behavioral disturbances which are far more destructive than scratching behaviors.. Often cats resort to biting, which is far more dangerous to humans than a scratch, once the cat realises they no longer have claws for defense. Cats are smart and quickly learn how to protect themselves.
3. Cats often stop using their litter boxes as litter is very painful to their sensitive paws. Declawed paws can remain exquisitely tender and sensitive to pain long after the "healing" process is finished. As a result of this dilemma, cats often resort to inappropriate elimination and will not use their litter boxes.Therefore if "destructive" scratching furniture and carpet behaviors were the primary reasons to declaw a cat to prevent rehoming it, the inappropriate elimination will certainly be a cause for surrender to shelter or abandonment.
4. Cats often develop arthritis as they age brought on by the disfigurement and misalignment of their toes.
5. Cats need their claws to be able fully stretch out their bodies; an essential part of a cat's behavior. Toe amputation prevents the cat from fully utlizing their muscles.
6. Cats also need their claws for balance, to prevent serious falls from high places. Climbing is one of a feline's natural instincts.
For more information about why cats should never be declawed, visit:
The Declaw Story.
Please sign this petition and also widely circulate this article. Together we can make a huge difference in the lives of all cats.
Petition to Ban Declawing Surgery
Thank you so much for taking action.
What are your thoughts about declaw surgery? Leave your comments and share.
14 comments:
What a WONDERFUL article, by a very talented writer !! Anyone who reads it and still thinks declawing is acceptable, must live on a different planet to us who know how cruel and wrong it is to mutilate such beautifully made creatures as cats !
Ruth from England
HURRAY!! Finally someone that is not afraid to tell people the truth about declawing. I have never met a cat that couldn't be trained to use a scratching post or other alternative. We give the cats those big boxes that bananas are dhipped in. They are sturdy and tall. The cats love to play in them and tear them apart and they are a good way for them to stretch too. No furniture or walls are ever touched.
Thanks again.
Years ago my son had his cat declawed. If I had knwn then what I know now, I would never have let him do it, or at least I would have educated him about it. How very cruel.
Great article ! Now that's what I call a scratching post and I'd love to see that gorgeous cat's face man !
Edward UK
Super way to bring this dreadful procedure to notice ! It's time declawing was banned worldwide!
I love Josef's piccy.
Rose in England
I must get my cats one of those scratchers ! Looks like Josef is having fun.I detest vets who declaw cats, their colleagues must be ashamed of them ! Boycott them everyone, don't line their unscrupulous pockets.
Angela
Thank you for setting out the cruel truth so clearly, someday soon this mutilation will be outlawed in the US and Canada and cats will not lose their toes for the sake of sofas ever again. Jozef is a beautiful cat with a beautiful soul.
I am totally against de-clawing period. I believe it is cruel punishment. There are many products you can buy if you want to save your furniture. I have used two sided tape on all my sofas and for the most part it does work. I have one cat that makes it her business to remove the tape. So I then simply take a spray bottle filled with water and spray her. She is smart enough to know when she sees the bottle she runs for the hills.
There are also claw caps you can put on their nails although I really doubt what they accomplish much. They have to replaced often and can be expensive.
Great article! Bravo
It's so very easy to train your cat to a scratching post if you follow Annie's advice:
http://clawsforever.ning.com/group/anniesbible/forum/topics/scratching-posts-and-training
I recommend this to anyone considering declawing as it's just too cruel for words !
Terrific write up and gorgeous gorgeous cat Josef !!!!
Lynda
I am so thrilled with these comments. It really goes to show that cat lovers do not condone declawing, as there are so many alternatives available, and with patient training done with love, cats can learn to leave furniture alone and use their scratching posts.
Make sure to have several all over the house, though, in convenient locations!
Jo
I'm surprised that no one mentioned another alternative, which is trimming the cat's nails. It's a very easy procedure, and if you start it when the cat is a kitten, the adult cat will accept this as a part of being groomed.
Skylark
The scratcher is called a'Fat Boy' and is from a local pet shop, but was supplied by www.ancol.co.uk
Our boyz Jozef and Walter love it !
Ruth and Babz in England
Good write up and lovely picture of Jozef. Yes clipping cats nails is much better than declawing them, no contest,but I've never seen any reason to mess with Nature in any way. We know cats come with claws so why do people get cats if they can't accept them as God made them, claws and all. Provide some decent scratching posts and you have no problems.
Ethel
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