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If You Love Your Cat,
Please Don't Declaw
Paws Come with
Claws: It's One of Nature's Laws
Many cat
owners who genuinely love their pets have no idea what declawing means to their
animals. It means far more than leaving our pets defenseless against attack
outdoors. It means:
 | The painful severing of
ligaments and tendons
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| The creation of an
imbalance that can lead to injury
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| A change in personality and
temperament
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| How
important are a cat's claws?
Have you ever wondered at a cat's remarkable
grace and agility, her faultless sense of balance? To a great extent, this is due to
her ingeniously designed retractable claws that allow her to establish footing for
walking, running, springing, climbing and stretching.
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| What
happens to a cat when she is declawed?
 | First, she awakens from
anesthesia with her feet throbbing under the bandages. Next, she has pain and then
finds that she has trouble walking. Her balance is impaired.
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| Despite her grace, a cat is
not sure-footed. Without the lightening-quick ability to grasp with her claws, she
can easily be injured in a fall.
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| Deprived of her claws, a
cat may turn to her only other form of defense -- her teeth. It is fairly common for
a declawed cat to become a biter out of fear and frustration. She may also become
distrustful of her owner and/or veterinarian. Paul Rowan, DVM, says "With rare
exception, the declawed cat is the most difficult to examine and treat."
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| A declawed cat feels
defenseless and thus lives in a constant state of stress, making her more prone to
disease. Dr. Rowan reports "the origin of many chronic physical ailments can be
traced to the period immediately following declawing."
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| Why
do people have their cats declawed?
"To protect the furniture," is the
most common reason. "To keep her from scratching us when we play with
her," is another. Scratching is a normal characteristic of a healthy cat.
It exercises the foot muscles and removes dead tissue from the nails. It also has a
soothing, comforting effect that creates a tranquil disposition.
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What can a pet owner do to protect himself and his furniture without harming his cat?
| Clip your cat's claws every
2-3 weeks. You can do this at home using a simple nail clipper, or go to your
veterinarian or a professional groomer for this service.
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| Give your cat a good,
sturdy scratching post lined with catnip and covered with a strong material like sisal (a
scratchy hemp product) or tightly woven carpet. With close attention and lots of
encouragement, your cat can be perfectly happy scratching her own furniture instead of
yours.
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-Courtesy of Friends of Animals, Neptune, NJ, and "Cats Prefer It This Way," by
Carol Wilburn
For further
information on the practice of declawing and its alternatives, please visit www.de-clawing.com.
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