Put an End to Declawing
written & researched by guest contributor Mattie Jensen
When adopting a cat or considering adopting, renters and homeowners have a lot to consider. Do I adopt one or two? Will our personalities match? Which vet should I take them to? Do I have the energy to care for and properly play with a cat? And - Is my home cat-safe? That last question perhaps can be seen as one of the most important questions, as something as minor as spare cords or paper clips lying around can turn into emergency vet trips. After a quick clean-up and assessment of your home, you may turn to your furniture and begin wondering - is your future feline friend jumping up on your counters the worst of your concerns?
Perhaps you are worried about the future of your furniture; what if your future cat destroys your favorite chair? This brings up the conversation of declawing, a practice banned in many countries and opposed by the Humane Society of the United States, and for very good reason. Popularized first in the 1950’s, declawing cats was once seen as a harmless, quick fix for unwanted scratching. Millions of domestic cats have been put through the declawing process in the United States and Canada over the 70-plus years of its practice. However, more is now known about the truth behind declawing and the harm it does to our furry companions.
Declawing is not a simple removal of the claw, or even the claw bed. In fact, the entire last section of the toe is amputated from the cat’s foot, bone, and all. Recovery can take months or years, even if the kitten or cat shows no obvious outward negative signs. As cats normally walk with their toes bearing the weight of their bodies, declawed cats can experience extreme pain when standing and walking. A tendon in the foot of the cat can easily become displaced, pulling bone fragments under the foot, causing further pain, much like what we feel when we experience walking with a rock in our shoe. To compensate for their pain, many declawed cats resort to walking on their wrists, shifting their weight far back, changing the entire posture and movement of the cat which leads to arthritis in the back or legs.
The truth about declawing is it is unnecessary and serves no beneficial purpose to our feline friends or us as cat families or potential families. You may be concerned about saving your favorite chair, but declawing your cat can open up behavioral affects as well, affecting your cat in such a way that an otherwise perfectly happy feline will no longer use the litter box and is more prone to biting. Is your chair worth changing a cat’s life for the worse - forever? If your answer is yes, then the truth is you are not ready for adopting a cat.
Scratching is normal cat behavior and is done to remove dead husks from their claws, mark their territory, play, and stretch their muscles – not to destroy your furniture. There are many ways to train our feline friends to scratch appropriate items such as providing ample scratching posts, climbable cat towers, and recycled cardboard box scratchers. Also, training kittens and young cats to become used to nail trimmings is ideal.
Adopting a cat (or two!) is a big responsibility but brings so much joy and changes lives for many years to come. Help us put an end to the barbaric practice that is declawing and spread this message!
Sources:
Dr. Jennifer Conrad, founder The Paw Project
Humane Society of the United States
