What You Should Know About Declawing.
*Declawing is illegal and/or banned in over 20 countries, including England, because it is considered mutilation.
*The ASPCA says it “does not approve of the declawing of cats as a matter of supposed convenience to cat owners. It is form of mutilation and it does cause pain.”
*Cat Fanciers’ Association is so against declawing that under every breed description they make it a point to say so, and in the CFA guidance statement they say, “Because of post operative discomfort or pain, and potential future behavioral or physical effects, CFA disapproves of declawing or tendonectomy surgery.”
*A significant amount of declawed cats will refuse to use or randomly use the litter box for the rest of their lives, despite the type of litter that is used after their surgery. Instead they use bathtubs, the carpet, clothes, backpacks, etc. Many of these cats wind up at shelters.
*Declawing brings an increased sense of insecurity to some cats. They do not adapt as well to change, such as moving or the birth of a new family member.
*Declawing can turn a social, friendly cat into a habitual biter.
*Some people have their cat declawed so that they won’t get scratched, but a declawed cat will resort to biting, often without warning. A bite is much worse than a scratch. Bites become infected, and most of the time one needs antibiotics to clear it up, whereas a bad scratch can usually be cleaned with an antiseptic, and that is the end.
*Cats have to learn to walk without the tips of their toes and claws after this surgery and will never be as graceful as they were before the declaw.
*Cats use their claws and toes to help them grip and balance. One cat that we know fell and broke his leg shortly after he was declawed!
*Despite what some American veterinarians may tell you, cats CANNOT climb and many cannot jump as high after they have been declawed.
*Cats scratch as part of their stretching routine and to shed dead nails. It is a natural instinct and should not be discouraged. Please see our accompaniment to this article for proven “scratch training” technique.
*You can easily prevent cats from scratching the furniture, as long as you provide the right scratching material and sprinkle catnip on it from time to time.
*We wouldn’t chop the fingers off of the worst criminals in this country, please don’t even consider it an option for your beloved pet!