Quote:
Originally Posted by stockwiz
Cats had this done for decades and they were just fine. I'm not going to let this particular issue rest.. I'm going to argue logically the pro-declawing argument. I believe a cat can lead a completely happy life if they are declawed at the same time they are spayed, and that these arguments are more hearsay than actual facts about how the cat is traumatized by the experience. Humans take their own lives and project them onto animals assuming animals would feel the same way when it's not necessarily the case. I doubt the cat even notices after they adjust to it. It's not like they are sentient. I don't believe there is anything particularly wrong with declawing and it's certainly better than screaming at people not to own cats and rather let them sit at animal shelters to get euthanized.
They are begging people to adopt cats in my area. I do plan to get a kitten, and I will get it declawed at the same time it's spayed assuming I can find someone who does it. I will get one from the humane society, or maybe I'll find one that's been declawed by someone else already. I don't buy the argument it traumatizes cats, and as long as it's legal I will choose to exercise my choice as I wish. The cat will otherwise have a happy home and get a lot of love. It will get the litterbox emptied daily and will not have problems getting outside and having to deal with predators. If I can't find people who declaw or get one already declawed, I will not get one. I don't buy your opinions, though I respect them. More power to you for having your cats keep their claws.  |
Why? Why do you feel the need have a cat with amputated toes?
Declawing causes lifetime complications. The research is there, it is known now how detrimental it is to the cat.
Declawing, so called, is actually amputation of the last toe digits. Bone, tendons,ligaments and nerves. Cats are digitigrade, they walk on their toes. When you cut off the toes, not only is the pain agonizing for weeks, even after they "heal" there are many complications, some just happen naturally, because the cat is crippled.
Yes, cutting or burning off the toes of a cat cripples them. For life. Imagine having your fingers cut off and having to walk on the stumps, and jump and dig in gravel three times a day, for the rest of your life. You think that doesn't bother the cat? Do you really believe that cats don't feel pain?
Since cats walk on those toes, when you cut them off, what's left is a bone that was never meant to bear weight. An unprotected bone. So now, everything in the cat's body is misaligned. She can't walk correctly, or stretch properly or jump properly. She can't do anything her body was designed to do in the way it was designed to do it.
This causes discomfort and pain, usually in the form of early arthritis. For life. I know. I have a disabled foot which causes misalignment in my entire body. It makes my knees hips shoulders and back hurt. My neck too. But I don't go around moaning about it. I get on with life, just the way cats are forced to do. And cats, being prey animals, hide their pain instinctively. this is why people think cats are "fine".
They are not.
The toes may contract. The claws may regrow. Often pieces of bone are left under the pad, forcing the cat to walk on little bits of sharp edges all her life. Sometimes the claws grow back causing agonizing pain for the cat, most humans never even notice until they dump the cat for avoiding the litter box or biting. Behaviors that often disappear after the cat has paw repair surgery.
Laser declawing can cause deep bone burns that fester for years, along with the other complications already mentioned. For the life of the cat, or until he is dumped for the same behavior problems as mentioned above.
There is a whole veterinary specialty now called paw repair surgery. Vets who don't declaw, cleaning up the messes of vets who do.
There are several states in the process of making this illegal. No state bills have passed yet, but they will.
The USA and Canada are the only places in the civilized world who do this to cats. It is outlawed every where else.
By the way, the vets who declaw know all this. They are motivated by greed. More and more vets are opting not to do this mutilating surgery, but it's not enough. It needs to be banned so people can stop feeling like they need to amputate a cat's toes for the sake of a couch.
end cat declawing | animal welfare | The Paw Project
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