Claw Caps Not Really Any Better Than Declawing…

DECLAWING is WAY WORSE! When a cat is declawed IT IS LIKE REMOVING THE LAST JOINT ON ITS TOE. THE CLAW IS CLOSELY ADHERED TO THE BONE. OBVIOUSLY, plastic caps are better!

"To remove the claw, the bone, nerve, joint capsule, collateral ligaments, and the extensor and flexor tendons must all be amputated. Thus declawing is not a “simple”, single surgery but 10 separate, painful amputations of the third phalanx up to the last joint of each toe. A graphic comparison in human terms would be the cutting off of a person's finger at the last joint of each finger."

Declawing cruelly tortures cats just so that furniture won't get scratched.

I'm very surprised at those that would chastise people for using claw caps. Review after review confirms that these things don't interfere with normal function. I have adopted strays since I was 9 years old. I have given many cats a wonderful, loving home, and a happy life. I just lost one who was with me for 19 years. That said, just like I wouldn't allow my child to paint on my wall (trust me, this is a natural instinct for a child), I don't want to allow an animal to destroy things in my house. That doesn't mean I'm cruel, or that I care about my furniture more than my animal. Please. Get off of the high horses and be thankful that so many of us are rescuing these animals from certain death.

I put claw-caps on my new kitten when he was five months old because he's rowdy and likes to playfight. Since I started while he was small, he doesn't mind in the least, and I don't need to curb his desires to playfight with my hand, since I don't have another cat for him to roughouse with. Even with the claw-caps on, he still loves his scratching post. The only issue he's run into is the fact that he can't jump halfway into my lap and claw the rest of the way there -- shredding my legs in the process. He has to jump a bit more carefully, or paw at my leg to let me know he wants to be picked up.

I also brush his teeth every day so he has less to worry about in the future in terms of anesthesia for dental care -- even though he's only got his baby teeth right now. Just like any solution, if you teach your cat/kitten to get used to it early/gently, they really don't mind.

What actually appalls me about this is the original author saying this is 'just as bad as declawing.' Really? Rubber caps that (if properly applied) do not in any way interfere with the claws being retracted are as bad as cutting out living pieces of the cat? This isn't just stupid -- it's blatantly poorly researched!

1.) Citation of an _obviously_ edge case where the cat is suffering some pre-existing condition that clearly has nothing to do with the claw-caps. That cat was going into convlusions before claw-caps were applies. The consulting vet that prescribed them (assuming your anecdote is even _true_, something I honestly doubt, since you have a picture, yet can't be bothered to include links) was obviously misinformed. Your approach/argument is sensationalist, biased, and on top of that, a straw-man argument.

2.) Gross assumptions on your part expanding on point 1 without showing any research beyond your opinion. Seriously -- you're stating the shelter as an authority superior to a veterinarian? I can buy that in once instance -- the veterinarian was probably wrong to say that claw-caps were the solution to convulsions. But if the convulsions were non-treatable due to a neurological issue, then the claw-caps are intended to treat a symptom -- and if the cat can/has hurt itself while seizing, then the shelter actually did worse by undoing what little improvement _had_ been made to handle its condition. In summary, even if the shelter were correct in this case, your assertion that they are superior to veterinarians in all cases is blatantly flawed.

3.) You then go on to say that claw-caps are a bigger hassle than trimming the cat's claws. Having done both myself, I can assure you ... you're just wrong. And can't be bothered to do the research because you just _assume_ that you're correct? Follow that up with, the statement that it 'seems like mutilation'? I can't see anything in your article that backs this up -- the full extent of your research is looking at pictures (_advertisements_, mind you, which are intended to showcase the product -- in this case ... the claw-caps) and saying, "That looks uncomfortable -- so it must interfere with the cat's ability to live its life!" It does not in any way diminish the cat from behaving as it always would. It does make their claws dull and rubber-tipped. My cat still loves his scratching post, even with claw-caps.

4.) Pretentious assertions that your approach is the correct one, even while acknowledging the lack of research and failure to show any proof. And you say us Americans are bigots....

At the end of the day, your article and the lack of research (as well as the pretentious, condescending attitude you serve it with) offends me more than putting rubber caps on my cat's claws. Frankly, I'm disgusted and disturbed by your attitude and your assumptions.

Please, if you understand what writing articles is about ... don't do it if you can't be bothered to do the research. There's a term for the type of unsubstantiated article you wrote. We call it 'trolling.'

I understand your point of view, but I'm a huge animal lover and I recently applied claw caps to my cat, and she has no problem with them. She did chew at them for a short while, but she has no problem now. I made sure her nails retract and extend COMFORTABLY and that they are not uncomfortable for her. I made the decision to apply them because she likes to play fight like kittens do and she would scratch me accidentally. She plays with her scratch post, climbs and plays normally. Claw caps have not been detrimental to my cat in any way.

A million years later, but...
I recently got a kitten to keep my older cat company. The older cat's declawed (I brought him home that way, not my decision...) and much more timid than she is, so my main concern was that she's "better armed" and might be able to do real damage in any little arguments they had. I got claw caps, put them on her, and she doesn't even notice them. She still runs around and scratches the scratching posts (I did get them, because even the declawed boy likes to use them!) and she's never even glanced at the claw caps; I haven't seen her pick at them a single time. And they seem to retract just fine, too; I have to pick her up and really inspect to see if they're still on. The worst thing about it is that she falls off of things every now and again because she can't claw in and doesn't realize it, but I think that would happen just as much if I only trimmed her nails and it's decreasing as she gets used to them. So, I know a lot of people are judgey, but claw caps are not what some people are portraying them to be here. If she was constantly ripping her toes apart trying to get them off or something, there's no way I would continue using them. (She is, by the by, a completely indoor kitty. People can complain about "outside breezes and sunshine," but obviously they've never run into one that got torn apart by a neighborhood dog, or caught in a car's fan belt because it curled up in the warm engine, or got hurt in a cat fight, or whatever.)

No, there really isn't a difference time wise, but the caps stop the damage that a cat with only trimmed claws can still do. The nails are trimed before application btw. The other side of that is the behaviour of inappropriate scratching isn't really addressed; the cat still scratches where it shouldn't, it just doesn't do any harm. We're using them as a stop gap while we train her where to scratch so we still have furniture at the end of the day.

I would like to make one point (without taking either side of this argument). There isn't much difference between 2 minutes every two weeks to trim nails and 5 minutes every 4 to 6 weeks to glue on some plastic caps.

If these claw caps allow people to save animals whats the big?

Go munch on some turds....

I have a cat that I adopted full grown (something I rarely do because one usually has to get them to unlearn bad behaviour, *surprise! guess what I've been doing for months*. She will not stop scratching everything. Now, we have multiple cat posts, liberally baited both with toys and honeysuckle; I've covered the more frequented spots with everything from tin foil, to sticky tape. We have more spray bottles in the house than we have rooms right now and nothing is working. Am I seriously, under all you people's definition of a good cat owner, supposed to tolerate the destruction of my dining room table, both sofas, all desk and desk chairs, my carpets, every bed in the house, and even some of my walls; Rather than put little rubber tips on my cats claws? Oh, and BTW they retract fine. If they don't they're too big, or a crappy brand.
You people need to get lives if this is what gets you all this riled up. Yes, our cats are valued members of our family. Yes, I accept and love cats for who/what they are, but I put diapers on babies and incontinent old people in my home, is that cruel? I ask people to take thier shoes off to protect my floors, is that evil?

How come the person hadn't mentioned these convulsions before they put the cat in? If I were the shelter owner I'd be pretty POed that I'd not been informed of the animal's problems before hand.

@Kristina
Give your cat up for adoption and buy some more ornamental furniture. You probably know more about that than you do feline anatomy.

I can hardly believe the difference in the attitudes of USA people to UK people.
So many seem to treat cats as possessions that they have to have to 'keep up with the Joneses'
Why get a pet then curb its natural instincts,why punish it for being a cat,why not just get a cat ornament,they sit still and quiet and that's what most USA people want.
For God's sake, cats are FAMILY,not pests to be squirted or shocked or have their claws tampered with.
Those who adore furniture to the extent that cats have to be afraid to go anywhere near it,need a short sharp reality check.Maybe their cats should be armed with a scat mat to shock those cruel people into thinking twice about hurting or frightening their pets.Let them see how it feels to live in fear of doing'wrong'

Is this for real? Are we really having a conversation about putting rubber ends on a cat's claws because it commits the heinous sin of scratching? Excuse me but isn't that a thing cats do? It seems you don't know much about cats if you think they behave in the ways you so indelicately describe and so my advice to you would be to limit yourself to antiques after this, beautiful loving warm blooded creatures are wasted on you madam.
And as for scat mats, words fail me! I thought one normally owned a cat for the mutual love and pleasure of cat and owner. What point is there in owning a cat and scaring it with coins, dousing it with lemon juice and electrocuting it to keep it from entering a room.

Cats are not compulsary, if you don't like the way they act then don't get one.

For crying out loud folks haven't you heard of kindness in your miserable, harsh country?

Kept indoors forever,imprisoned for no crime,deprived of fresh air,sunshine and everything else cats enjoy.
Toes hacked off or rubber shoved on their claws.Yelled at,rattled at,squirted at,shocked,second place to furniture,their happiness given no consideration.
What a disgusting way to treat such beautiful animals!
Bad bad bad owners!

What a sickening load of bumph!
Kristina you are one up yourself selfish and exremely unlikeable woman.Furniture isn't living,breathing or feeling,it's lumps of wood.
Your cat is the one living,breathing and feeling and he deserves to come before your revered lumps of old wood.Have someone ram rubber onto your finger ends and see how'small'the inconvenience is to you.
Oh but I forgot,your happiness is too important.
Lisa,as for scat mats,how cruel are they! A'little'shock,would you give your kids a'little'shock to teach them where is out of bounds?As for squirting water with lemon in,don't you know if the cat ingests any you could set off an infection.
You don't have to give cats shocks or squirt them or rattle coins and have them living in fear,don't you know punishing cats is cruel and pointless?
You train cats as you do children,by kindness and distraction.They are very intelligent and soon learn,there's no need to punish them.Do you punish your children too for being children and not knowing your rules?
I've heard of enough cruelty in the USA to last me a lifetime.All you need is a few scratching posters and pads around the house,show your cat how to use them,direct him back to them if he goes to scratch where you don't want him to.
I have small children,cats and dogs and NONE are ever punished,yet all are well behaved.I love them all and they love and respect me.If I hurt or frightened a single one of my children or my pets I would NEVER forgive myself and woe betide me meeting anyone like either of you!You'd be sorry you were ever born.There is NO need to frighten or hurt any living feeling being
My message is clear,anyone who resorts to frightening or hurting a cat for the sake of furniture should stick to soft toys.

Kristina,

Wow. Not only pretty histrionic, but really badly misinformed as well. The adverse behaviors you seem to be describing I would ONLY attribute to a feral cat, & a feral cat wouldn't be an inside housepet anyway. The "pissing up the walls" is mostly hormonal behavior, done by intact males & females, or a terrritorial marking behavior done by neutered males & females. We have a going on 7 year old neutered male that sprays when his particular apple cart is upset for whatever reason, & we are thankful there's no smell associated with a neuter's urine. I am the mother of 5 children ranging in age from 22-10, have had cats my entire LIFE, & have NEVER had one "attack" one of my babies. Yes, they DO like to get in cribs, strollers, & playpens with babies, but it's NOT an aggressive act. It's because babies to a cat smell GOOD!!!! It's an AFFECTIONATE act. My introductions to the cats over the years started the DAY they came home from the hospital, & we laid them on a blanket on the floor & allowed the cats to come & sniff & wash them to their heart's content. My children have grown up to be pet lovers because they've never known a day without that love.

Keeping them off your antiques takes some creativity. If they are located in a specific room in your home & nowhere else, either keep the door to that room closed, or place a scat mat in the doorway, or on the pieces of furniture you don't want them on. The cat steps foot on it, is given a small shock, which startles them, & it teaches them to leave it alone. You can also put Sticky Paws strips on the legs/sides, so when they put their paws on it, it's sticky, & they'll leave it alone. The strips are clear, so they do not detract from the look of the piece you are trying to protect. You could also put clear plastic corner covers on the legs. Training them to leave it alone takes a bit of work, with either a water sprayer or a shake can. Neither hurts the cat, & both are effective training aids. Load your sprayer with half & half cold water & lemon juice, because cats don't like citrus. When the cat touches something you don't want it touching, spray it. A shake can is a simple concept too. Get a soda/pop can, toss in a few pennies or pebbles, & cover the hole with duct tape. When the cat goes near something you don't want it going near, shake the can & say no. The loud noise will distract it from what it was doing. Then toss it a jingly ball, catnip mouse, something.

Most of all, make sure your cat has several scratching post options with levels, & keep the nails trimmed once a week if young, & once every other week if it's an adult. Siamese are SMART, they learn very quickly, so it should be easy to retrain him/her to stay away from the things you want him/her to, & to scratch on his own things.

Hi there. In your case, with a VERY elderly cat who has problems making it on & off the bed, adding a step of some kind, like Ruth suggested, would make getting up there with you at night much easier on the old thing's joints, & yes, I think in this case, you would also be justified in using the Soft Paws for the time your old cat has left for your safety as well as putting less long term stress on him.

Use claw caps if you must but as has already been said,why did you bring a cat into your home where YOUR happiness and inanimate wooden objects are more important than your cat?
We are so not impressed at your antique bits of wood, we much prefer our happiness by giving our cats the best life we can and making them happy.
Maybe you should wear claw caps yourself incase you scratch your precious furniture while polishing it?
You got yourself into a right tizzy spouting rubbish and bad language about cats scratching eyes out etc,such rubbish! Also mispelling words in your haste to make sure we know how you feel.
Hear this...we DO NOT CARE how you feel!
All I can say is God help your cat!

So, your FRUNITURE and HAPPINES is MROE(YOUR spelling not mine) important than a small incovenience of your cat.
A SMALL ???? inconvenience.You obviously don't give a damn about your cats happiness, yes I ask too, where is HIS furniture ?There is no such thing as a bad cat but there are bad owners !Anyone who can't teach their cat gently and kindly to scratch where it's appropriate shoudn't have a cat !
You are one very selfish ignorant misguided person.
You rant and rave about ridiculous things such as pissing (YOUR language not mine)on walls,getting pregnant several times a year, abandoning their babies, scratching each other's eyes out and attacking whoever they consider a threat, including your baby.
Whatever cats are you talking about ? I have never had or know anyone who has, had cats 'pissing' up the walls,getting pregnant (TRUE cat lovers cats are neutered for their OWN sake)
Scratching eyes out and attacking babies, hold on, these are pet cats we are talking about, not wild beasts.
What a load of 'bollocks' YOU talk.
Go and sit on your precious FRUNITURE and enjoy your HAPPINES whilst your cat is being deprived of the pleasure of a good work out on a tall strong scratching post to exercise his muscles and stay healthy.
Yes claw caps are better than having cats toes amputated but what beats me is why people like you get a cat in the first place as you don't seem to think very highly of them.
Stroke your antique furnitire and see if it purrs.What a cold and sad life people like you must live.

So Kristina you've told us what YOU own but what furniture does your cat have to scratch on? Does he have a tall, sturdy upright scratching post treated with cat nip standing in a place where he has room to use it properly? Does he also have a flat scratching pad or even just a cardboard box to use? Have you shown him how to use them? Have you made scratching at the post a happy enjoyable task by playing with him and encouraging scratching? Or have you merely expected him to conform and when he hasn't you've shoved rubber gloves on him?
Your comments about pissing on walls, attacking babies etc are just ridiculous and over emotional as is your choice of title for your comment, the top and bottom of it is that you value your possessions too highly and really should never have had a cat. Cookiness is not only in allowing a cat to rule your life, it is also in allowing furniture worship to cloud your judgement. If YOUR happiness and furniture is more important than your cat's inconvenience then I hope this cat is the last one you ever own.

My cat is an indoor cat and has ripped two staircase carpets to shreds and now moved onto my antique furniture. I trimmed his claws, glued on the nail caps and now he is a hppy kitty and I am a happy owner. It is not true, that cats can not retract their nails - you have to glue the caps carefully and they will not interfere with anything. He gets a little bit bored and impatient, when I glue them on, but I keep stroking him during the process and he does not really mind. It is not anymore cruel or uncomfortable for the cat than a collar with a bell. They get used to the unusual sensation in half a day and never worry about itagain. Of course, if you let your cat out, the nail caps are as dangerous as declawing, but I do nto see any porblem indoors. Some comments here say it is natural for cats to scratch - well it is also natural for them to piss on your walls, get pregnant several times a year, abandon their babies, scratch each other's eyes out and to attack whoever they consider a threat, including your baby. Why don't you allow that? Not everyhting that is natural is good. And I am not going to become one of those cooky people, who allow cats rule their entire lives. Of course my fruniture and my happines is mroe important than a small incovenience of my cat.

I do understand as our very old cat Ebony liked to sleep on the pillow next to me.What I did was put some 'steps' up to my bed for her,using a stool, a pouffee and then a chair level with my bed, and showed her how to use them to jump up and down safely.
The only other way to solve it is probably totally impractible for you as it would be to sleep on your mattrass on the floor so she doesn't have to jump.
It's worrying me that she may not have much grip after her claws are clipped and not knowing that, will slip, fall and hurt herself.
I didn't get much sleep as I was more worried about hurting Ebby than her hurting me but I'd do it all again just to have her back as there is a huge gap in our home now she's gone.

I totally agree with everything that has been said on this page, but what if you are continually being torn to shreds by your cat?? My cat is nearly 18 and due to not seeing very well, when she jumps up on me in the night, she digs her claws firmly in not to fall off, often getting them caught in my skin, like the back of my neck, legs etc. I know she doesn't realise what she is doing, but having your cat land on your bare skin with their extremely sharp claws sinking in is not a pleasant way to be woken and it's only a matter of time before she lands on my face / eyes causing irreversable damage! I am getting her claws clipped tomorrow at the vet as I think they are too long, but I just don't know what to do in the long term.. I don't want to stress her as she is a tortoiseshell rescue cat and gets upset easily and I adore her beyond all possible reason, but I don't want her to blind me with her claws or rip my face to pieces! Can anyone help..? I would be extremely grateful if there are any suggestions! Thank you very much!

Lisa in your case you are fully justified in using Soft Paws, you've obviously given a lot of thought to the options for this poor old boy and come up with the best you can for him. This is what Soft Paws should be for, when it is for the sake of the cat and not for the convenience of lazy owners who give no thought to the comfort of their cat, only to the state of their furniture.

It sounds as though there's life in the old dog yet!(Figuratively speaking - I know he's a cat) I wish him lots more biting time with you, you're an Earth Angel to care about him so much and not give up on him.

Can't think why I left myself as Anonymous on my previous post about Soft Paws, anyway it was me.

Hi Lisa, I do think in your old boy's case soft paws are well justified and with clear ones he keeps his dignity too, that is very important to a cat as you obviously well know.I admire you for not giving up on this poor cat,it must be a real struggle and I'm so glad he's with you for his last bit of time on this earth. My heart aches for the cats who never know even a bit of love and kindness in their lives.

Sorry I was hasty and wrote soft paws off,I was thinking about the cats not having the pleasure of using the claws they are born with to enjoy, as well as for the necessary things such as grooming and exercising,put on cats instead of providing scratching posts.

Thank you for making me think again, by telling us about your old boy.

Bless you for your good work.
x

I just wish the US would take a page from the enlightened European countries who have made it illegal to mutilate your pets by declawing, ear cropping & tail docking. Dewclaw removal is another thing entirely.

We advocate trimming a cats' nails every other week, once a week for kittens, the use of scratching posts & pads, & education.

In rescue we've seen many declaws turn into biters in order to protect themselves from perceived threats.

However, the use of the Soft Paws should be done on a case by case basis, not just because some owners are too lazy to do it. Case in point, we have an old, sick boy that was given up a year ago for "aggression issues". This cat has all of his claws. You CANNOT trim them, or he will bite you, plain & simple. I think I can do ONE nail before he's onto me & tries to bite. Muzzling him with a cat muzzle stresses him out even worse & he puts all 4 sets out & slashes at me so badly that I end up having to drop a blanket on him in order to get it back off without him ripping me to shreds while I take the muzzle off. He came to us drugged so badly by his previous owners that he fell off a hope chest & bit my daughter so badly she ended up in the ER with a badly infected wrist. I absolutely refuse to drug him again. That's cruel when he's a CRF cat because it further depresses the immune & the rest of his systems.

So what are my choices with this individual cat? Left without having his claws trimmed because he's a really bad biter, he scratches bloody holes in his sides. I'm NOT declawing him because I categorically don't believe in it. Plus, he's too old & in too bad of a shape to put him under anesthesia because it could kill him. I paid to put the Soft Paws on him, & he was fine for about 3 MONTHS. He sat in the vet's office & let THEM trim his nails, but I can't afford a $40 vet bill every other week to keep them clipped.

My final option is to have him put down, which realistically with his health continuing to decline, we will have to do in a few more months anyway. So to keep him comfortable till the time comes to let him go, I really don't have any other recourse but to put the Soft Paws on him.

So I think the silly colors are undignified, & they DO have clear ones on the market, which is what I use on this cat I don't have any other choices on. The rest of my cats get their nails trimmed on a regular basis, & yes, they have scratching posts galore, but have ruined my couch. So be it, I can buy slipcovers.

Like everyone else I have to grudgingly admit that these claw covers have saved many cats from being declawed, but I hate the thought of them, as I said in this blog back in May.

http://clawsforever.blogspot.com/2009/05/rule-britannia.html (new window)

because of the fact that not only do they look undignified but they must really irritate the cat. I too am sure that once those things are on the claws will be unable to retract and I also think that chewing them off could lead to swallowing them and internal troubles or to sore toes due to constant licking and chewing to get them off. To actually mess about sticking little plastic caps on to claws and expect the cat to put up with them makes me wonder what type of sawdust they have in their heads, I know I keep going back to this same statement but why do people get cats if they don't want them to bring their claws with them?????

It goes right back to self indulgence again "Oh I must have a cat" but a modified cat of course, one that has to toe the line (pardon the pun) and have the claws cancelled out in some way.

And those people who think a hulking big tom cat looks "cute" with pink claw covers and manage to get a cheap laugh out of it as well are just saddos. How can anyone who deliberately robs a cat of either claws or dignity profess they love their cat?

Well Finn, thank goodness someone else thinks that way too!! I hate any method of people messing with cats claws and like your country, we in the UK know that Nature takes care of keeping those claws as they should be. We've had cats for 35 years and only ever had to trim one of our cat's claws as she was very old and they'd started to grow round towards her pads.

Every day I'm on Yahoo Answers trying to help educate people who think declawing is acceptable and every day there are others on advising trimming claws then using soft paws.Oh and they come in 'cute colours' they say and it's so funny to see a big black tom cat with hot pink nails !!Hmm not funny for the cat !! We all know cats hate being laughed at.

Yes they are definitely preferable to mutilating a cat by depriving it of the claws it was born with and needs !But what gets me is that people know a cat has claws,why do they react with shock and horror when they use them ? The number of people who don't even provide their cats with a scratching post then complain about their precious furniture being scratched, is sickening!

If furniture is their God, why do they get a cat? So many treat them like possessions and they know they can easily adapt them.They don't want a cat,they want a catalike, the furry bits but no claws.

A question I answered the other day was about a mother cat with new kittens,she had scratched the child of the house who had picked one of her kittens up,how could they stop the cat scratching her again. Instead of replying to keep the child from touching the kittens, this idiot said put soft paws on the mother!!

Imagine, poor cat with new babies, those things forced on her claws !! I've heard they sometimes come off or the cat chews them off.Imagine if one of those tiny kittens had choked on one of the things! Thankfully the asker came back on and had taken the advice of those of us who said to keep the child from touching the kittens until they were older and then teach her to be gentle.

Another asker said what could she drug her cat with while she put the claw covers on her as the cat hated them and wouldn't sit still? Apparently they have to be renewed every few weeks, so did she intend to dope her cat for the rest of her life?

Needless to say she hadn't even got a scratching post for the cat !They even make emery board type scratchers now! When will people let cats be cats and enjoy being cats as is their birthright, I wonder ?

First and foremost, any person keeping a "CAT" as a pet should understand the advantages and disadvantages of owning the pet in its natural state. Cats have claws which are meant to be used by them akin to a dog having a 'Barking" voice. "De-Clawing" a cat is akin to owning a "Toy", devoiding the animal off its natural instincts akin to muzzling a dog to prevent it from barking loudly and disturbing the neighbourhood. It's the "Pet owners" responsibility to discipline their pets and the pet proverb is absolutely true, quote,"SHOW ME THE PET AND I WILL FORECAST THE CHARACTER OF ITS HUMAN OWNER"!
"Claw Caps", an innovation definitely better than "De-Clawing" is ultimately also aimed at preventing a cat from living like a cat.

I agree with you. I guess it might be a bit better because it can be reversed but it is another example of what I call disconnected people (DPs) treating cats as inanimate objects and being unable to accept the cat as it is.

Thanks, Finn, for a really nice post. Very educational.