CLAWS, WHISKERS AND TAILS
by Ruth
(England)
WHISKERS ARE IMPORTANT AND NECESSARY
A cat’s whiskers are very sensitive to vibrations in air currents. As air swirls around them they vibrate. These vibrations mean the cat can sense the presence, size, and shape of obstacles or spaces without seeing or touching them. Whiskers are also good for hunting rodents, which of course was a cats first purpose in life.
A cat with damaged whiskers may bite the wrong part of a mouse because healthy whiskers provide cats with vital information about the shape and activity of that mouse. Whiskers also help cats smell odours. They are extremely sensitive as they are closely connected to the nervous system.
A cat with damaged or missing whiskers will be in discomfort and possibly become confused or disoriented.
Montage by Ruth AKA Kattaddorra.
TAILS ARE IMPORTANT AND NECESSARY
A cat uses his tail for balancing. When he walks along a narrow fence and decides to look over in one direction, his centre of gravity shifts and his tail automatically moves in the other direction. This re-establishes his body’s centre of gravity and keeps him from falling off the fence.
He also uses his tail as a counter weight when changing direction suddenly at high speed.
His tail is also important for letting us know what mood he is in, such as angry with his tail all bushy, happy with it held up, like when he runs to greet us, or frightened, with it tucked away between his legs.
CLAWS ARE IMPORTANT AND NECESSARY TOO
A vet would never recommend amputating a cat’s healthy tail or whiskers so why do they happily amputate other equally as important healthy necessary parts of a cat:
HIS TOE ENDS/CLAWS
As well as for self defence claws have many other uses.
They influence the way a cat walks and balances and exercises, he uses them for grooming and for playing too. Claws grow firmly embedded into bone because they were never meant to be removed.
Vets who declaw cats, amputate those bones and leave the cat disabled for life.
Some vets even say it’s better done to a very young kitten. To deny a kitten of his important and necessary claws is physically and morally wrong.
It’s time vets who declaw faced up to the truth that they are breaking their sworn oath to cause no animal to suffer.
They are making dollars from the suffering of the cats they are eager to mutilate whilst cunningly disguising the fact that ten (or 18) amputations is major surgery which affects the cats entire lifestyle.
Amputation of ANY healthy body parts of a cat is CRUEL, including the amputation of his toe ends/claws.
