Declawing is Caused by a Lack of Respect

Declawing is Caused by a Lack of Respect

by Maggie Sharp
(Hobart, Tasmania, Australia)

Chilli playing a feather game on his first day with me.

Chilli playing a feather game on his first day with me.

I've had declawing on my mind 24/7 lately, it's all I've been able think about, I even dream about it! I've been thinking long and hard, and I've come to realise that declawing is mostly caused by a lack of respect.

I know that declawing is also caused by ignorance, selfishness, cruelty etc, but when you think about it, all of that comes down to respect too.

A person wouldn't declaw a cat if they respected a cat, because with a cat comes its claws, and, therefore, to respect the cat you have to respect its claws. Not even a veterinarian would declaw a cat if they respected the cat.

Why is it that people respect inanimate objects such as furniture more than cats? That furniture doesn't feel pain, and once the furniture is ruined there is plenty more out there to replace it. But a cat can't be replaced, as each cat is truly unique, and once a cat is declawed that uniqueness sort of disappears, it's forgotten in the pain, discomfort and unfamiliarity of declawing.

Today I was playing with Chilli, I was holding a feather and brushing it along the floor, Chilli would pounce and attack the feather and at one point he sliced my finger, it hurt but I ignored it, until I realised that there was blood running down my finger.

I didn't hit him, I didn't yell, I didn't curse him or his claws. I simply stroked him, said "good boy" and washed my hand. I respect Chilli and his claws a lot, and his behaviour was natural.

I don't clip his claws because he has every right to them as they should naturally be. But imagine if Chilli was declawed, we would never be able to play that game (which, might I add, is his favourite) and I would never get to see Chilli naturally, and to own a cat you have to respect their natural physical state, declawing does not respect that.

Another reason why I don't clip Chilli's claws, is because if he needs to use them he will. If he attacks someone with his claws he obviously has a reason to do so, the same goes for any cat. And if you can't respect a cat and their need to use their claws for any reason, in any situation, you shouldn't own one.

It frustrates me to see people who disrespect these amazing creatures so much that they declaw them... It is disgusting and it really needs to be stopped...

Maggie

Declawing is Caused by a Lack of Respect to Declawing Cats

Comments for
Declawing is Caused by a Lack of Respect

Click here to add your own comments

May 29, 2010 Me too
by: Rose

Maggie you write some great blogs.I agree too that declawing a cat shows a lack of respect for that cat and his needs.
I know we are supposed to make allowances for people ignorant of what declawing is and what effects it has.But I find it very hard to do that because no real cat lover would want to put their cat through a sensless operation with all the pain and shock caused by it and all the things that can go wrong and the poor cat having to adapt to being a cripple.
I also lie awake and think about those vets who do it,I keep thinking it can't be true.But it is and they do it every day.I don't understand how vets assistants can stand there and hold up the cats paws and watch the toe ends taken off.
The whole thing makes me feel sick to the stomach and I'm filled with hatred for everyone who thinks it's OK.
They are not human.


May 29, 2010 I agree too
by: Ruth

Another great article Maggie. I am like you and get declawing on my mind a lot, if I can't sleep at night I ponder as to how people can be so cruel and what more I can do to help stop it.
It's as if my brain can't believe that some people will have this done to their cats and what's more, that some vets are happy to do it.
The thoughts go round and round, like why do they get a cat? They must know cats have claws,we know our cats have claws because they need claws, so why don't they know that too ?
I could never condemn a cat to a life without claws.Not only is it very wrong to take necessary parts but it's morally wrong too to deprive cats of their claws.They enjoy having them and it's their right to enjoy them.
We've only ever once clipped one of our cats claws, our Ebony, when she was very old and they started growing round towards her pads.She hated it ! But it was to save her pain.
We rarely clipped cats claws at the vets either.
Some people don't see the cat, they just see the claws.They can't accept they are part of the cat and as beautiful as all their other parts, like their whiskers.
I get caught by a claw sometimes when playing with our boyz but it's hardly majorly painful is it? You can't go through life cushioned from hurts and it's a small price to pay being scratched an odd time.
I've had quite a few scratches in my lifetime and will probably have some more, but so what.
I love cats, claws and all.

Kattaddorra signature Ruth


May 28, 2010 I couldn't agree more Maggie
by: Tracey (England)

I literally love my cats paws and claws because they are part of my cat. I get scratched and my furniture gets scratched but I couldn't care less to be honest; my cats are happy cats.

I've always loved cats toes and cats whisker pads because they are so soft. I love to see my cats using their claws to play with toys; if you really look they actually use them like fingers to grasp.

I was trying to brush my Maine Coon Ozzie the other day and he was becoming less and less tolerant. I should have left him until he was in a better mood because he hit out and scratched me. I didn't reprimand him because I should have taken notice of his grumblings; I knew he was fed up so it was my fault.

Thing is Maggie you're right because some people don't think that cats have rights like the right to keep what they were born with; their claws. I'm also sure that some people expect cats to behave like dogs. They even beat them and tie them up (some would do this to a dog which is so wrong but so awful for a cat; it shows a complete lack of sensitivity and understanding for any animal not just a cat).

At the end of the day these type of people with no sensitivity in their soul just shouldn't own a cat. Cats come with claws just accept it.


May 28, 2010 Agreed
by: Michael

I total agree, Maggie. Thanks for this excellent post.

I shocks me that me that people don't see the commonsense in what you say. They must have a fundamentally distorted view of nature.

As you say we must all respect the cat (and all animals) for what they are. If we can't we should simply leave them alone.

Michael Avatar


Leave a Comment

follow it link and logo