By Ruth aka Kattaddorra
Fate decrees that some kittens are adopted by people who will have them declawed.
How can vets justify performing major surgery, the amputation of the kittens last toe joints, at the same time as neutering? This surgery is supposed to be a last resort for serious scratching behaviour, not a convenient way for cat caretakers to protect their furniture!
A kitten recovers quickly from neutering but declawing affects that kitten for life, he never fully recovers. How can he when his very essential parts have been taken away and thrown in the trash?
He will never be able to walk as a cat walks, to exercise as cats need to by digging in their claws to stretch their muscles, to hook a toy with his front paws, to jump safely with his claws to dig in to balance him, to groom his face and head properly, to defend himself from abuse from humans or from dogs. A cat has the right to do all these things and he needs his claws to do them!
It’s a myth that indoor cats don’t need their claws, they do! All cats are born with claws because they NEED CLAWS.
Many declawed cats develop painful arthritis as they grow older, why would anyone want to condemn their cat to that?
It seems like the tide may be slowly turning, some USA vets are giving up declawing and most young newly qualified vets refuse to declaw.
This is good but not good enough. Declawing is banned or considered inhumane and very rarely done, in 39 countries now. It is also banned in 8 Californian Cities.
Cat advocates are fighting for a ban in other cities in the USA and in Canada too. I hope they succeed, I hope one day soon that declawing is banned worldwide.
Associated (just one example chosen at random): Ban cat declawing in Ontario
Ruth you just stagger me sometimes I’m just so full of admiration with just how much you do for cats especially all your efforts to see de-clawing banned. You poster as always is spot on and people of all ages can understand that de-clawing IS 100% wrong just by looking at it.
I like to imagine children seeing it and telling their parents ‘no no please don’t take our kitten to the vets to take his claws it will hurt him a lot; look let me show you this poster; it will tell you!’
I wish as well that de-clawing is banned in America (and elsewhere) in your life time Ruth because for everything you do and see this is something you should be able to witness and rejoice in.
Thank you Leah, I just keep on hoping the pictures might sink in to the people who don’t take in the written words. I think you are right about children because they learn from picture books to begin with don’t they.
We can only keep flogging on this way until declawing is banned…..
There are many comments on facebook anti declaw groups about this article, I think a lot of people come to PoC but don’t leave a comment, the main thing is that the people who educate about the cruelty of declawing are sharing it and hopefully it will save more claws.
Great poster! I wish I could be that creative. I’m about as artistic and imaginative as a mushroom.
Oh Dee I LOVE mushrooms 🙂
Fantastic poster it doesn’t need words and I often share these posters because like others say they are simple,I think simple enough that even the thickest person can understand.
I’m not thick I hope lol but I just skim over long articles with lots of facts or technical words as they don’t grab my attention like easy to read short and to the point ones like this one.
I love seeing photos of cats as well.
I’m with you Rose if an article or comment is too long I can’t commit to it I’m afraid.
I’m glad it’s not just me Leah