I’ve Angered Those Who Believe In Declawing Cats!

I’ve Angered Those Who Believe In Declawing Cats!

by Elisa Black-Taylor
(USA)

30-90-10 Good morning readers. This is going to be a long one, but it's necessary to explain what I went through Tuesday night on my Facebook page.

I've angered those who falsely promote the pro-declawing movement. Yes, dear readers, I've angered those who believe in declawing cats! All I can say is good. Those who want to declaw cats need their toes stepped on. Or their toes cut off. Then they'd know how the cats feel!

This all started when I put a link of a video from Furby's Catster page. It's in page 2 of his video book and any of you can look it up and see the first I posted on it on there. It's called Pedicure THE Alternative To Declawing.Please look it up manually so you'll know you're being directed to a safe site. http://www.catster.com/cats/1135737. Below is the exact same video now uploaded to Facebook.

Here it is on Facebook

As you can see, Furby is a very good little man having this done. It's been done to him since he was kitten. It's pain free and takes less than 5 minutes. He never was one to use a scratching post like Lola uses. So he sits on a small marble table and is rewarded for being so good.

The trouble started shortly after I posted the Pedicure THE Alternative To Declawing link.

First I received an email from Facebook late Tuesday night. Amazing because they never seem to be around when I'm having problems. I really don't believe anyone is running Facebook. The email read:

"Dear Elisa Black-Taylor,

We have detected that your Facebook account is infected with a form of malware, or virus, called Koobface. You downloaded the virus after receiving a message from a friend, which invited you to view a video. To restore your account, please log into Facebook and follow the instructions you see there. You can also learn more in our Help Center at: http://www.facebook.com/help/?topic=koobface

Thanks,
Facebook Security Team"

This made me cautious because I know how Koobface attacks. It leads the friend to an outside link and then asks the friend to download a fake update for flash player where the worm is hiding. The only thing I'd seen from an outside source was the Catster video. I went to sign into my Facebook account and was totally blocked.

This is where the night turned interesting. I ran the free online scan at www.bitdefender.com which catches Koobface. MY COMPUTER WAS CLEAN! And anyway, how would Facebook have known my computer was infected if it had been. They're not living inside my hard drive.

I was directed to restore my Facebook account by identifying five photos that came out my my friends albums. I have over 3600 friends who follow my stories on Facebook. But I did it. I did it three times (once each hour because that's all Facebook will allow) and got the five photos right on each occasion. Facebook refused to allow me onto the next step for restoring my account. On the third time identifying the photos correctly my account was finally restored. I feel very good that I could identify the photos with that many friends. I hope it shows how much I value them.

It was after restoring my account I learned the video had been turned into Facebook as "offensive." A warning was flashed when I tried to post it in a message to Declawing CrippledMyPaws. I wanted the opinion of one of the best in the anti-declawing world. I soon received a reply that there was nothing wrong with the video. I believe, as do most of my friends, that a declawing vet has turned the video in as "offensive."

I've sent messages to Catster and Facebook concerning the video. Of course, Facebook isn't being run by anyone and even if they were I don't think they'd break "privacy" violations and tell me who filed the complaint. Catster will be getting back to me and I'll post their opinion once I have it.

I don't have any proof the video was the reason my account was totally disabled until I proved who I was, but the coincidences are too great not to believe this is what happened. Facebook has rules to go by on why a video is offensive. Here they are.

-Videos containing nudity or pornography
-Videos with excessive gore or violent content
-Videos with racist/hate speech
-Videos containing drug use
-Videos that target an individual
-Videos that are not personal in nature

Facebook reviews every report we receive in order to determine whether or not the content violates our Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, and will take appropriate action. Rest assured that these reports will be kept confidential.

The Furby video didn't fall into any of the categories. Unless you consider nudity since he doesn't wear clothes. At any rate, Facebook values the privacy of those who falsely try to bash someone trying to help cats, so how can I fight them?

This has only made me more determined than ever to fight declawing. I've never had so many people standing with me on an issue as with trying to promote this Furby video. All I was trying to do is show an alternative. Pedicures work for him. Nail clippers or a scratching post may work better for some of you. The point is DECLAWING IS NOT AN OPTION!! My purpose was to educate on how easily the pedicure is to do when a cat has been trained to allow it since kitten-hood.

There is sound on the video. If Furby had been in pain then everyone would have heard it. Many cats don't like the noise. It's clear he doesn't mind a pedicure at all.

I would like to mention I had several comments after my last declawing story from people who had declawed their cats and didn't have problems. I still defend the issue that declawing is devastating to a cat. I've heard from too many veterinary assistants who told of cats bleeding to death on the table from the surgery. Many veterinary assistants have actually given up their jobs and transferred to veterinarians who don't declaw because they simply couldn't watch the abuse anymore.

So I'm still against declawing. Now more than ever. I've apparently struck a nerve in my fight for the rights of our cats. And I'll continue to fight. I've shown on pictures-of-cats.org that I can handle criticism and learn from it. Whoever turned in my video needs to know one thing.

You don't know who you're dealing with when you make me mad. I can assure you it isn't pretty. You will not stop me. All you've done is strengthen the issue and make me more determined. Thank you-stupid person-whoever you are. The video may have been played a few dozen times if this person had left it well enough alone. This has backfired on you and this video will now be played thousands of times.

Because I want the readers here to spread this article around. I'll be making use of all of my sources to see this video is spread around. Again-thank you stupid person-
for turning this in.

This could happen to any of you readers who are against animal abuse issue. I hope this article teaches you how far some people will go to stop your fight and how to handle it if it does happen. I want everyone to continue the fight against animal cruelty. And declawing IS animal cruelty.

Elisa

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