In Swansea, Wales there are reports that outside cats are being abducted, their claws removed and then returned to the street. It appears that three cats have suffered this mutilation.
Obviously, cat owners in the area are very concerned. The RSPCA have said that they are deeply worried. It appears to them that the claws have been removed deliberately.
I don’t know whether the person has operated upon the cats and declawed them in a professional manner (highly unlikely) or whether the declawing is simply a brutal mutilation. Also, I do not know if the declawing has been done by removal of the last phalange of the digit of the front paw or whether the just claw itself has been removed.
Either way, this appears to be an attempt to replicate what happens in America. One owner, Nicola Lewis reported the matter to the police. Her cat, Bernie, had been targeted. She became aware of what was going on after reading a warning on social media.
“I saw a post on Facebook last Wednesday were a cat owner in our area posted a warning saying that her cat had had its claws removed and for owners to be aware.”
As a result of reading the warning she checked her cat’s claws and noticed that one of them was missing. She also noticed that there was blood on the floor and that the paw had become infected.
The woman then called a friend who told her that the same thing had happened to her cat. She believes that cats are being targeted and a person is doing it deliberately.
I’m sure that most people now know that declawing is illegal in the UK. In fact it is never done in the UK voluntarily. It does not occur to people to do it to their cats. Clearly, however, somebody has read about declawing in America and taken it upon himself to do it in the UK on an informal and illegal basis.
There is probably very little chance of the person being apprehended. This is a bizarre example of cat cruelty. Perhaps a cat hater hates claws because he/she was scratched and is seeking vengeance. Look for a person who has a scratched hand and arms.
Source: BBC and Wales Online.
Declawing a cat is insane and I am voting for the practice to be outlawed in all states. Eva_
That is horrible! I read this and my jaw dropped to the floor! It is astounding how deep the hatred of cats go, that a person will got to such lengths to harm an animal that has done nothing to them just because that animal is a cat. One would think it’s the middle ages! I hope the person that has done this gets caught.
Me too. It shocked me. There is something bad at the heart of humanity.
My blood is still boiling! I am just so angry right now. Those poor cats! The owners must be heart broken right now. I have two cats that live with my father and we had them for 16 years! They are great cats and I would be totally devastated if something happened to them.
Sorry to reply to my comment, but I am very glad that one of the cats escaped with only one claw missing and I am glad that it won’t be suffering the long term with problems associated with declawing. I hope that cat also gave whoever mutilated it a damn good thrashing during the escape!
These poor cats. I hope the person or people responsible for these cruel acts get apprehended. This is insane.
I agree, it is completely insane. It is a bizarre form of mutilation which is interesting because in the USA it is accepted and it is legal.