White Cat Reaching Out

by Michael
(London, UK)

Photo by 18-R (Flickr - see link and license to publish below)

This is a fine cat picture that quietly roars disapproval of the abusive practice of declawing cats - one of my pet hates. The photograph was not taken for that purpose, I am sure. It just happened, but the purity and gentleness of the photograph is in stark contrast to the brutal and bloody operation called declawing.

Do you shake hands with your cat? I do. When my old lady cat (about 17+ years of age) comes to me during a winter's night for warming and company, she asks to be lifted up onto the bed because she is too tired to jump. I oblige. She lies down next to me and I gently pull her closer.

I cuddle her and place my finger on her paw. She clasps the tip of my finger gently with her claws. They wrap around my finger. We are holding hands and it is very intimate. This is a connection with a cat, with nature and it is, for me, what it is all about. The little, beautiful things that count.

In the picture above you can just notice that the cat's claws are not out, they remain retracted. This is just a gentle touching of a cat's paw to a human hand. And the other paw is below the finger - it is being held it with both paws.

You can also just notice the gentleness in the cat's eyes. It is a very gentle image for me and one that could informs us as to how we should interact with our cat companions.

Finally, this picture could serve as a mascot, a banner, call it what you will for the anti-declaw brigade. Although I am not suggesting that it should. As I said it is at the opposite end of the spectrum to the classic declawed cat picture - all bandaged cat paws, lying in pain or under the effect of pain killers, wondering what the hell he or she did to deserve it.

The photo was taken by Flickr photographer 18-R (Flickr username) who submitted the photo to the cat-photo-technique Flickr group that I started some time ago.

Photographers who submit photos to the group agree to publication under the rules of the group found on this page. Thank you for granting the license. I have admired this photo for a while.