Declaw the Declawing Procedure
By: Renu Eapen
PR Intern for PETA
Posted on October 28, 2013
at 2:00 PM
A lot of people think that declawing
cats is like giving them a nail cut or a manicure. In reality, declawing is a
very painful and crippling procedure for your pet. Majority of declawings are
taken place due to the safety of the owner's furniture. Cat climb and scratch
every surface, this is a natural habit for them and do it to stretch their
muscles. However, declawing is not just removing their nails to protect the
condition of your couch.
When you declaw your cat, you are taking
away something that cats use very often. Declawing is not as simple as a nail
clipping. It is a very painful ordeal. Imagine cutting a person's fingers off
at the knuckles. Declawing is equivalent to cutting off a person's fingers. The
pain does not end after the surgery. The nails can grown back inside the paws, causing
extreme pain that you won't be able to see.
Claws are a part of the cat's body. There
is a reason for them to be born with it. Claws are a cat's first line of
defense. With claws, cats will be able to keep itself safe from other animals
and people. With claws, cats are confident and feel normal. Some cats become
aggressive when their claws are removed. Many people think cat become safer to
be around babies once they are declawed, but the lack of claws can make a cat
feel insecure causing them to bite more often.
With an insecurity, cats might feel the
need to mark their territory in other manners. House trained cats can also
start doing their business outside the litter box. If that happens, your
furniture if gone for sure!
When you declaw your cat, your cat has to
relearn how to walk all over again. For humans, our toes help us balance. When
we lose one toe, our balance is not as steady. There is no difference with
cats. Their claws hep them balance. Without them, they have to relearn how to
walk.
Declawing may sound like a painless and
safe thing to do, but in the contrary it is a very bad idea for your cat. Cats
are born with claws and is used for everything they do. Like the thumb, claws
are an important part of their body. While many people do not know the serious
harm declawing causes, the good news is that the awareness is spreading.
Australia, England and Japan among many other countries have banned the action
of declawing. Many vets in the States also refuse to perform the surgery. But
cat owner need to be more aware of why declawing is terrible for their pet and
what they can do instead.
Cat owners can do other things to keep
their pets from ruining their couches. Trim their nails regularly.
When the cat is relaxed, gently press on their toes until the claws extend,
then with a small pet nail cutter, cut the nails making sure that you do not go
deep enough to cut the vein.
Scratching posts can help keep your cat
busy and away from the couch. Cats love to scratch and is in fact good for
them. Soft fluffy carpets won't satisfy your cat, so a strong scratch post will
keep them busy and entertained.
Train
your cat. At the end of the day, your cat will obey what you say if you train
them. Teach them where to scratch and where not to. When you see your cat
scratching somewhere they are not supposed to, then use a loud, stern voice to
discourage them from continuing that behaviour. Cats don't like getting yelled
at, so they may not repeat the act again.
There are many other ways cat owners can
keep their couches and families safe without the act of declawing. Declawing is
dangerous, painful and a permanent crippling procedure. It is a truly unfair
act towards to cat. However, there are many ways to keep your cat and furniture
safe from pain and damage. For more information on the dangers of declawing, go
on to the PETA
website.