Declawing Whats the Point

Lately it seems more and more clients are asking questions about declawing their cats. Most people are looking for advice about it but it is quite scary to see just how ill informed some people are about the procedure.

I remember reading an article on the subject of declawing a couple of years ago. I'm searching for the exact article as I write this so hopefully I will be able to link it in.

One of the things that stuck with me most about the article, and a description I use to explain my view on declawing to clients, is that if you were to switch the scenario from a cat to a human and think of declawing in humans, it would be the same as if you were to remove all the bone above the last knuckle on each finger. Doesn't sound pleasant at all, does it?



So why do clients want to put their own pet through this? Well when I have asked owners their reasoning behind the idea, it may surprise you.

Some owners do it so their cat will no longer shred their furniture, scratch their owner while playing or just to avoid the task of trimming nails every so often.

In my eyes none of these reasons are good enough to want a procedure such as this. I can only give my own opinion on the matter, but if it was not an actual life threatening necessity then why should it be done? There are plenty of other options, such as buying scratching posts, keeping the nails cut short and blunt, so why do need to take away a natural part of an animals make up?




#declawing
#cats
#nails
#animal_welfare

%readyforpets