Some people have their cats declawed because they think it is the only way to save their furniture, or they think that since the cat is going to be kept indoors he doesn't need his claws. Neither of these thoughts is well-founded, since anyone with a little patience can train their cat to scratch appropriately, and since a cat needs his claws to play, exercise, and defend. Cats express themselves with their claws. A happy cat kneads his claws, a playful cat uses his claws to grab at toys, a cat that feels threatened will scratch to defend himself. Declawing is serious elective surgery, and before considering such an operation some facts should be considered:
The operation involves the amputation of the claws and the germinal cells from which the claw grows (equivalent to the amputation of a human's first knuckle on all 10 fingers). Postoperative pain exists. The procedure requires general anesthesia.
The operation is much more expensive than a scratching post.
Declawing does not make the cat want to stay indoors.
The cats should never be allowed outdoors without supervision.
The claws are the cat's first line of defense.
Since cats use their claws to warn people or other animals who are threatening them, clawless cats will sometimes bite if threatened.
Some veterinarians will refuse to declaw a cat because they believe the operation is cruel and unnatural.
A declawed cat cannot be "shown" in most cat organizations, even as a "Household Pet".
If a cat does get outside, the declawed cat is defenseless. He may not be able to climb a tree to get away from animals or people who may do him harm. Declawing is inflicting a handicap on our cat, for our own convenience.
Declawing puts our cat in a constant state of stress, since if a strange animal or person comes into our home, the cat must worry about how he will defend himself.
The only animal with retractile claws, the cat expresses his anger and joy with his claws. By mutilating this expressive body part, we are tampering with the very nature of this beautiful and graceful animal.
Declawing should only be considered when all other methods of keeping the cat from scratching the furniture have been wholeheartedly tried, and the owner is faced with the decision to either have the cat declawed or destroyed.
