Mommy signed a petition asking to ban declawing in Canada. You can sign it here. She was very upset and was saying that this was mutilation and vets should refuse to perform it and should educate people instead. Guess this must be something terrible if mommy was so mad!
I can only imagine how painful the procedure must be and the terrible feeling after.
I know I need my claws to protect myself,
to strike a chord on my guitar or to strike my brother Stanley (like in the
picture attached).
George, can you explain why declawing
should be banned worldwide and how can we better educate humans on this issue?
Rocky
Dear Rocky,
Human beings enjoy cutting bits off animals. They used to cut off the tails of horses until it became illegal. They still cut off the tails and part of the ears of dogs in the USA (not in the UK, thank goodness). And in Canada and the USA declawing is still legal. But it's not just declawing. The operation involves cutting off the end joint of each digit (which includes the claw). If somebody cut off the end joint of their human fingers, they would protest.
The operation is painful. Most cats survive all right after it, but they live diminished lives. Cats enjoy scratching and leaving their scent where they scratch. They can no longer do this. Cats enjoy climbing and now they can climb less easily, though they can still jump. There may be neuropathic pain for some of them: and they find some kinds of litter difficult to manage. So for declawed cats, life presents fewer pleasures and more problems.
But the the so called "owners" of these cats, life presents fewer problems. The furniture is never scratched, neither is the human. In Japan, they go even further. If your cat scratches or bites, you can have it declawed and all its teeth pulled out. Human problem solved. The cat is now defenceless against owners who mistreat it.
"I think humans have reached the peak of cruelty, greediness and selfishness," says Rocky's friend, Michelle. She's right. I'd like to get my claws into the vets that do the declawing.
Yours gloomily
George.
Dear Rocky,
Human beings enjoy cutting bits off animals. They used to cut off the tails of horses until it became illegal. They still cut off the tails and part of the ears of dogs in the USA (not in the UK, thank goodness). And in Canada and the USA declawing is still legal. But it's not just declawing. The operation involves cutting off the end joint of each digit (which includes the claw). If somebody cut off the end joint of their human fingers, they would protest.
The operation is painful. Most cats survive all right after it, but they live diminished lives. Cats enjoy scratching and leaving their scent where they scratch. They can no longer do this. Cats enjoy climbing and now they can climb less easily, though they can still jump. There may be neuropathic pain for some of them: and they find some kinds of litter difficult to manage. So for declawed cats, life presents fewer pleasures and more problems.
But the the so called "owners" of these cats, life presents fewer problems. The furniture is never scratched, neither is the human. In Japan, they go even further. If your cat scratches or bites, you can have it declawed and all its teeth pulled out. Human problem solved. The cat is now defenceless against owners who mistreat it.
"I think humans have reached the peak of cruelty, greediness and selfishness," says Rocky's friend, Michelle. She's right. I'd like to get my claws into the vets that do the declawing.
Yours gloomily
George.
Got my peep to sign, too. Purrs, Seville.
ReplyDeleteI think declawing should be banned everywhere. I am shocked at how awful Japan's laws are. I wonder if my signature will be accepted as I am from the US, I will try.
ReplyDeleteWe dream of the day when all kitties will be able to keep their toes! It makes me angry too (grrr)! It seems to be more prevalent here in Quebec than in the rest of Canada. In the greater Montreal area, I only know of five no-declaw clinics. While people are definitely more aware of what it entails there is still a large pro-declaw camp who insist on having their cats declawed. Tail docking and ear cropping in dogs were two procedures recently outlawed, why not declawing? Signed the petition and hoping that our voices are heard! Nice work, George! 👍😽
ReplyDeleteWe should "sabotage" the vets accepting to perform the operation by not using their services. Veterinarians should be educated as much as the humans only the vets should be taught about greediness and the humans about the painful mutilation of cats.
ReplyDeleteDiego
Please sign the petition! I know of abandoned cats with no claws and no teeth left on the streets!
ReplyDeleteShumba
I was declawed by a previous "Owner" who, if she or he didn't throw me away, I left. I can still scritchie on the pole and my mommy's footrest. I have strong teeth. I am one of those special cats. You see, my mommy came for me from the nice rescue place I was in and requested a declawed kitty. She gets me a special litter and she massages my feet and she says "I saved one kitty some pain!"
ReplyDeleteI wish every kitty who was declawed adopted a much nicer peeple like my mommy.
Kisssssssss for mommy, God love her! Kissssses!
DeleteI'm sorry but just the idea that humans are so attached to material things like furniture drives me nuts and I wish to shred them all to pieces! I might sound like the bad, mean cat but humans should be aware that they don't take anything with them when they cross the bridge! Plus cats can be educated to not scratch that stupid but "precious" armchair! There are so many other and better ways to deal with this! Quinn, your story is somehow happy but how many other cats adopt humans who give them special litter and massage their little paws?
ReplyDeleteCarla, the tuxedo cat
If humans want their cats declawing they should be made to have their finger and toe nails done first so they can understand the pain the cats are in.
ReplyDeleteI live in Montreal, Canada and agree that cats should NOT be declawed!
ReplyDelete