I’ll admit it. I thought about declawing. My husband mentioned it when we first discussed getting a cat. I figured at first that it couldn’t be a bad procedure if vets were performing it…right? Besides, I’d heard of declawing and had known several cats who had the procedure done.
It didn’t exactly seem cruel to me at first. Aaaaand then I thought about it. I did some research. I asked myself. If I’m not willing to accept the cat as a whole, why do I even want a cat? Is it because I think they will be easier than a dog? Do I not want to put in any work? Can cats be trained to not scratch? And if so, why do people still opt for the procedure.
Ultimately I decided that I’d rather deal with some ripped up furniture than maim my cat. It was an easy choice in the end. Do I care for the feelings of my sofa over a living, breathing creature I’ve promised to protect and care about? No. I care more about the cat.
I urge everyone who gets cat to consider what declawing is and they want to participate in a pretty horrific procedure.
Some articles about declawing:
http://pets.webmd.com/cats/guide/declawing-cats-positives-negatives-alternatives
http://www.maxshouse.com/facts_about_declawing.htm
Articles about training cats to use a scratching post:
http://www.mspca.org/programs/pet-owner-resources/pet-owner-guides/cat-care/scratching-posts.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_4432058_teach-cat-use-scratching-post.html
Phoebe Tails 