Declawing is Cruelty. Imagine if it were a common procedure to have your child s fingers surgically removed.

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Declawing is Cruelty. Imagine if it were a common procedure to have your child s fingers surgically removed."

Trevor Wilkinson
5 years ago
Views:

1 Imagine if it were a common procedure to have your child s fingers surgically removed. They could be dangerous. They could ruin the furniture, your doctor might tell you. It ll hardly hurt at all. Just a quick amputation, and no more worries Despite how ludicrous it may sound, the equivalent of this is a reality for millions of cats. Declawing, also known as onychectomy, is the removal of an animal s claws through the amputation of the last joint of their toes (Schelling). Each year, twenty-two million domestic cats are declawed in the United States (Edwards). Declawing should be criminalized as it is inhumane and causes more problems than it solves, and there are other viable alternatives that are more conducive to your cat s wellbeing. Although many may believe that declawing is the simple equivalent of removing a human s nails, it would actually be like cutting off one s fingers up to the last knuckle, according to the Humane Society of the United States. Declawing has been around since the 1950 s and became common in the 70 s, when many appalling experiments were performed to explore the possibility of this amputation. Opposition has been around since the very beginning, and for good reason. One experiment done by a veterinarian, Dr. Staples, involved declawing a dozen two to five day old kittens with no anesthesia or pain control (Hovfe). The medical community has come a long way since then. Even with the resources we have today, however, declawing remains one of the most crippling and painful procedures a cat can undergo. There are three methods of declawing, as described by All Feline Hospital. The first and most common, the guillotine method, involves fitting a guillotine nail clipper around the distal bone and severing the tendons. This method runs the risk of leaving a piece of bone in the foot or cutting the tip of the middle bone off, causing extreme pain until it heals. The guillotine method has the highest 1

2 likelihood of complications. The second method, the blade method, requires the use of a scalpel to sever the tendons holding the distal bone in place. This takes much longer than the first method and, just like the other methods, runs the risk of complications. Lastly, the third method is laser surgery. This method results in minimal bleeding due to the cauterization. However, in one study comparing the blade method to the laser method, it was found that side-effects such as bleeding, limping, swelling, and infection were generally worse in the laser declawing group in the first two days after surgery. Laser declawing also runs the risk of fourth degree burns (Levy et al.). Pet owners considering one of these procedures may believe that it is a quick and convenient fix so that they won t have to worry about scratches or damaged furniture. However, declawing can cause lasting problems for both you and your cat. Declawing has many proven side-effects, including abnormal claw growth within the toe, inflammation, arthritis, emotional trauma, inability to walk comfortably, lasting paw pain, risk of infection, possible tissue death, biting, and decrease of litter box usage (Edwards). One study found that declawed cats are nearly twice as likely to be relinquished than normal cats, due to behavioral problems such as aggression, house-soiling and biting (Patronek et al ). Furthermore, owners reported that 80% of cats had at least one medical complication following surgery (Yeon et al ). In one horrifying case reported by Kristin Hugo, a declawed cat underwent a botched procedure in which part of the nail tissue was left. The result was that the nail grew in a spiral and eventually erupted from the cat s wrist in a mass almost as big as a ping-pong ball. It is difficult to comprehend the level of emotional damage the already excruciating surgery, combined with its sickening after effects, must have had on the cat in question. Even more difficult to comprehend is how anyone could put an animal through such a thing, be it a pet owner or veterinarian. 2

3 Many veterinarians refuse to relinquish this cruel procedure due to the financial benefits they reap from it. One anonymous veterinarian shared that he makes more than $75,000 annually, just from declawing cats (Edwards). Vets don t always explain to cat owners what really occurs in a declawing operation either, according to the Cat Support Network, and declawing is an unfortunately common surgery. The Southern California Medical Association found that 86% of hospitals declaw cats (Hofve). Deals, discounts and coupons are also commonly found encouraging owners to declaw their cats. Furthermore, one survey of veterinarians found that 30% gave no pain medication at all to cats undergoing declawing, while a large majority of the rest used butorphanol, which is poorly effective (Wagner and Hellyer ). The lack of adequate pain relief, combined with the abysmal side-effects, makes declawing a disgusting procedure that companies continue to profit from at our cats expense. So why do pet owners consider declawing? In one study by Bennett and Houpt, 95% of owners cited household damage as the main reason for declawing their cats (7-12). To this, I only have one thing to say: don t get a cat. People who value their furniture over the health and comfort of a living, breathing being, are not fit to be responsible for a pet. No one would have their dog s vocal cords removed to prevent noisiness, so why is it acceptable to mutilate cats for convenience? Scratching objects is a normal, instinctual behavior for cats. Cats do not cause household damage to upset or anger their owners. Scratching provides exercise, stretches out a cat s body, helps remove old, dead nail husks, and leaves scent markers to signal to other cats (Sung). When it comes to cats scratching humans, many injuries are preventable. Owners need to educate themselves on feline body language to know when to give their pet some space. The ASPCA states that defensive body language can include raised hackles (erectile hairs along the 3

4 back), flattened ears, hissing and growling, and a tucked tail. Cats also often express irritation by swishing their tails back and forth, which can be misinterpreted by many as a dog-like wag showing happiness. People with children in the household should provide supervision and teach their little ones not to pull on a cat s fur, ears, whiskers or tail. Scratching and furniture damage is entirely preventable with more humane methods. Soft nail caps, available online and in stores, can be glued onto a cat s claws and replaced every four to six weeks once they fall off. These are a fun option as they are available in clear caps and in various different colors. You can have your cat s nail caps match their collar or their eyes, be your favorite color, or even be a rainbow! Although nail caps can annoy cats for the first few hours until they get used to them, they are not harmful or painful. Another option is to get a scratching post. Cats can be enticed to use them by placing catnip on and around the scratching post. You can also trim your cat s nails by hand, but make sure to do your research and/or ask your vet for a demonstration before attempting this. It s important to only take off the very tip of the claw. Cutting into the pink part of the nail will cause bleeding and severe pain to your feline friend. Keep in mind that nail caps and trimming should only be used on indoor cats. Outdoor cats need to keep their claws sharp in order to hunt, climb, and defend themselves. Another option is to buy products designed to go on your furniture that will deter animals from scratching, such as double-sided tape, furniture covers and repellent spray. Lastly, there is always the option of adopting an already declawed cat from a shelter! The United States, as a world leader, needs to take action against animal cruelty and criminalize declawing. It's inhumane and completely unnecessary given safe alternatives. Already, over twenty countries are ahead of us. According to the Cat Support Network, declawing is banned in England, Scotland, Italy, France, Germany, Norway, Ireland, Australia, 4

5 and more. Meanwhile in the US, declawing is illegal in zero states and only some cities, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco. Animal lovers across the US must take a stand to make declawing illegal. Supporters of anti-declawing legislation can sign petitions on websites such as Change.org and Care2. Spread the message amongst friends and family and on social media. Contact legislators! You can find the names and contact information of your representative and senators online. César Chávez once said, we need, in a special way, to work twice as hard to help people understand that the animals are fellow creatures, that we must protect them and love them as we love ourselves. Don t wait! Together we can be the voice for millions of cats and save them from this needless cruelty. 5

6 Works Cited Aggression in Cats. ASPCA, Become an Advocate to Ban Declawing. Cat Support Network, Bennett, M., Houpt, Katherine. Erb, H.N.."Effects of declawing on feline behavior." Companion Animal Practice, vol. 2, no. 12, Jan 1988, pp Declawing Cats: Far Worse than a Manicure. The Humane Society of the United States, Declawing. All Feline Hospital, Edwards, Dori. The Paw Project: Why Declawing Cats Is Cruel. Global Animal, 10 Nov. 2015, Hofve, Jean. Declawing and Science. Little Big Cat, 24 Apr. 2013, Hugo, Kristin. Graphic Photo Shows Why You Should Never Declaw Your Cat. Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2017, Levy, J., Lapham, B., Hardie, E., et al. Evaluation of laser onychectomy in the cat Annual Meeting of the American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery, Lake Buena Vista, FL. 6

7 Patronek, GJ., Glickman LT., Beck AM., et al. "Risk factors for relinquishment of cats to an animal shelter." Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, vol. 209, 1996, pp Schelling, Christianne. What You Need To Know About Declawing. Declawing.com, Sung, Wailani. Why Do Cats Scratch Furniture? Vetstreet, 21 Oct. 2014, Wagner, Ann E., and Peter W. Hellyer. Survey of Anesthesia Techniques and Concerns in Private Veterinary Practice. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, vol. 217, no. 11, 1 Dec. 2000, pp , doi: /javma Why Declawing Is Harmful to Cats. Village West Veterinary, 31 Jan. 2018, Yeon, Seong C., et al. Attitudes of Owners Regarding Tendonectomy and Onychectomy in Cats. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, vol. 218, no. 1, 1 Jan. 2001, pp , doi: /javma

EssayOnDeclawingCatsForStudents

EssayOnDeclawingCatsForStudents In the 1960s many people in America started keeping their cats strictly indoors because the world outside was becoming more dangerous. The only problem was that cats need