OK – we’re not haters and could never judge someone for declawing their cat… mainly because Adrienne allowed Scotch and Mama to be declawed when they were babies. She didn’t know better at the time.
But once we know better, we can do better.
What you should know about declawing cats before making this decision
- Declawing is not taking off nail beds so the claws never grow back.
- Declawing is amputation surgery – removing the last bone of each toe.
- It’s equivalent to removing your finger at the 3rd knuckle.
- Declawing is banned in many states and countries.
- Reputable veterinarians will no longer perform this surgery.
- Declawing creates many health and behavioral problems in cats and is horribly painful.
- It leaves cats defenseless in the wild (outside) or with other cats (inside).
- The procedure often causes abnormal claw growth, inflammation, infection & arthritis.
- ‘Abnormal claw growth’ means a cat’s claw can grow back inside the toe and create infection that can spread to vital organs – sometimes causing death.
These were all things that we did not know about declawing 22 years ago when Scotch and Mama were kittens. In the late 90’s in Tennessee, it was a pretty standard practice – especially for indoor kitties that could potentially damage furniture. It is shocking to us now that we didn’t ask a million questions about the procedure – or that no one involved made any effort to tell us what would be done.
Which is why we want to share this information with you now. It’s so important to be informed before making these types of decisions for our cats – and it’s imperative that we know the truth in this situation. Without the facts, you could suffer the same heartbreak we have by allowing our kitties to endure a horrifically painful and unnecessary mutilation.
If you or someone you know is considering declawing a kitty – please reach out for more information and support. We promise to help you find the right – and humane – alternative to declawing!
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