Some cat owners still ask their veterinarian to "declaw" their pet in order to save their furniture or clothes from distress. And some veterinarians still oblige.

The truth is, removing a cat's claws is incredibly painful for the animal. This cruel procedure is like having the last bone of each of your toes amputated. It is unnecessary because there are more humane ways to keep cats from scratching furniture. And for the animal the consequences last a lifetime, including behavioral and health problems.

Cats can continue to feel pain even after the declawing procedure.

The American Association of Feline Practitioners stands by the fact that cats can experience arthritis, long-term pain, lack of balance, and behavioral changes as a result of declawing. This practice permanently takes away a cat's main means of defense in the wild.

Declawing ever benefits the animal. It is only for a human's comfort and convenience.

Petitions to ban declawing have been initiated in most every state. Some state lawmakers have introduced bills to ban declawing, but none have passed and been made into law. Only in New York has declawing been banned.

This brutal and unnecessary procedure needs to end in the United States as it has in the rest of the world.