Declawing cats is illegal in over 20 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Slovenia, Brazil, Serbia, France, Germany, Bosnia, Portugal, Belgium and Israel. 

All these countries consider declawing an act of animal cruelty. Why is North America so far behind on our animal abuse laws? How is Canada still performing this unnecessary surgery in the 21st century?

A survey suggests that 95% of declaws are done to protect furniture. I cannot comprehend how a living, breathing, creature who we consider one of our closest companions and friends, has less protection and value than an inanimate object.

Animals deserve more rights than your couch. This surgery needs to be banned as soon as possible across Canada and the public need to start being educated on what declawing really is. 

Declawing a cat removes claw, bones and cartilage from the last joint on its toes. This is a painful and permanently crippling procedure with no benefit at all to the cat. Declawing is amputation, and many cats are left with permanent nerve damage, hemorrhaging, claw regrowth into the paw pad, scar tissue formation, and bone chips left over in their feet. A gradual weakening of leg, back, and shoulder muscles results from declawing, and cats have to relearn how to balance and walk on their feet, just as a human would have to learn how to shift their posture if they lost their toes. 

Cats may feel continual pain for the rest of their lives, and will avoid using the litter box as it is too painful to dig around in the litter with their mutilated paws. They may turn to aggressive biting as they feel defenseless without their claws. Many cats are given up to shelters after the owner has declawed them and are dissatisfied with their new change in behaviour and litter box avoidance. 

There are many alternatives to declawing including trimming your cats nails regularly which takes less than 5 minutes once every week or two, or the application of vinyl nail caps which cover the nail and need to be replaced every month or so. Providing many scratching areas allows the cat a place to get out their excess energy, stretch and enjoy themselves. Having a lot of interactive toys for your cat will also help distract them from your furniture. 

Declawing is seen as a routine procedure and is often offered as a package deal with neutering / spaying. This needs to END. Neutering / spaying your pet prevents overpopulation of animals from already overflowing shelters and helps reduce the number of pets who are euthanized each year - declawing a cat has absolutely no benefit to its health. As long as pet owners have the option to declaw, and veterinarians still offer it, this barbaric practice will continue. 

Canada, please ban declawing! There are so many alternatives to declawing and I am ashamed that our country has no laws against it. There is no reason for this legalized abuse to continue. We all need to stop being blissfully ignorant and start having empathy for the animals we share our lives with - they deserve it. 

 

 

Sources: 

http://www.pawproject.org/​

http://www.softpaws.com/​

http://www.peta.org/living/companion-animals/8-reasons-never-declaw-cats/​

http://www.catsupport.net/info/display?PageID=13055​

http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/cats/tips/declawing.html​

http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/read-this-before-declawing-your-cat/​

http://www.allfelinehospital.com/declaws.pml​

http://www.petsadviser.com/vet/declaw-your-cat/​

http://angiesdiary.com/society/pets/cat-behavior-why-cats-claw/

http://www.peta.org/issues/companion-animal-issues/companion-animals-factsheets/declawing-cats-manicure-mutilation/​

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/09/130911-declawing-cats-paw-project-vets-pets/

http://bc.ctvnews.ca/declaw-dilemma-some-veterinarians-refusing-to-declaw-cats-1.1207643​

http://www.declawing.com/countries-that-outlaw-declawing​

http://www.montrealdogblog.com/18745/declawing-cats/