If passed during the hearing on November 13, Denver will become the first city outside of California to ban the cruel practice, and it certainly won’t be the last — other states, such as New Jersey and New York, are pushing for similar bills.
There are many reasons people choose to have their cats declawed. Protecting furniture and preventing scratching are among the top reasons, and the procedure seems like a harmless, quick way to avoid such issues.
But as it turns out, declawing, or onychectomy, is far from a simple nail trimming. It actually causes more damage to your feline friend than you might think.
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According to the Humane Society of the United States, declawing makes cats more likely to bite and less likely to use their litter boxes. It can also lead to physical problems for your cat in the long run.
The surgery itself is no manicure. Not only is the cartilage nail severed off, but by scalpel, guillotine clipper, or laser, the third phalanx bone of the toe is amputated, which can lead to lameness, infection, and other health issues.
People often opt to declaw to try to avoid infection from scratches; however, the procedure can lead to more aggression, and cats will turn to biting.
The risk of infection from a bite is much higher than that from a scratch. In fact, the fleas on your cat are more likely to give you an infection than a scratch is!
Although cats are portrayed to have mischievous personalities, the revenge they may appear to be enacting on your upholstery is nothing more than their way to stretch, mark territory, and keep their nails in good condition.
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Luckily, there are ways to keep your favorite couch in pristine condition without hurting your kitty! The American Association of Feline Practitioners recommends that you begin training your cat to use a scratching post, routinely trim her claws, and even temporarily use synthetic nail caps.
Thank you Denver!
I hope more cities and states follow.
I am so relieved to see this. As a future veterinarian, if anyone ever came to me to get their cat declawed I would refuse. I don’t care what the circumstances are, it’s cruel and I’m 100% against it. If you don’t want to deal with the claws, don’t get a cat! For crying out loud it’s that simple!
Great!!Yea for our cats!
Now lets get the rest of the States to embrace compassion & dignity and do the same to end this senseless mutilation of cats everywhere. Educate not Mutilate!
I agree!!!!
Well done Denver.
I live in Colorado and this would be such an awesome move for Denver. I have 2 cats and would NEVER have the declawed. Way to go.
I ❤️ The good people of Denver
All I can say is – YIPEE! Let everyone follow Denver’s example.
Declawing is such a cruel practice. If vets would refuse to do this or allow this in their practice could be one way that declawing is stopped or started to stop. But, as far as I’m concerned…..whomever paid to have this done to a kitten/cat needs to have their fingernails & toenails pulled out by the roots, although even that would not be as crippling as declawing. But, it’d be damned painful! Maybe they’d consider what they’ve done to the cat. Aside of all mentioned, if the cat should get outside it would have NO self protection. Leave them alone. Leave them as God made them!
I can’t imagine someone wanting to make their cat less than the animal that they are designed by nature to be!
Training cats not to scratch your furniture and getting them used to regular nail clipping is a much better option. In addition to the health risk involved for both cats and humans declawing a cat makes its paws looked deforned. Also a cat cannot properly defend its self either. If you are that worried about your furniture being scratched up, don’t get a cat.
I did not realise this was happening, at six weeks I have started my cats lying on their back on my legs to have their nails clipped, it has to be a regular thing, so might as well get them accustomed to not being worried about this being done. Also cat scratching posts are a must. I think lazy people would take the “cruel” option personally. After all children have to be trained, so why not cats!
THIS BAN MUST BE SPREAD THROUGH OUT THE COUNTRY – IT SHOULD BECOME A FEDERAL STATUTE !! I HAVE ALWAYS HAD CATS AND DOGS LIVING TOGETHER . I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAT DECLAWED . I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAT SCRATCH FURNITURE, RUGS, ETC. DECLAWING CATS IS HORRENDOUS !
Go Denver!
THANK YOU FOR WORKING SO HARD FOR OUR ANIMALS. DECLAWING A CAT IS HORRIBLE. KEEP HELPING THE ANIMALS FOR ALL OF US.. COKOE