Declawing of cats is a form of butchery, that cat owners use to prevent cats from harming furniture. It is a brutal act committed upon cats and now has been FINALY legal banned in New York. Like cropping and docking of dogs, we frequently ask ourselves how veterinarians can perform such surgeries. Veterinarians should stick to surgeries that are necessary for the welfare of the animal, not the animal’s owner.
Declawing became acceptable over the years as a way for cat owners to keep their pets that are damaging furniture. In response to the radical effort to make cats “safe,” a company came out with a product in which a cat owner can place covers over the cat’s claws. This covers are called Soft Paws.
To be perfectly honest, I tried, for a couple of years, to put Soft Paws on my cat and decided that the process of chasing down the cat and providing restraint was too much to bare for either the cat or myself. I figured that the best option was to just budget for the replacement of the furniture that the cat destroys.
It will be interesting to see if the declawing ban moves beyond the State of New York.