It is illegal to declaw felines in some areas Europe. Cat bodies are made with claws for functions that are similar to human fingers and toes. Kittens and cats use their claws to maintain balance while they are walking, running or leaping. Feline nails are used for necessary and pleasurable activities such as grooming, playtime and eating. Claws also perform the healthy function of burying those smelly waste materials in the litter box.
Should I Declaw My Cat?
Cat owners who choose to declaw their pets are asking for years of problems. When cats cannot walk, run or leap in comfort, they become depressed or resentful. Unhappy felines are not always pleasant creatures to share your home or life with. With the joys of itch-scratching, grooming and playtime gone, many clawless cats develop real or imagined health problems and eating disorders. Outside, declawed cats are invalids and helpless.
There are two sides showing in every declawing issue; cats are intelligent animals with admirable long-term memories. The cat-mind is preprogrammed to dispose of smelly waste materials through burying to prevent predators and diseases from invading their home in the wild. Declawed cats will continue the important waste burial practice daily until their feet are sore and raw. Cuts on cat feet can allow litter box germs to invade.
Alternatives To Declawing:
Experienced feline owners often safeguard their homes against unwanted scratching. Important pieces of furniture are covered or otherwise made unavailable, scratching posts and throw rugs are provided for clawing and these owners try to view the world through the eyes of their tiny four-footed friends. Parent cats will often hiss at their offspring to show displeasure. Since scratching is a territorial behavior, cat owners can hiss at their intelligent kittens to explain who owns the furniture.
