The
following is a researched opinion piece by Cassie Steele. It is her opinion and
not necessarily those held by The Windham Eagle.
Are the cats in our homes being mistreated?
Cat de-clawing is a common surgery, a procedure that has become societal norm,
but even if the surgery is legal, the health risks and consequences that follow
the surgery remain the same.
The typical technique to de-claw cats is
to amputate the last bone of the paw, which is equivalent to the amputation of
the last joint on a human hand. The aftermath of the surgery is something most
cat owners never see; blood and bandages, uncomfortable squirming and seizures,
and constant yelping behind bars. In most cases, the cat suffers with
discomfort and health issues like lameness in the paws, infections, and
swelling after the surgery. Why do cat owners choose to have this surgery
performed on their cats? Cats naturally need to scratch, and cats are known for
tearing the carpet and furniture. "I think having to amputate bones to protect
couches is really wrong”, said California veterinarian Jennifer Conrad.
However, protecting furniture is not the
only reason cat owners have their kittens de-clawed. The CDC released a
statement that forty percent of American household cats carry the "Cat
Scratch Fever" bacterium. Some cat owners get their cats de-clawed to
prevent "Cat Scratch Fever," but in reality, the bacterium is carried
by all cats, whether they are de-clawed or not. While the actual fever is
usually nothing more than a small blister, cat owners who suffer from a
compromised immune system can have serious side effects that range from the flu
to liver failure, or even death.
Americans are all about reform,
especially in the animals rights department. Is cat de-clawing the next rising
problem? Not according to vets. While cat de-clawing is a terrible surgery that
results in nothing less than unbelievable pain, veterinarians do not stop
advertising the surgery, because they can rake in up to five hundred dollars
per surgery. So what incentive would our greedy society have to stop
de-clawing? As Conrad puts it, "You can make more money as a veterinarian
by being humane than by being inhumane, so just be humane." Take if from
Conrad, veterinarians would not be losing significant income if they stopped
de-clawing. In fact, they could gain customers who supported the ban of cat
de-claw. Conrad and other veterinarians refuse to perform the surgery; but most
veterinarians still perform de-claw. Eight cities in California banned domestic
de-clawing, thanks to Jennifer Conrad and her comrades.
For owners considering chopping their
kitten’s toes off, consider an alternative, like Soft Paws. Soft Paws is a
company that sells vinyl caps that fit over the cats' claws and blunts them. These
caps prevent scratching, and are harmless to the cat. Another overlooked
alternative is scratching posts. Scratching posts require more work on the
owner's part because the cat owner needs to train their cat to use the post
instead of the drapes. Scratching posts and Soft Paws cost fewer than fifty
dollars. But pet owners continue to pay hundreds for the surgery when there are
cheaper, and humane, alternatives.
So, are the cats in our homes being
mistreated? Pet owners need to take into consideration the consequences of cat
de-clawing, and explore the alternatives. It is time for American pet owners to
elevate their pets' interests over that of their sofas.
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