PLEASE!
Think Twice Before Declawing Your Cat or Kitten:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

...A sturdy sisal rope scratching post is a favorite of cats...forget carpet!            ...This very inexpensive item attracts ANY cat to scratch!  Corrugated cardboard boxes like this
                                                                                                                           are only $5 - $7 at Wal-Mart, Petco, PetsMart and many other stores!

            Many people just do not know the facts about declawing.  Many veterinarians promote it (it is a big money-making procedure for them!), so why     not just do it?  The facts are clear that declawing is a painful, elective surgery involving bone amputation, which is performed on cats for the        
    convenience of the owner not the benefit of the cat.  Please read the following easy tips to save your cat from being declawed.

            Regardless of whether you are an advocate or opponent of declawing... Declawing is an ILLEGAL procedure in many European countries.
    What is so common to American culture is considered a cruel mutilation to others around the world.  In fact, several cities in the U.S. have recently
    banned declawing!

            When a person is indignant about how they "have to have their cats declawed" because they "have expensive furniture" (they can be trained to         leave furniture alone) or "they don't want their kids to get scratched" (children must be taught to handle cats gently - also, a cat BITE is much worse         than a scratch and a declawed cat will bite in self defense) ...whatever the reason may be...if they are unwilling to be educated on both the trauma of the     procedure and the methods of training a cat... IT SAYS VOLUMES TO US ABOUT THE TYPE OF PET OWNER THAT PERSON IS.

            *  Cats need to stretch and scratch.  It is a natural act...not something to be taken away.  They do not scratch simply to be destructive.                  Unfortunately, if not provided the proper scratching outlets, many cats will whatever is available to them -- often the furniture!  Cats also use their claws     in grooming.  Cats who front AND back claws are removed cannot even scratch an itch!

            *  Provide your cat with one or more scratching options.  Inexpensive corrugated cardboard scratch pads are a favorite of many cats.  Sisal         rope covered posts or pyramids are another sure bet!  Forget posts made of carpet...not very enticing to kitty.  Most carpet posts sit unused and many         owners take this to me that kitty won't use a scratching post.  Provide a variety of textures and watch your cat pick his/her favorite.  :)  Sprinkle catnip     on any post or scratch pad and many kitties will fall in love!  Also, trim kitty's nails.  This is very easy to do. Ask your vet to show you how!

            *  How does declawing harm a cat??  Rescue groups often get calls from owners whose cat is experiencing behavior problems following a declaw     surgery. The most common effects we see are cats not using their litter box or becoming biters and otherwise undergoing personality changes.          Sometimes the effects of declawing appear much later on when another stress is introduced (such as moving, new baby, etc.) and the declawed cat             tends not to adapt as well.  They are often more easily stressed and the behaviors mentioned above develop later.

            *  We often see that the type of people who insist on declawing and refuse to give the cat a chance to learn appropriate scratching, are often the         type of people that are generally intolerant of a pet's behaviors or anything that inconveniences them.  When it is time to move, or a new mate or child         enters their life, etc...their declawed kitty...gets dumped at the animal shelter.

            *  We know how many cats are continually turned into shelters after they have been declawed and consequently stop using their litter         boxes, develop other behavior problems, or become "mean" due to the trauma.  We see it all the time.

            *  We know that many people will perform a convenience procedure, declawing, but will not have their cat spayed/neutered!  Their priority is to         modify an animal's anatomy for their own use but do not care to modify their anatomy for the health and well being of the cat.  How about those who         declaw an un-neutered male cat?...take away a crucial defense and then send him out to roam and fight and mate...!?!  Appalling...

            *  There is a lot of wonderful, educational information available on the declawing procedure.  We will be glad to mail you some brochures and         other information.  Please e-mail us with your mailing address. This information is available from several professional organizations for                     educational purposes and will be provided free of charge.


Cats/Kittens Available for Adoption    Dogs/Puppies Available for Adoption

About Broken Arrow    Sign Our Guestbook!

Spay/Neuter Information   Special Needs Animals

Declawing Information   How You Can Help Animals!

  BAAS Newsletter    Contact Us     Our Supporters!

Other Animal Rescue Organizations / Resources
Home