I have to edit this paper for my class... do you guys have anything I should add??? Or if there are inaccuracies, please let me know.
\tDo you value the tips of your fingers? Do you find that they are useful? Would your life be more difficult without them? When you de-claw a cat it is the equivalent of cutting off the tips of your own fingers. Many people de-claw their pets to prevent undesirable behaviors such as scratching the furniture, carpet and the kids. What these people either donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t realize or choose to ignore is the fact that de-clawing cats is a form of mutilation and in many countries is illegal.
\tThe recovery from a de-clawing surgery is not a pleasant one. The animal is often unable to walk, and unable to use regular litter. They run a horribly high risk of infection in their feet and all too often the procedure needs to be re-done because the doctor did not remove enough of the digit to prevent re-growth a very painful process. The problems with de-clawing do not end there.
\tMany cats that have been de-clawed have serious behavioral issues that usually cannot be reversed. Many refuse to use their litter boxes causing them to spray and defecate all over the house. They often become unaffectionate after the procedure because they are in constant pain from the dead nerve endings in their mutilated paws. Still more problems exist.
\tCats walk on the part of their paws that are removed in the de-clawing procedure. Once a cat is de-clawed they no longer have a normal gait and often suffer from hip dysplasia and other painful joint issues, often resulting in more painful surgeries. For these reasons the cats often have a low level of activity and this can lead to feline obesity. As with humans, this obesity can lead to other serious diseases such as diabetes.
\tThere are alternatives to de-cawing your cats. There are products on the market such as Soft-Paws that allow you to cap the claws to prevent their damaging effects. When Soft-Paws are used conjunction with proper training of your pet they can learn to use appropriate scratching surfaces (such as cat posts and corrugated cardboard scratchers) and you can maintain your pretty furniture. Therefore, potential cat owners need to be aware of the issues related to cat ownership and make informed decisions about how they want to handle these issues so that they can prevent the mutilation that is de-clawing.