I don’t want to mutilate animals, especially not my new kitten. All my research leads me to conclude that I must be an animal abuser, but my rational mind is screaming that it’s not true. I have managed to raise two cats who seemed happy and healthy and neither of them ever seemed to hate me for my alleged mutilating abuse. I admit that I have had two cats declawed (only in the front!) and that despite all the accusatory articles out there telling me not to, I am considering doing it again. Gasp! What exactly is our obligation in the world to the animal population and more specifically, to our pets?
I’ve had the new kitten for two months now and I’m still not fully attached to her. She’s sweet and adorable and goofy as hell, but she’s also an aggressive killer. She has torn the husband and I up repeatedly with her damn claws and bit me so badly once that it became infected and I ended up dropping $150 at the doctor to keep my finger from falling off. I want to do right by her and that means not subjecting her to an unnecessary medical procedure, but if it is keeping me from fully bonding with her, then isn’t it in her best interest too?
In case you don’t know, declawing a cat is a major procedure and involves the amputation of the toe up to the first knuckle. This can cause behavioral problems as the cat might feel less secure and become more defensive and it can also lead to joint pain due to changing the way the cat walks and causing postural problems. On one hand, it’s a lot like circumcising Junior: not at all necessary for health reasons, but more convenient for you. When I had the first two cats declawed it was fifteen years ago and no one in Indiana even mentioned that it might be cruel. Flash forward to now and I am old enough and aware enough to know on my own that it is unnecessary and inhumane. So why do I still want to do it?
First, the husband is pressuring me and doesn’t really buy into the cruelty aspect. I tell him all the time he’s a horrible person, but he doesn’t believe me and stalks around kicking puppies at every opportunity. Saintly animal activist that I am, I actually care for the poor defenseless cats and think I’m being selfish, except for one thing. Coconut is an aggressive six pounds of fur who attacks any moving target with 100% fury, regardless if the target is a toy, feet, hands, head or any part of the body that might move during sleep. I currently have scars on my foot, wrist, both hands, thigh, shoulder and a place I’d rather not mention – but here’s a tip, never pick up a scratching cat without first putting on a shirt. So I’m not worried about furniture, I’m worried that if something is not done to prevent the painful attacks, our relationship is never going to fully develop.
I want to love her, she’s a six pound ball of purring softness, but she also has razor like claws and teeth, both with unbelievable accuracy at finding their target. I’m scared of holding her at times and I have to continually kick her out of the bedroom when I sleep so she does not accidentally do real damage to my eyes or face. So is it more or less humane to declaw her in an effort to improve our relationship (and hopefully going to last 15 years or more)? She deserves a loving owner who is not frightened of her, but at what price? I don’t want to be just another human who believes I am superior to all other creatures and exploits them at my discretion. Then again, I also want to go a day without bleeding.
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