Anomaly - Who Is Anomaly?

	Jon Gour Karleigh Environment Anomaly Sites References Declawing

			For most people the real issue is not whether it is ethical to declaw, the real issue is whether they are going to spend the time and energy to seek out alternatives. For many people a cat is an accessory to their lifestyle. Declawing a cat only costs money. Training the cat requires time and attention. The declawing of cats remains a highly charged issue. There are owners who gladly sacrifice their furnishings rather than declaw, then there are owners who declaw all their cats pre-emptively. Some veterinarians refuse to declaw and yet others who have no qualms about it what so ever. Procedure It is technically called an onychectomy and constitutes an amputation of the toe at the last joint. This removes the claw and the bone from which it originates. On a human hand this would be an amputation at the knuckle just above the nail. Common Arguments in Favor: Cats are destructive to furniture. Cats attack other cats, the owner and children. Cats inadvertently snag their claws. The owner is immunocompromised. Common Arguments Against: Recovery from the procedure is painful. Some veterinarians think it is excruciatingly painful, others characterize it as merely "uncomfortable". Surgical complications: Inadvertent removal of part of a digital pad, incomplete removal of the nail bed and partial re-growth of the nail, infection, rare anesthetic complications. Also cited are disfigurement of the feet, lameness for in-apparent reasons, long healing time, psychological trauma, inability to defend themselves, inability to climb. Some people feel that it is a surgery of convenience for the owner on the order of ear cropping and tail docking. Having decided to share our homes with a cat or two, most people agree that we are obliged to optimize their living conditions by keeping the litter box clean, feeding them, keeping them free of external and internal parasites. That's easy, but what does one do about those activities which are perfectly normal but which are offensive to us; scratching the furniture, tearing up the carpet, scratching people, spraying and digging in the plants? -The ethical question becomes how far are we going to go. -Answer: Do the least damaging thing to the cat, which will achieve the best results. Remedies Ranked 1. Not all cats are destructive. Let them be innocent until proven guilty; give them scratching posts, scratching pads, cat trees and show/encourage them to use them. 2. Behavioral modification - successful behavioral modification constitutes a cure, no more problems. It requires, however, concentrated vigilance and action. Initial attempts often fail and require persistence, inventiveness and willingness to try a number of different techniques. 3. Nail Clipping - Low tech and relatively simple but you have to do it or get your veterinarian or groomer to do it. Not fool proof. They can still do some limited damage but sometimes get out of the habit of scratching because it's not the same without the tips. 4. Soft Paws™ (http://www.softpaws.com/) - This product consists of blunt plastic sheaths which are "Superglued" onto the nails. They need to be replaced as they fall off. 5. Tendonotomy - Surgical procedure, not new but currently in vogue. Prevents extrusion of the claws and scratching. Reputed to be more humane, less painful than declawing but requires clipping the nails every two to four months so they don't grow long and catch on things. 6. Declawing.