[Gpdd] RE: [MISC] I just got a cat for christmas, help me!

[Lauren Cordeiro]

Madi:
 
Please, I can not urge you strongly enough to reconsider your decision to declaw your cat! Declawing does not usually solve behavioral problems and in many instances makes a cat more defensive, skittish, and likely to bite excessively! I have two cats and to keep them from my guinea pigs, I keep my GPs in one room with the door shut and supervise them when they are together. My cats are trained to use their scratching posts; they can be trained using a spritzer bottle of water. Most people do not realize the harmful effects of declawing. Here are a few links I found on a Google search:
 
"The declawing operation itself is the human equivalent of removing the first joint of all your fingers. Many vets feel that the lack of these joints impairs the cat's balance and can cause weakness from muscular disease. Declawing also makes a cat feel defenseless and can affect their personality, making them skittish or nervous biters.
"There are alternatives to declawing. Exercise and play with your cat regularly. Give him a scratching post and teach him to use it. Trim your cat's nails on a regular basis. And, of course, talk to your vet or cat-owner friends about ways to "train" your cat to exercise its natural instincts in non-destructive ways."
http://amby.com/cat_site/kr-declaw.html
 
Declawing is illegal in almost all industrialized countries, including the UK, Spain, France, Germany, Australia, Portugal, Brazil, and many more.
http://amby.com/cat_site/kr-declaw.html
 
The Cat Fanciers' Association also strongly discourages declawing. Please read their opinion:
http://www.cfainc.org/health/declawing.html
 
I don't mean to imply that you are a cruel cat owner. Actually, most people I talk to don't know that declawing is so controversial. But I hope this gives you some information, and don't worry about the cat and guinea pigs, because I think many people live with them both and don't have any problems. Good luck,
Piglet, Pooh Bear, Philadelphia, Siouxsie Sioux, and Lauren



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