There should be a compulsory requirement that all cat owners watch the declaw operation before deciding to request the operation for their cat. I don't think this is such an extreme idea. When people purchase something, an object or a service they often do a considerable amount of research beforehand. When a person takes their cat along to the vet they don't have a clue about what is to going happen to their cat.
The whole horror of the operation is hidden from view. It is packaged and sterilized. The reality is turned into something palatable.
If it was made compulsory for a cat owner to see the entire operation performed, together with the aftermath, it would at least allow the person to make an informed view. It would not infringe upon that person's democratic rights. It would simply be a bit of obligatory education on the subject of cat caretaking and we know how important that is.
Of course something as sensible and as humane as my suggestion will never happen because in general American's just don't care enough about declawing. Declawing of cats is a non-issue. It is not on the agenda. It just happens like buying the groceries.
This vet tech thinks like me.
Sorry but I have to disagree here. I am not pro-declaw but pretty much any surgery seems graphic and nasty when not white-washed, including surgeries such as spaying few cat advocates want to disappear. I do think cat owners should be made aware it is a surgery, but I don't think discouraging surgeries because they seem nasty is conducive to informed health decisions for owner or cat. I do think that everyone should take time to read up on any medical procedure being considered for any member of their family, two-legged or four-legged, but that it should never be used as an argument for or against a medical procedure, as it's a slippery slope.
ردحذفSorry about my grumbling but I see this argument in nearly every article about declawing and it's a major pet peeve of mine, particularly when there are better points to be made such as the risk of behavioral changes or arthritis and alternative solutions to scratching. Unless you want to insist on owners watching every surgery they put their animal through, it's a hypocritical policy and I doubt you want people refusing to neuter their pets because it's not exactly pleasant to watch or think about.
Thanks for the comment. I agree that all surgery should not be seen but there are a lot is misconceptions about declawing. A lot of cat owners think declawing is taking the "nails" out when it is removing the last phalange of each of ten toes. Far more serious.
حذفThe point I am making is that there is a educational requirement for some cat owners and this is one free way to do it. But I respect your views and the views of all Americans.
People tend to avoid education when they are adults. We can't expect people to check out declawing thoroughly before opting for the operation on behalf of their cat.