As Debate Continues, Lawmakers Are Making Their Stance Clear

By Patrick Cullen

While a cat is unlikely to eat your homework like a dog might, both lovable pets come with their own concerns.

For cats, scratching is a behavior that can drive owners crazy, as furniture gets shredded and you receive the occasional swipe from your feline friend. While realistically this is only a minor inconvenience, the result of animal instincts that can be managed, some cat owners jump to an extreme that should never be considered: Cat declawing.

While it is a fix for the bothersome scratching, it’s foremost an inhumane, damaging procedure. As the debate rages on and owners continue to do as they please, law makers in some cities in the United States have begun to take matters out of the hands of owners by making the surgery illegal. Even before these cities started to take action, Europe made cat declawing illegal. In Canada, however, cat declawing is still legal.

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association opposes declawing.

While still existent throughout Canada, fortunately, cat declawing has decreased over the years and is now not as common as it once was. This may be because it’s become increasingly difficult to find a vet willing to do the procedure, as many have become familiar with the glaring ethical concerns. Back in March, cat declawing was publicly denounced by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, which hopefully got the ball rolling on at least considering some laws against the practice. While all of this is progress toward eliminating cat declawing completely, until it is made illegal, it us up to the public to work to stop cat owners from going down that road. Education and awareness is key.