San Francisco May Ban Declawing Cats

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(Sept. 8) -- Officials in San Francisco are considering whether to ban declawing cats on the grounds that the procedure is cruel. But the idea has run into opposition from a surprising source: the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that while the group opposes declawing, it worries that a ban would result in more cats being abandoned or put to death.
Some pet owners have their cats declawed to stop them from damaging furniture. The surgery involves removing the claws and the last bone of each toe. San Francisco's Board of Supervisors is considering a measure that would bar the operation except in cases of medical necessity.
"It comes down to animal cruelty and mutilating an animal for the convenience of its guardian," said Sally Stephens, president of the city's Animal Welfare Commission, in an interview with the Chronicle.
But Mark Nunez, president of the California Veterinary Medical Association, told the newspaper that his group doesn't want lawmakers making decisions about medical procedures.
"We don't believe medical management procedures should be made by city council members. They should be made by professionals," Nunez said.
Kristin DeJournett, a cruelty caseworker for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said she doesn't believe that a ban would trigger an increase in abandonded cats.
"Declawed cats are more often found in shelters and get passed from home to home," DeJournett told AOL News. She said declawing can lead to behavior problems, making cats more prone to biting because they feel insecure. They may also avoid their litter boxes because they feel the need to mark their territory and because the litter is uncomfortable on their paws.
"We're all for any legislation banning declawing," DeJournett said.
John Snyder, a vice president with the Human Society of the United States, told AOL News his organization opposes declawing unless a cat is in an "absolute life or death situation." But he declined to comment on the San Francisco proposal, saying he didn't know enough about the specifics.
Another California city, West Hollywood, banned declawing in 2003. The California Veterinary Medical Association challenged the law, but the state Court of Appeal upheld it.
John Duran, the West Hollywood City Council member who led the push for the ban, said his city hasn't seen a surge in abandoned cats since the law took effect.
"That's a red herring," he told AOL News. "We have not seen an uptick in cats being abandoned, or feral cats living in neighborhoods. People continue to adopt cats."
Duran is interested in the issue because he had one of his pets declawed 20 years ago, a decision he came to regret. The cat became skittish and stopped using its litter box. "I didn't know what I was doing," he said.
Duran hopes bans on declawing will be common some day.
"I think a lot of this is about public education," Duran said. "To try to change the animal to make us more comfortable, we just consider that inhumane."
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2009-09-08 10:13:30
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San Francisco May Ban Declawing Cats

What do you think of it? I never own a cat so I was surprised to learn that declawing does change the cat for worse. It does make sense.
 
YESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D

I never want to be fan of declawing... It's just so cruel... =/

EDIT: I really hope they is going to ban it soon!!! Sorry, this gets me some high hope. lol
 
That's great! I am against the idea of having cats declawed. However, cats will end up have no homes. Lots of people rather cats to have declawed or won't take cats home. That's where it happenes here in my local area, and lots of cats are growing and have no home in any where cat shelters. :( wish there are another ways for any people to take cats with claws.
 
Frisky Feline said:
That's great! I am against the idea of having cats declawed. However, cats will end up have no homes. Lots of people rather cats to have declawed or won't take cats home. That's where it happenes here in my local area, and lots of cats are growing and have no home in any where cat shelters. :( wish there are another ways for any people to take cats with claws.
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I know!!! :mad: I hate how it happened!! Claws are a part of nature for all kinds of cats.

Let me tell you something.

Try imagine for one moment... There is a larger meadow, and there are only four cats, one mother and three kittens. But, the mother has no claws. One day, the mother took her little furkids outside for hunting. One big meanie wolf appears, and kills the mother cat because of no claws and she can't protect herself. Now, who would protect three kittens? You know the wolf will not protect them...

That is why the claws are SO important to all cats! PERIOD!!





Sorry... I'm only being passionate... a little. ^^;;
 
Karissa, i am with you all the way. I even got pissed off when i heard someone who decided to have their cats declawed. then guess what they got rid of cat by kicking cat out of house. how suppose the cat protect himself from fighting with other creatures. :mad2: I admit that i even support any cat shelters found cats from outside such as lots of ferals to bring to the shelters and have them sprayed/neutrals then let them outside. It's better than none than having more kittens coming up. :shock: some cat shelters are doing the kind of stuffs that they do care about cats. Cats can survive on their own outside, thats fine for me, but NO MORE KITTENS!
 
Frisky Feline said:
Karissa, i am with you all the way. I even got pissed off when i heard someone who decided to have their cats declawed. then guess what they got rid of cat by kicking cat out of house. how suppose the cat protect himself from fighting with other creatures. :mad2: I admit that i even support any cat shelters found cats from outside such as lots of ferals to bring to the shelters and have them sprayed/neutrals then let them outside. It's better than none than having more kittens coming up. :shock: some cat shelters are doing the kind of stuffs that they do care about cats. Cats can survive on their own outside, thats fine for me, but NO MORE KITTENS!
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Yep. A number rate of cats are so easily increased than humans.

I have my deaf cat who is declawed before we adopted her... =/ I explained to my mom about delcawing and she was like "Wow. I never knew about it! I now understood why Gracier don't like to be picked up." Yeah, my cat don't like to be picked up cos of her front legs are probably still feeling a pain. :( But, at the least, he is okay...
 
yeah it's the best thing to keep educating people about the declawing. I still am doing by telling people about the declawing. I told them to find a way to keep cats away from scratching soemthing in the house. i know it won't work some of cats who are stubborn keep doing it. oh well lol
 
I feel it's cruel to declaw cats too. Cutting off a humans arms is comparable to dewclawing....

Then again, I've had my curtains shreaded and some of my furniture scratched. Mr. Mittens can be destructive! No matter his scratching stand.

He's neutered, so we let him outside in the back yard, along with my dog (a Pomeranian.) It's fenced, he's yet to get over it....does his scratching on the trees and wood. And bring in him in the evening. Being outside is the "natural" thing for cats. Right now, he's having "fun" chasing the falling leaves, frogs, lizards, etc. And hiding behind the water softener....Does his business too! And his liter box smells much better!
 
I totally hate the idea of declawing. It's so inhumane. Many countries already ban it. I wish the entire US would ban it. I hope San Francisco does indeed ban declawing.
 
I pissed off at this poll. :mad2:

What do you think of declawing cats?
It should be allowed 61%
It should be banned 29%
Not sure 10%
Total Votes: 25,871
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We need more supporters to vote against declawing... =/
 
I'm against declawing too.

Robin: I'm glad your cat has access to the outdoors. Here in Britain most people do this and get their cat a cat flap, although some don't which isn't so good because once out the cats are dependent of humans to allow them to go in and out. They can't choose for themselves.
 
rockin'robin said:
He's neutered, so we let him outside in the back yard, along with my dog (a Pomeranian.) It's fenced, he's yet to get over it....does his scratching on the trees and wood. And bring in him in the evening. Being outside is the "natural" thing for cats. Right now, he's having "fun" chasing the falling leaves, frogs, lizards, etc. And hiding behind the water softener....Does his business too! And his liter box smells much better!
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You do realize bird-watchers and many "nature lovers" poison free-roaming cats, right? Just a head-up...
 
I can understand one point of view that people don't want their furniture, especially very expensive furniture all scratched up.

I guess they shouldn't own cats if they don't want anything scratched up.

Yiz
 
souggy said:
You do realize bird-watchers and many "nature lovers" poison free-roaming cats, right? Just a head-up...
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Sure do!....Knock-on-wood!...My dog and cat are behind a secure, high fence. Mr. Mittens doesn't roam free, he's secured. And he's in the house late evenings (before dark).And I do live on a private road, know all the neighbors. Since he's neutered, he doesn't go looking for female company.

MY dog and him are "best friends", actually, my dog tried to "hump" the cat! (Hilarious)....Sort of like a "love story" here....Would break my heart if someone did poison my cat! I'm a bird-lover also, have cocktiels. I've been able to "train" Mr. Mittens to stay away from my birds. Still, you can't trust cats around birds, that's why when it's bed time, the cat & dog go to my bedroom and the door is closed.

I've never left the house without making sure our cat is secured, whether in another room with the door closed, or behind the fence. It's "natural" for cats to stalk birds. It's their nature.
 
yizuman said:
I can understand one point of view that people don't want their furniture, especially very expensive furniture all scratched up.

I guess they shouldn't own cats if they don't want anything scratched up.

Yiz
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another thing is many people are stupid, like they mistake exotic pets for furnitures, like pure breed cats (siameses is a good example), often those kinds of sleek looking cats are actually high energy breeds, moreso high tendency to get bored hence they WILL scratch, chew anything - my 2 kittens are like this too, I have good furnitures myself, but not *new and expensive - just well looked after and quite collectable now*...not only the overlooking of what behaviours of pets people get, but also time to give to be with the animals is very important. Important not in the sense to 'train them' while it is, however being a geniuine freind to your pets go a lot further, it is that 'life responsibility' meaning to say, looking after another form of creature is about love, not ownership. They dont know what is important to you (maybe in a small way as 'no go zone' but with that you have to keep on your toes as they do changes rules or make new rules heck even new 'games' especially the very bright breeds, they are inventive !! - this is another reason 'owners' get sick of them as 'they (the pet-owners) have lost the game of domiinance (more relevant to dogs especially high-strung border collies, wermaraners) frustration become over bearing not a good thing. So as the result human pet-owners abandon their poor animals.
 
rockin'robin said:
Sure do!....Knock-on-wood!...My dog and cat are behind a secure, high fence. Mr. Mittens doesn't roam free, he's secured.
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Good on you. I get annoyed when cat owners complain that their cat got hit by a car or somehow got killed on someone else's property when it is owners' responsibility to make sure cats don't end up in situations like that.

All animals should be controlled and contained by their owners. You can't control what other people will do, but you can certainly control your own life.

I miss my cat though. :( Even if she tears apart every single cardboard item she come across and eat them.
 
All of my cats were spayed or neutered, and all but one was declawed. None of them suffered ill effects from declawing, nor did their personalities or behavior change. All but one were house cats, and the one was an indoor-outdoor cat. They were never attacked by other animals. My last cat put the fear of God in my two Labs. The cats could still catch lizards and perch on the tops opf doors. My last kitty was an intimidating boxer with a swift one-two punch.
 
yizuman said:
I can understand one point of view that people don't want their furniture, especially very expensive furniture all scratched up.

I guess they shouldn't own cats if they don't want anything scratched up.

Yiz
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Yup, that what I was thought and if you have leather couch so end up in alot of scratches.

I don't want any cats or dogs in my property if I get own property.

I'm personally think that declaw should be up to owner's choice, some owners love to own cat but don't want their furniture or carpet to ruin.
 
None of my cats were declawed. I have the cat scratching posts for my cats. They loved the posts; even they scratched them all the time, and they slept on the posts (or on my bed or their small beds). I still have the posts here in my living room and one of my bedrooms when I will get a kitten or two in the near future.

So, I am against declawing, too...
 
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