Please meet Mouse the kitten.
She is the little kitten from the Midwest that I did a post about yesterday. Her mom was going to take her to get her declawed in two weeks.
I called her “Cutie” because I didn’t know her real name. The intervention post worked and her mom said that she is going to try using Soft Paws instead of getting her declawed. I personally shipped out a couple of boxes of Soft Paws to her today and will update this post when she sends me a photo of Mouse with them on.
Her mom was never counseled about declawing from the veterinarian she goes to, or told that she should use the humane alternatives since kittens can always be trained. She said that when you call up her vet and ask for a declaw, they just make the appointment for the procedure and they offer no counseling about what declawing really is or that it is bad for a cat or ask if you have tried the humane alternatives. They charge $125- $200 for the declaw.
The reason I did the post yesterday was to create awareness about how many cat owners hold on to the belief that declawing is ok. They trust that if their veterinarian declaws cats and doesn’t say it is bad for them, then they don’t feel anything is wrong or bad about it.
The majority of veterinarians in America who declaw cats, which is around 80% or more, do NOT practice declawing as a last resort, do NOT counsel clients about the negative aspects of declawing, that it is an amputation surgery, or teach cat owners that the humane alternatives are the best route. The majority of vets who declaw cats just simply acquiesce to their clients and do it as a common, first option procedure.
This is why, in my opinion, the reason declawing is so common in America is 100% the fault of these veterinarians. They are the gatekeepers. They are the ones who clients trust for their best medical decisions for their cats.
If you called up your vet and asked them to declaw your dog because it was ruining your hardwood floors, these same vets wouldn’t do it and say that’s inhumane and would give you suggestions to remedy the issue. Same if you called up and said your dog was chewing up all your pillows and shoes and needed its teeth pulled. Yes with cats, they simply do this very inhumane procedure that has many humane alternatives that are always successful.
Something similar to this information should be on every veterinarians website. These declaw “doctors” should take at least 15 minutes going over this information with clients because most all cat owners would not go through with this inhumane surgery if the vets passionately tried to talk them out of it and told them how it harms and is bad for their kitties. I know this for a fact since two of the veterinarian contestants in the top ten of America’s Favorite Veterinarian contest from last year, stopped declawing and told me they have only had one or two clients that went elsewhere to get a declaw.
The vets should teach each and every one of their employees who answer the phones as to how to address declawing and also how to not make it like it is just one of their routine surgeries and is ok. [button href=”http://www.treehouseanimals.org/site/PageServer?pagename=caring_ccg_cats_need_claws” color=”green” newwindow=”yes”] Why Cats Need Their Claws[/button] [button href=”http://pawswhiskersandclaws.com/general/declawing/” color=”green” newwindow=”yes”] Why declawing is bad for a cat[/button]
I want to thank everyone who sent me advice on how to address this issue. Even if there is a lot of heartache and it is time consuming, it’s hard to let something go when you believe you might be able to save even one kitty from going through this unnecessary and inhumane procedure. This woman also told me that many of you respectfully and nicely reached out to her on facebook and gave her great tips on how to address scratching issues and claws on cats. Thank you for doing that. You are the noble ones for this important cause. Your message gets through to cat owners.
Sadly she also said that some of you said some very bad things to her and I am quite disappointed after hearing that. As I always ask with these kind of posts, please don’t threaten or attack anyone because it is wrong, it hurts the cause, and you never get through to anyone by taking that path. I know it’s hard to not be angry and upset when it comes to this horrific procedure but we must take the high road even if other people don’t seem to be.
Many of these cat owners are holding on to long held beliefs and it is only through persistence, passion, education, and inspiration that we will make a positive difference. Sometimes it is difficult and harsh words are exchanged on both sides but you can always be respectful in the way you go about it.
I was reluctant to take the time to try to changes this person’s heart and mind but I thought of this story and it inspired me to keep trying.
Even if it was just one kitten, it was worth it and now Mouse will hopefully live her life as a cat should, with her paws intact and her amazing claws. She will truly live a happy and healthy life. 
Please thank this woman who had the courage to write me and tell that she really did think about this whole thing and after going through the research that I sent her, she saw things differently and realized why we all are working so hard to try to help save all kitties from being declawed.
Please keep trying to make a difference for all the kitties in this country.
Please ask your own vet to stop declawing and if they don’t let them know you are taking your business to an ethical vet who doesn’t declaw cats. Here is a note you can use to sent to them. [button href=”https://citythekitty.org/what-you-can-do-to-help-end-declawing/” color=”orange” newwindow=”yes”] Note to send to your vet who declaws cats[/button]
Good news! Mouse’s mom received her Soft Paws from the wonderful people at SoftPaws.com and look at her now! Here is the note that her mom sent me about the soft paws!
“Dear City, She was not easy to take pictures of lol. Those things are awesome. I wish I’d known about them a long time ago. I might have been resistant at first , but I love them. I put them on her myself. It was pretty easy, granted Mouse was not happy, but she doesn’t act any different now. Thank you for saving my kitty. I love seeing them on her and knowing a little discomfort to put them on is better than a lifetime full of pain.”
