Declawing Website Links:

Declawing.com

Written by veterinarian Dr. Christianne Schelling, this site explains exactly what the declawing procedure entails and the various negative impacts it can have on your cat. The site provides information you can use right away, such as the basis of scratching and how to trim your cat's claws. Everything on the site is easy to understand; it's a great introduction to declawing and alternatives.

The Paw Project

The Paw Project's mission is "to educate the public about the painful and crippling effects of feline declawing, to abolish the practice of declaw surgery, and to rehabilitate big cats that have been declawed." The Paw Project also rehabilitates lions, tigers, and other big cats that suffer from declawing. The mere thought of amputating these mighty cats' toes is horrifying, and the effects of the surgery are debilitating. This is a wonderful and educational organization, headed by veterinarian and animal advocate Jennifer Conrad.

Amby's Cat Site

This is a great site! It contains a ton of information about declawing, as well as possibly the most extensive collection of "do it yourself" cat furniture plans on the Internet.

LisaViolet: Educate! Don't Amputate!

The LisaViolet declawing site and web ring are unparalleled at providing in-depth coverage of every facet of declawing. If you are considering declawing, or want to learn more about the procedure and its effect on cats, or about claws in general, you really should visit this site. Highly recommended.

Good Cats Wear Black

Annie Bruce, cat care consultant, author of "Cat Be Good," and pro-claw activist, makes a strong case that declawing correlates with increased house-soiling. As evidence she cites studies and her own well-documented record. By a wide margin, it's her clients with declawed cats who are faced with the most challenging, seemingly unsolvable litter box problems. As Ms. Bruce states, "Urine runs deeper than claws. With claw damage you can reupholster/recover or hide. With urine damage, you may have to throw it away. In some cases, even floorboards are replaced, security deposits and leather sofas are lost. This extensive damage typically does not occur with owners of clawed cats!"

Declaw or No?

Jacqlee the Cat Lady speaks with eloquence and passion about cats. She devotes a large section of her site to educating people about two sides of the same coin: 1) the numerous advantages that accrue to a cat from having his/her claws, and 2) a whole range of physical, psychological, and philosophical problems with declawing. She then moves on to explain the reasons cats scratch, and how you can accommodate this innate activity in a manner that pleases both kitty and you.

Cat Scratching Links:

CatScratching.com

All the reasons cats scratch. Also how and where they scratch. Scratching is, among other things, fun and good exercise for your cat, and this site shows how you can enjoy your cat's scratching activity as much as he does.

Declawing Article Links:

About.com: Declawing and Humane Alternatives

In this article, part of the vast About Cats library, guide Franny Syufy eloquently lays out the case against declawing and defends a cat's "right to bear claws." The article compares the attitude to declawing in the United States with the rest of the civilized world; it also cites a growing number of organizations opposed to this medically unnecessary procedure. Franny also clearly but succinctly shows how to prevent furniture damage without declawing.

From a Veterinary Technician: So You're Thinking of Getting Your Cat Declawed?

A description of what your cat will go through if you declaw him, from the person who will be preparing your cat for the surgery and putting on his bandages afterword.

My Two Cents

In this essay, the author reflects on her own experiences with claws, and informs us of some dangers of declawing that we might not have considered. She also wonders what kind of lesson declawing teaches children.

Declawing Horror Stories

Some of these are just sad. If you think declawing doesn't cause problems, or is a reasonable way to prevent unwanted scratching, please read these accounts from cat owners, rescue workers, and breeders who have seen the lives ruined in declawing's wake.

Pictures Of A Declawing Surgery

From the LisaViolet site: "Warning: what follows are pictures taken during an actual declaw surgery. If you are disturbed by graphic photos, these may not be to your liking." At the end of the surgery, kitty's claws are in the trash, and what's left of her paws are bandaged.

Declawing: What You Need To Know

This article is courtesy of the All States Burmese Society and the amby.com Declawing Cats: Issues & Alternatives site, a valuable resource for declawing information on the Web. The article describes the important role of claws in a cat's anatomy and daily life, and explores various harmful consequences of declawing.

Declawing As Seen by a Shelter Volunteer

Colleen Patrick guest-authors an article for the About.com Cats Site in which she describes how she's forced to deal with the victims of declawing. She points out with dismay that many declawed cats show up at the shelter; she attributes both the declawing and the subsequent rejection to a lack of commitment by the owner. She also laments the unrealistic expectations that some people have of their pets.

You Can't Declaw with Love

Veterinarian Paul Rowan and cat expert Carol Wilbourn explain how declawing is done, and the numerous short- and long-term complications that can arise from the procedure. The authors urge you to use gentler, alternative methods to manage claws. The article is included as part of the Little Shelter (Huntington, NY) web site. This marvelous shelter is brimming with love and useful information about caring for your animals.

Declawing... Information Alternatives

Feline Rescue, Inc. (St. Paul, MN) asks all prospective cat owners to PLEASE not declaw, and to consider all the ethical and physical problems associated with declawing.

KittenCare.com: Claws, The facts of & Alternatives to Declawing

Simba is an expert on claws and is very pro-claw. On this page, Simba talks cat owners out of declawing, and into alternatives that let kitty keep these vital tools.