Cat Health

ByHelen Whitehead

Some months ago when I was fostering a couple of very scared, semi-feral, kittens who were a little prone to scratching I was chatting to a workmate whose instinctive response was, 'Why don't you just get them declawed?' This wasn't said with any sarcasm or indeed any malicious intent it was just a matter of fact solution. Turns out she had grown up with cats, all of whom had been declawed and she had no idea, as many people don't, about what declawing actually entails.

Declawing, or, let's call it by its proper name, partial digit amputation, is by no means a solution to anything. Though it may sound like a routine procedure almost akin to nail trimming, this extreme surgery is far from routine. During the operation the last bone of each of the cat's front ten toes is surgically removed, meaning that muscles, nerves, tendons and blood vessels are irrevocably severed. In human terms this would equate to having the last joint of your fingers chopped off. Doesn't sound so great does it? As you can imagine, this is extremely painful, so painful in fact it is sometimes used as a tester for the efficacy of new pain medications for animals.

Following declawing surgery the cat's feet are bandaged up to prevent the animal from bleeding to death and this is unfortunately just the beginning. What follows is a brutal period of 'healing' which can involve abscesses, necrosis, lameness, lack of balance, suppressed immune system and of course extreme pain and distress. The risks of post operative complications are high and apart from the physical symptoms, almost equally as devastating are the psychological symptoms. Some cats simply never regain the trust they had for their owner (and remember we have a whole network of people to love and support us, for cats, we're all they have in the world). It's a familiar story, a declawed cat, who was once trusting, happy and playful then turns into a morose, fearful creature who often has litterbox problems due the pain of standing in the litter tray and biting problems due to an overwhelming fear of any human contact. Many of these cats then end up in shelters.

There are some vets who refuse to declaw at all but there are many who still do and of even greater concern is the number of vets who ignore their responsibility to educate and properly inform people of the risks and the effects of declawing surgery. Vets after all make a huge amount of money from carrying out this procedure. It is saddening to think that economics may in any way be an influencing factor in the fight to end this cruel practice.

An embarrassing fact is that Canada and the US are the only two countries that really stand out as not having taken a stand and banning this procedure. The United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Israel, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, these are just a few of the countries in which declawing is banned or restricted. The United Kingdom even goes so far as to call declawing an 'unnecessary mutilation'. One very positive sign in the US, thanks to an organization called the Paw Project www.pawproject.org in California, is that municipal bans have been agreed in various cities such including West Hollywood, San Francisco and Santa Monica.

So what can we do? Well if you have a cat who scratches furniture, or know a friend who does, make sure they research and invest in a good scratching post. Encourage the cat to use the post by placing it by the furniture the cat normally attacks and try rubbing some cat nip onto the post for further encouragement. It may take a little time but your cat can easily be trained to use the scratching post instead of your sofa! Make sure your friends and colleagues who own cats are fully aware of what declawing entails so that if they or anyone they know were to think about the procedure they would at least know the full facts. Ask your vet where he or she stands on declawing. Ask them if they recommend it and whether they explain to people about the level the pain and the high chances of complications. Choose a vet to treat your cat who does not accept declawing as a justifiable course of action for a cat who may like the side of your sofa more than a boring scratching post.

Let's change this right now, let's call declawing what it is and make it history.

Helen Whitehead is a partner in Diamond Dogs Petsitting who provide a range of pet care services to the Vancouver, BC region. Check out their website on http://www.petsittingvancouver.com

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BySonia Manning

If you have a cat, change in behavior is always a cause for concern. Sometimes it is absolutely nothing but a temper tantrum and redirected aggression but other times, it's something much more serious. If you are dealing with behavioral changes, this is something that cannot be ignored. Cats don't act out or differently for no reason.

Are there Changes in the Home?

Before jumping to conclusions and stressing that your feline friend is seriously sick, you should evaluate the home environment first. Have there been any changes? Did you get a new pet or lose one? Keep in mind that if you recently had to put a pet down or one passed, this vacancy affects the cat just as much as it affects you, even if you don't think the two were ever that close.

You also want to consider if there are any new people in the home like a baby, boyfriend, girlfriend, etc., or if you've lost someone. Once again, vacancy takes a toll on your cat. If you have a teenager who has left for college or if you recently gone through a divorce, this could account for changes in behavior.

Early Signs of Illness

If there have been no drastic changes in your living environment and your cat is offering different behavior, a vet visit is definitely warranted. In fact, even if there have been changes at home, it still does not hurt to go ahead and have your cat checked out if he or she is acting different. You could dismiss the behavior as them being upset but it could also be random timing and there could be serious health concerns present.

It is important to understand that early warning signs of a serious illness can be so mild that they often get overlooked, especially in a busy household. Small changes in behavior may seem insignificant and sometimes even adorable so they get dismissed until eventually they seem like normal behavior. In the meantime, a disease could be rapidly progressing.

Common Cat Behavioral Changes to Watch For

• Overly-friendly - If you have a cat that has always been a little independent and never really craved too much attention who suddenly turns into a lap cat crying to be petted, there could be a problem.

• Withdrawn - Is your cat suddenly staying away from everyone when they were once friendly? This is definitely a cause for concern.

• Urination - Cats who are ill or in pain will often start to relieve themselves outside their litter box. This could be the result of a long list of health problems.

• Thirsty - Is your cat drinking a lot more than usual? This could be a sign of diabetes or a kidney problem.

• Behavioral Traits - Cats that all of a sudden start scratching at things, drinking from the faucet or rubbing their ears are all examples of changes in behavioral traits that should be checked out.

It is important that you always take the time to be observant of your cat; change in behavior should never simply be dismissed no matter how insignificant you may think it is!

Sonia Manning provides interesting information and helpful tips about cats and their behaviors. Visit her website at http://www.catbehaviorsolutions.com for more topics. You can also receive free an 8-day Email Mini-Course on "Secrets About Your Cat's Behavior: Why He Does the Things He Does!"

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