What does it mean when my cat goes
outside the litter box?
Any cat who has
a litter box problem should see a veterinarian however, most U.S.
veterinrians don't understand than pain and exercise affect the health
and welfare of the cat. Even still, a urine test must be performe to
rule out a medical issue. (If budget permits, a blood test.
However, blood tests can cost more than the owner was trying "to
save.)" A lot of people think "...he looks
ok..." Cats usually "look" ok. but because the cat
is urinating outside the box already says that he is
NOT ok.
Never assume
that a litter box problem is "behavioral" or that your cat is urinating out of
spite. Cats are very clean by nature and an inappropriate urination
problem is often THE sign that something is terribly wrong. Severe
stress or a really dirty litter box can sometimes bring on small bouts of litter box problems but in most
cases a medical condition is the culprit.
Declawing is a medical procedure that has
caused many cats to urinate outside the box.
What is declawing?
Declawing is actually
"de-toeing", "toe-docking" , "de-fingering." Claw, bone, tendons and ligaments
are amputated to the first
knuckle of each toe. It compromises the
feet of an animal who uses those feet to cover up the most potent urine
in the world.
Declawing Facts
The American
Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) position statement on
declawing claims that declawed and clawed cats have the same behavior.
But evidence indicates otherwise. As you will see below, declawed cats
are known suffer higher rates of abandonment, euthanasia and behavioral
problems...all the problems that declawing was 'suppose' to stop:
- Published 2/1/03 on
CourierPostOnline.com, "Eighty percent of the cats that
are surrendered that are declawed are euthanized
because they have a behavioral problem…. Declawed cats
frequently become biters and also stop using litter boxes… One or
the other…,” said William Lombardi shelter director, Gloucester
County, New Jersey.
- A study of 163 cats that underwent onychectomy (declawing),
published in the Jul/Aug 1994 Journal of Veterinary Surgery, showed
that 50% suffered from immediate postoperative complications such as
pain, hemorrhage, and lameness; and long-term complications,
including prolonged lameness, were found in nearly 20% of the 121
cats who were followed up on in the study.
- In a study published in the January, 2001 JAVMA, 33% of 39 cats
that underwent onychectomy developed "at least" one
behavior problem immediately after surgery, with the most common
problems being litter box problems and biting.
- In a recent study published October, 2001, JAVMA by Dr. Gary J.
Patronek, VMD, PhD., “…declawed cats were at an increased
risk of relinquishment.”
- A recent national survey of shelters from the Caddo Parrish
Forgotten Felines and Friends indicates that approximately 70% of
cats turned in to shelters for behavioral
problems are declawed.
- From the Summer 2002 issue of PETA’s Animal Times: “A
survey by a Delaware animal shelter showed that more than 75% of the
cats turned in for avoiding their litter boxes had been
declawed.” [emphasis added]
- In my own three-year experience, 95% of calls about declawed cats
related to litter box problems, while only 46% of clawed cats had
such problems—and most of those were older cats with physical
ailments. Of my calls, only declawed cats have cost their owners
security deposits, leather sofas and floorboards. And it’s mostly
declawed cats that have been prescribed pain killers,
anti-depressants, tranquilizers and steroids. Two-thirds of my calls are
about litter box problems. In 90% of those cases, the cat is
declawed, sick or old. In 7 years, only 3 people have called
about a “scratching-the-sofa problem” - yet countless of
“healthy” declawed cats have peed on sofas.
[emphasis added to quotes]
You say declawing doesn't save time or
money or cats, why?
It's easier for cat
owners to care for able-bodied, healthy cats.
Unfortunately, declawed cats are disabled, in pain and expensive and
dangerous to own. Declawing is the #1 reason why cats urinate outside the litter
box. I get over 25 times the number of calls about declawed cats peeing
on sofas/beds/carpet than I get about cats scratching sofas. Nobody
wants a cat who pees all over the place, bites or costs a lot to
own.
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!
People call me about cat problems. Calls are via animal
shelters, pet shops, veterinarians, referred and advertising. Ninety-five percent of declawed cat owners are calling about a peeing
problem.
|
|
Declawed
Cats
|
Clawed
cats
|
|
Calls
about cat behavior
|
59
|
85
|
|
Litter
box problems
|
56
|
39
|
|
%
with
litter box problems
|
95%
|
46%
**
|
Important notes about litter box calls
1. Most of the declawed cats were under age 8 when the litter box problem
began.
2. **
Clawed cats with litter box problems were more likely to be sick or
older than declawed cats. Onset of a litter box problem for a clawed cat
was usually over age 10 and often even older. In most cases of a
clawed cat with litter box problem, owners reported symptoms that
indicated a potential illness. Many of the declawed cats had already
seen a veterinarian and had medical problems ruled out. (Note: Two
owners had previously hired a behaviorist.)
3. Severe urine damage was reported by some cat owners. In each case,
culprit was a declawed cat:
-
Two families had to replaced
their carpets twice, as well as their floorboards.
-
Three other homes had
their first and second carpets destroyed.
-
Two women lost their rental security deposit.
-
Three people lost leather sofas.
4. Nearly every cat owner who called me about a litter box problem was
considering giving up the cat, putting it outside, locking it in the
basement or euthanasia.
5. Most declawed cat owners had not been
informed of what the operation entailed or any risks associated with
declawing. Nearly every declawed cat owner told me they would never
have their cat declawed again.
Any home that has a
declawed cat runs a higher risk of property destruction and relinquish
of cat.
Doesn't declawing
saves cat lives?
False. Thousands of declawed cats don't have
homes AND have ruined furniture. Visit any shelter. You will find many
declawed cats who need homes "without children under four"
(because declawed cats often bite people.) Contrary to popular belief declawing
endangers
a cat's life because nobody wants a cat who bites and destroys property.
Some cats have
had to be put to sleep after being declawed because they couldn't walk. Sometimes
the claw will try to grow back or loose bone will
cause infection, requiring subsequent painful and expensive operations.
Who knows how many cats get abandoned or re-homed because of declawing?
The AVMA does not count cats after they've been declawed (the AVMA can't
even find the cats they declawed in their own "peer reviewed
studies"!) Scratching is perceived as a serious problem that warrants amputation or
death. . . peeing and biting often justify letting the cat outside, abuse, then
abandonment. Most people call me are wanting to
get rid of their declawed cat. They did not know that healthy,
clawed cats typically don't have expensive or time consuming problems.
What about adopting that cute little
declawed or tendonectomized cat in the shelter who needs a home?
Shouldn't we try to save declawed cats too? Declawed cats need homes!
Why are declawed cats worthy to have a
HOME but clawed cats are worth LESS than ONE sofa? How come
BEFORE declawing advice, behavioral advice wasn't important -.sofas were
[more important]. Yet AFTER declawing, all of a sudden cat's life
IS more important than the sofa or clawed cats?
Please don't wait until cats are declawed to save
them! CLAWED
cats deserve saving. In one study, 70% of cats surrendered to shelters
are destroyed. Another study 80%. (Who knows how many are abandoned?) We need to save the cats who deserve homes - not promote
a dangerous product to consumers. The sooner people stop buying a product, the sooner others will
stop making it. If you decide to adopt a declawed cat, apologize to the
homeless SMART AND TRAINABLE clawed cat in the next cage why he
didn't get picked.
Cats deserve GOOD environments, not homes who think 'death and declawing' are
the 'only' choices. Outside, confinement,
abuse, neglect and abandonment can then be rationalized 'better
than death', just as declawing was [supposedly 'better than death'].
Clawed cats have better defenses to deal with bad situations.
Some people
may think my position hurts declawed cats getting homes but wasn't declawing
and the almighty DVM and AVMA suppose to save cats? I'm NOT the one
cutting on cats nor encouraging buy dangerous, worthless, un-trainable
cats. I never
suggest declawing,
even as "last resort". I'm not the one abandoning the declawed cat on the streets
or at shelters.
People who care more about a sofa are
often more likely to dumped a peeing declawed cat in the street or at the
shelter. After all, when someone compares a scratched sofa to death - a
peed on sofa is much, much worse and living outside will get justified
as "better than death" too.
Saving a declawed cat sacrifices
not only a clawed cat a good home, but the future of ALL cats is put at
stake when we accept this abuse and assume it's 'quality' guardianship.
Giving cats to "last resort" people does NOT encourage good
practices in veterinarians or cat owners. Adoption of declawed cats supports an already tragic policy and
encourages barbaric practices on cats. In order to remove a bad product
from the market, we need to stop buying it.
Declawed cats are "stolen goods." We cannot END declawing
if we SAVE declawed cats.
He's never peed outside the box before. Why now?
It's really common for
me to hear that "my declawed cat is fine. . . for awhile. Then he
pees outside the box." Cats are like people. Some react differently to having
bones and ligaments amputated. And it takes a while for the muscles and
health to deteriorate after becoming disabled.
Phantom limb pain may have a role in litter box
problems of the declawed cat. Some
declawed cats react on certain days, such as when the
barometer changes. Cats have been known to sense earth quakes before
scientific machines do.
But my cat will be living indoors only
and I don't want my stuff damaged.
Cats were living indoors lots longer
than declawing has been around. Cat litter hit the market in 1945. Declawing
started in late 60's. There was NO declawing when I was a kid. In just 35 years, it's estimated that
over 45% could be declawed in the US today.
Your home and cat is
more at risk when declawed. People who call me
about declawed cats have lost a lot MORE furniture, floorboards and
security deposits because of cat pee
and most often don't want to keep the cat.
An indoor-only cat needs additional space and exercise. One way to accommodate this is to
use carpeted cat trees. Without claws the cat is more inclined to fall
off carpeted trees and hurt himself and he may not be able to
respond as quickly in the event of disaster (flood, fire - firemen open doors to allow pets to escape.)
My cats live indoors and are trained to use the scratching post.
Scratching a post builds cats strong neck, shoulder, stomach and back
muscles. Cats cannot exercise the same without their claws. It's important my cats
have the claws to build strong muscles - the foundation of sound health and
confidence.
What can I do? My declawed cat is urinating outside the box?!
Assuming your cat has NO other medical
conditions that could be causing his problem (again, ANY cat who
urinates outside the litter box should see a veterinarian, a medical
issue should be ruled out because cat-pee is a sign of illness). Here are
some additional tips that may help get a declawed cat back to using his
litter box:
- Make sure his feet are checked
regularly by the veterinarian for
loose bone or infection which could cause pain for him while using the litter
box.
- Never hit, spank or squirt any cat,
this will only make matters worse. Gently direct the cat to his
litter box.
- Put less litter in the litter box.
Then slide the litter to one end so that half the box is bare.
- Give the declawed cat some stress vitamins found at many health
food stores.
- Organic catnip twice a week may helps some declawed cats.
- If you've tried all, try taking a
peeing declawed cat on daily, supervised, outdoor walks.
Going outside stops most behavior problems of cats. Outside
is next to 'last' resort (death.) Please note: these walks must be
EVERY day and supervised. Going outside occasionally and without
supervision could lead to more problems.
- Many more tips and resources are listed in Cat Be Good
to help get your declawed cat to use his box.
The best advice for
avoiding litter box problems and trouble is to stop bringing home declawed
cats.
There are millions of cats who are put to sleep every year. . .
cats
who would have easily learned the scratching post and don't need you to clean
their cat litter every hour. I have fostered dozens
of abused
and abandoned cats from shelters and it's safer and cheaper to own clawed cats. They learn quickly.
And too the AVMA implies that the declawed cat couldn't learn, it's
care wasn't worth one sofa and it's future was death anyway.
I've owned declawed cats all my life.
My cats don't have litter box problems, nothing "bad" ever
happened to them! I didn't want my skin or furniture scratched. My cat
pees now but I don't
believe you, it has to be something else!!!!
My response: Since you've owned cats for so
damn long, maybe it's time to start learning how to get them to listen
to you and how to exercise properly? I don't have a
college degree and I get my cats to behave and obey my words without
wasting money on declawing, squirt bottles, clickers, drugs or food treats.
Scratching post training is way more fun than shifting through nasty cat litter.
I
heard declawing wasn't approved by some organizations and many countries
have made it illegal, who?
Those opposed to declawing include the
The Animal Protection Institute, San Francisco Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals, Cats
International, The
Animal Protection Institute, Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals, The Association of
Veterinarians for Animal Rights, the Cat Fanciers Association and the People for
the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The British Veterinary Association and the
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons members refuse to perform the operation.
The RCVS guidelines specifically states: "A veterinary surgeon must
not cause any patient to suffer by carrying out an unnecessary mutilation." Declawing is either illegal or considered inhumane: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, Germany,
Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the
United Kingdom, and Wales. These countries do not have shelters full of
cats because they have claws or litter box problems.
October 2006 the USDA made it a federal
offense to declaw any large cats or wild animals such as bears, ferret
and rabbits.
What
about a tendonectomy, declawing by laser, plastic claw covers and other
ways to prohibit scratching?
It
is claimed that cats that are declawed by laser are "able to
walk sooner" after the operation. Even with laser technology, it
still means the cat is now permanently and forever made to walk on his knuckles.
No
matter how the cat's toes are cut off/disabled, declawing put srain on the cat owner.
It's much easier on the owner, if her cat is able-bodied.
A
tendonectomy is a new procedure that cuts the tendons in the cat's toes
so he can't retract his claws or scratch. (Note: Tendonectomies are NOT
recommended by the AVMA. See declawing/tendonectomy info on www.avma.org
) The owner still has to trim his
nails. Do NOT choose this option because it is still crippling
the feet of an animal who uses his paws to cover his waste. Many
veterinarians nowadays are trying to push this new procedure, claiming
it's "more humane". NOT! There is absolutely NO behavioral
reason to disfigure any cat's feet. YOU need your cat to scratch
his post to off-load his anxiety, frustration or happiness and to build
strong muscles. Exercise affects behavior, health, self-esteem, confidence.
Sometimes
when a cat develops a biting or peeing problem, owners have reported
that the veterinarian will remove teeth, or remove the olfactory bulb that
allows your cat to smell, or shorten his penis to help stop his peeing
problems. The latter caused one of my clients cat to have horrible spraying
problems and cost her in floorboards and drywall - repairs exceeding the
price of any sofa.
Clawed cats found for adoption in your local animal shelter do not need declawing,
tendonecomy or other barbaric operations to manage
his behavior.
Plastic
claw covers are expensive and doesn't teach the cat how to scratch his
post and build muscles.
Cats are very smart and easy to train.
Why
can I do to help end declawing?
Look
for veterinarians who refuse to declaw or tendonectomize cats (visit
the websites below) Foster
and/or adopt ONLY clawed cats. -
Spread
the word. Most people don't know it's an amputation. Or that
declawed cats pee a lot. You may be saving someone's carpet, security
deposit and cat, if you speak up.
Help
support "The
Paw Project", a non-profit agency working to end declawing
of all cats, large and small.
Annie,
why
do you say that declawing is NOT "last resort"?
Outside
is usually the "last" resort. When
a cat develops a litter box problem he will most likely be locked in one room, put outside
(without claws), surrendered to a shelter, abandoned, or put down. Only the later is truly "last" resort.
Why not lock the cat in one room to train him to his post? Or put him
outside if he 'can't be trained'? All too often the cat is first declawed then locked up or put outside - without claws to fend for
himself. Nobody wants to adopt a cat whose peeing all over the
place.
It's
really easy to get a cat to listen. Cats are smarter
than dogs and have better hearing than dogs or humans or husbands! I can make cats
behave without declawing, squirt bottles, clickers or drugs. It's very
easy. You don't need rocket science or destructive surgery to get a cat to
listen. Just common sense: good diet and exercise habits.
If you really want to save your home and
it's contents, and continue to promote the message that cats are smart
and trainable: Don't hurt the feet of your cat! Adopt clawed cats only.
Scratching post training is fun, clean, and takes
just seconds a day to teach him. Cats are very smart and trainable.
Annie
Bruce October,
2006
p.s.
Certain portions of Cat Be Good concerning declawing may be copied without consent.
For more information, please order this comprehensive
book about declawing:
The Shocking Truth About Declawing Cats
by Harriet Baker (The Cat Catalyst, Inc., 2000, soft cover, 290 pages)
Send $23 (includes $3 S&H) to:
The Cat Catalyst, Inc.
613 Sea Street
Quincy, MA 02169-2811
Phone: (617) 472-9618For
more information on declawing, please visit
these websites:
Declawing related web sites:
Petition
to outlaw declawing - please sign
petition on declawing
Helping
Paws - Animal shelter dedicated to ending declawing
The Paw Project:
Non-profit agency dedicated to end declawing of all cats (tigers, lions,
domestic, etc.) phone 1-877-PAWPROJECT
(1-877-729-7765)
The Whole Cat Journal, comprehensive article on
declawing
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/claws.html
- Consumer affairs complaint
www.de-clawing.com http://declaw.lisaviolet.com
http:www.amby.com/cat_site
www.stopdeclaw.com
www.declaw.com
www.listnow.com/helpingpaws/
www.avar.org, download Summer 2001 issue, pages 2&3
http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm
- The Whole Cat Journal, great article! 5 comprehensive pages on declawing
by Gary Lowenthal
Helping Paws: http://www.listnow.com/helpingpaws/articles/article_175.html
anti-declaw
t-shirts and bumper stickers
www.de-clawing.com
- directory to declawing sites on the Internet
http://amby.com/cat_site/declaw.html -
comprehensive anti-decalwing website
http://declaw.lisaviolet.com
- has a no-declaw web ring
www.stopdeclaw.com
- hall of fame/shame
veterinarians
http://cats.about.com/cs/declawing/index.htm
- more declawing information
http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/declaw.html
Pet
Planet To scratch or not to scratch.
Maine
Coon Cats , click on "cat health topics" for info on
declawing. Check out the website of my friend, Tom. Has pictures of
beautiful cats!
November 26, 2005
Clerk of the Court
County
of
Los Angeles
West District -
Santa Monica
Courthouse
1725 Main Street
Santa Monica
,
CA
90401
Re: Case
Number SC 084799
California
Veterinary Medical Association vs. City of
West Hollywood
Subject: Declawing hurts all
Americans; foreseeable dangers; reckless endangerment, consumer
fraud; veterinarian research not sound
To Clerk of the Court:
Please file this letter with Case Number SC 084799 - California
Veterinary Medical Association vs. City of
West Hollywood
.
The CVMA wants to declaw cats in
West Hollywood
which got outlawed April 2003.
The CVMA and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) claim
that declawing “saves cats.”
Fact:
Declawing actually puts cats, property and Americans at risk because
declawed cats pee and bite.
West Hollywood
outlawed declawing because domestic cats are
suffering. Therefore even
if the CVMA wins back rights to declaw, West Hollywood already
told the CVMA that declawed cats have problems (pee, bite, get sick,
prolonged lameness, infections, need medications, etc.).
West Hollywood saw problems in
declawed cats, therefore
problems caused by declawing are foreseeable.
The AVMA can no longer act ignorant and escape
consumer fraud issues. The AVMA needs to revise their position statement
and tell the public just how expensive and dangerous it is to own
declawed cats! Any AVMA
member who recommend/declaws (even as “last resort”) should be held
accountable for urine damage, cat bites, and shelters and alleys filled
with peeing and biting declawed cats. I’ve called the practices of
AVMA leaders— the people who wrote AVMA policy regarding declawed cats
don’t practice what they preach.
Fact: Most
U.S.
veterinarians declaw cat. They do so without informing clients that
declawed cats often pee, bite and cost a lot to own.
Declawing involves reckless endangerment or
consumer fraud issues across state lines: Americans respect veterinarian
advice. The AVMA in turn tell us that declawing is of no consequence.
However declawing is the number one cause of litter box problems—the CVMA and
AVMA have a professional duty to know the consequences of their words
and actions. Declawed cats are already difficult to own, and still
the AVMA says that cat owners
tell vets that they are already
fed up [with the cat]! Neither AVMA nor CVMA check to see if the
harder-to-own-declawed-cats THEY sent home with “last resort” people
survived ‘last’ resort. Remember, according to the AVMA, every
declawed cat is just ONE step away from death—that fact doesn’t
change just because the vet declawed the cat.
Declawing one
cat jeopardizes the health and welfare of all
cats, as well as risking the safety of most Americans. Declawing lowers
the quality of home expected to adopt cats. These are just a few
examples and facts as to why declawing one cat affects all
of us:
- Declawing
affects other cat research, drugs and medical advice. The
AVMA, CVMA, veterinarian colleges and cat researchers can’t
distinguish the difference between a good acting cat versus a bad
acting cat. They haven’t noticed that declawed cats pee, bite, get
sick, get stressed, etc. What other important things have they
missed regarding cats and their health care?
Fact: The AVMA writes:
“There is no scientific evidence that declawing leads to
behavioral abnormalities when the behavior of declawed cats is
compared with that of cats in control groups.”
- Declawing
disregards exercise and environment. Cat health and behavior are
directly affected by pain, diet, exercise and environment [is cat
living with impatient or nice people?] Does the AVMA expect cats to
‘run around’ for exercise? On sore feet? Those owners already
told the vet that they didn’t have time for cat care. Declawing
completely disregards exercise and environment of cats. This
attitude then expects clawed cats to run around too.
Fact: Cats control their
temperature by NOT running.
Fact: Declawed cats are more
likely to be re-homed, locked in the basement, abandoned or put
outside because of litter box problems.
- Declawing
encourages “last resort” mentality onto all cats. Declawing
fosters an ‘oh well, they’re just expendable cats, save sofas
first….” attitude. Declawing encourages people to think that cat
care should cost less than their sofa.
Fact: Declawing hurts cats.
Some cats never get over the pain. Pain and disability
challenge each cat’s health and ability to escape danger (floods,
fire, disaster, other cats bad, dogs and people).
- Declawing
makes all domestic cats ‘smell’ bad, look bad. Declawed cats
pee, client wasn’t told, then people assume all
cats pee or bite.
Fact: Declawing is the number
one cause of litter box problems in cats.
- Homeless
declawed cats overwhelm shelters, communities, alleys. Shelters
feel responsible to ‘save’ cats that veterinarians said they
were ‘saving’.
Fact: Millions of declawed
cats live in garages, alleys and shelters across our country due to
peeing and biting problems.
Fact: The AVMA does not count/track/document declawed cats that pee,
bite, live in basements, alleys and shelters, contract diabetes or
cancer, UTI, etc.
- The
AVMA subtly implies that cats are stupid, worthless and that cat
care shouldn’t cost more than a sofa. The AVMA says that they
have to declaw cats: ‘Those cats couldn’t be trained [stupid]
and was about to loose its home over sofa scratching problem.’ In
other words, sofas worth more
and cat health and welfare are worth less?
Why expect others to
spend money on cats? The AVMA suggests that most cats are stupid and
worthless and about to die anyway.
Fact: The AVMA claims that
declawed cats couldn’t be trained, and that the owner wanted
their cat ONE step away from death. The AVMA grants permission for
veterinarians to amputate healthy toes and to cater to ‘last
resort’ people.
Fact: Declawed cats are expensive and dangerous to own. Costs to
resolve and repair damage from litter box and biting problems often
exceed the cost of a sofa.
Fact: Clawed cats are
smart, trainable, safe, fun and easy to own.
Declawing one cat affects all of us. The higher standard for cats we set in our own minds,
the better home and better medical care cats will receive in our
physical world. Cats are smart and trainable and deserve first class homes. Cats should never
be declawed.
I never
recommend others take home declawed cats.
In my book, Cat Be Good (ISBN:
1-59337-411-9, Adams Media, page 8.): “As a cat lover and Cat Owner
Consultant, I have moral, ethical and legal obligations to make only
safe and sound recommendations to people regarding cats. I will
always advise people to never bring home a declawed cat because I know
these cats are dangerous and expensive. I would be liable, negligent and
fraudulent to recommend cats that frequently bite people, urinate on
sofas, destroy floorboards and lose security deposits. People are
better off owning clawed cats.”
The majority of
U.S.
veterinarians don’t see the pain and homelessness THEY cause by
declawing cats. The AVMA, veterinarian schools and cat researchers don’t observe
that declawed cats are stressed out, in poor health (UTI, cancer,
diabetes…) and have poor behavior (pee and bite). Veterinarian
colleges do not teach how to train cats nor care how to exercise cats.
Vet researchers test on subjects that are already inferior and weird and
they don’t even notice. I no longer trust veterinarian perception of
cat reactions to drugs and therefore I don’t believe veterinarian care
is trustworthy. Unfortunately, I have concluded that veterinarian advice
is not practical, ethical or reliable. Even
if the veterinarian doesn’t declaw, his/her education and research
comes from very shaky grounds.
Declawing puts me
and my profession in a precarious situation: I’m a cat owner
consultant. My job is to advise others about cats. How can I, and why should I, recommend that others take their cat to a
veterinarian? American veterinarians and their education and practice do
not consider that claws affect the health and welfare of all cats. .
. . cat care isn’t worth one sofa. What
can I possibly tell family,
friends and clients about the “quality” of veterinarian care in
America
?
Most
U.S.
veterinarians declaw and consider themselves heroes for ‘saving
cats’ by declawing them . . . who
saves declawed cats? Where are those ‘heroes’? ? ?
Fact: Until vets stop declawing all
cats, millions of declawed cats will continue to get abused and
abandoned for biting and litter box problems. And
millions of cat owners will be
kept in the dark.
Sincerely,
Annie Bruce
Author of Cat Be Good
Good Cats Wear Black
PO Box
11265
Boulder
CO
80301
Phone 303-530-9000
cc:
Mr. Alberto R. Gonzales
U.S. Attorney General
U.S.
Department of Justice
950
Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW
Washington
,
DC
20530-0001
###
April 30, 2004
CAT FANCY
P.O. Box 6050
Mission Viejo, CA 92690-6050
Subject: Cat Fancy’s omission could
seriously affect homes, cats & children; Dr. Bruce Elsey claims;
AVMA leaders ignore own policy
Re: October 2003 issue, pages 26-30,
“Litter-ature Class”; June 2004 issue, pages 35-39, “Kitty, please
use the litterbox!”, articles written by Dr. Becker and Dr.
Willard.
For your information:
I attended the AVMA
conference for four days. On several occasions I tried to interview Dr.
Gail Golab, DVM, AVMA liaison of the Animal Welfare Committee. I waited
in the media room many times. The receptionist confirmed she had
conveyed my messages to Dr. Golab more than once.
Dr. Golab never returned my phone calls or met with
me. However, she had time to talk about dogs in her dog bite prevention
seminars. The AVMA convention seemed geared only for dogs and people
who’d rather help dangerous dogs who bite than help Americans avoid
owning expensive and dangerous cats! (Cats with litter box and/or
biting problems pose as many safety, liability and cost issues as dogs
who bite people.)
For years I have made phone calls to top officials
of the AVMA veterinarian practices. Again, in January 2004, I made phone
calls to most AVMA Executive Board members who have small animal
veterinarian private practices. I wanted to see if the new
guidelines (published March 2003) were being implemented by the AVMA
officials who wrote the new policy. Things haven’t changed. Every
executive board member that I called will declaw cats without any
‘justification’ from cat owners.
I called the AVMA Executive Board private practices
and asked what it would cost to declaw my cats. They asked me
‘quotes for both front and back paws?’ Some added, ‘…we don’t
recommend declawing all four paws if the cat goes outside but
we’ll do it anyway.’ (I never said that I was going to give up
my cats or have them destroyed.) I asked if they knew of any side
effects from declawing. They said ‘none’. I reminded them that pain
and infection must be side effects because they told me
that pain killers and antibiotics are ‘included in the price’ of
declawing!
None of the veterinarian clinics mentioned that
urine damage is a common side effect from declawing. None of them asked
what ‘attempts’ I’d made to train my cats. It did not matter to
them what scratching posts I had or had not provided. They did not care
if my cat is smart, trainable, blind, deaf, diabetic, stressed,
or 9 years old. They would declaw it. None of these
veterinarian practices would provide training on how to teach
cats to use a scratching post!
On 1/13/04, I talked specifically with a nurse who
worked for the current president of the AVMA. She did not
describe the operation, but said that the doctor will “remove the
claws so they don’t grow back.” [Declawing is more than just
‘removing the claws’.] I asked her if Dr. Jack Walther will ask me
about any scratching post training I have tried. Her response was,
“none of that will be asked.”
The AVMA says declawing
cats is ok as the ‘last resort’ – supposedly veterinarians are
‘saving lives’ when they succumb to owners who threaten cats with
death. The AVMA writes, “Where scratching behavior is an issue as to
whether or not a particular cat can remain as an acceptable household
pet in a particular home, surgical onychectomy may be considered.”
—I’ve written the AVMA many times and asked them: what kind of
‘responsible’ cat ownership is the AVMA/veterinarian
encouraging when they give cats to anyone who wants their cat
disabled? I got no
response.
But declawing is not a
‘last’ resort. Declawing does not stop all behavior problems, it
starts many more. Cats that bite people or urinate everywhere are
put outside, dumped in alleys, locked in garages, given away or
destroyed. It’s harder for declawed cats to re-locate to a new home,
be adopted by another family, or survive in the wilderness. (Many
unaltered declawed cats get deserted in the wild. It’s easier and
cheaper for ‘last resort owners’ to let cats die a ‘natural
death’. People who admitted having impatience for cats, typically
don’t have the fortitude to have their peeing, declawed cats humanely
put to sleep.)
Dr. Becker and Dr. Elsey both agree that house
soiling (not sofa scratching) is “the most common” behavior
problem leading to people getting rid of cats. Yet they haven’t
realize that millions of declawed cats get abused or abandoned because
they urinate outside the box ‘for no apparent reason’! Has Dr. Elsey
bothered to track the cats he has declawed or has examined in his own
practice? (To ensure declawing indeed ‘saved’ both cat and
sofa? Did each cat survive it’s “last” resort? Or did the cat lose
it’s home and did the sofa just get peed on instead [of getting clawed]?)
Dr. Becker, Dr. Willard and Dr. Elsey, and all
veterinarians, need to know that declawing does NOT ‘save cats, sofas,
time or money’—it does the exact opposite: Declawed cats are
dangerous and expensive to own.
Declawed cats constantly get overlooked by
veterinarians in cancer, diabetic, homelessness and feral research. In
most private practices, veterinarians don’t even document in each
cat’s chart that the bed-wetter has 10-18 toes amputated!
I’ve been told that veterinarians working in spay/neuter clinics
“don’t have time to count the declawed feral cats brought in to get
fixed.” (Veterinarians have 11 minutes to declaw each cat but no time
to count or track any of them!)
It should be the job of
cat behaviorists and veterinarians to warn people about the risks
involved when bringing home a declawed cat. Increased cat urination and
biting are serious problems which Cat Fancy and veterinarians
should warn us about. Cat Fancy needs to hire writers who report
cat issues which concern our cat’s health and behavior as well as
cat-behavior that affects our livelihood, our homes and our children.
Please hire writers who
will let people know of the dangers, expenses and drawbacks of owning
declawed cats.
Thank you,
Annie Bruce
p.s. On April 6th, I sent a
letter (posted at www.goodcatswearblack.com)
to every veterinarian university dean in the country concerning the lack
of education veterinarian students receive regarding cat behavior. I
included a label on each letter which read, “Declawing affects health
and behavior. Please track every declawed cat in your
research.” (Most veterinarians tell me they declaw cats for the sake
‘saving’ them. Then, they don’t bother to count, track,
document, research or SAVE declawed cats! Then again—why should anyone
save homeless declawed cats? The AVMA’s own position on cats
suggests that declawed cats are “un-trainable” and one step away
from death anyway. There is an endless stream of homeless,
smart clawed cats.)
The Honorable Ms. Ann
E. Veneman
USDA Secretary
1400 Independence Ave. SW
Washington, DC 20250
agsec@usda.gov
Food and Consumer
Service (FCS)
USDA, Personnel Division, Room 623
2101 Park Center
Alexandria, VA 22303
Timothy J. Muris,
Chairman
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20580
Mr. Robert S. Mueller III, Director
FBI
601 4th Street NW
Washington DC 20535
The Honorable Mr. John Ashcroft
U.S. Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001
Dr. Bruce Elsey, DVM
All Cat Clinic
3998 S. Broadway
Englewood, CO 80110
info@preciouscat.com
Ms. Esther Mechler, Director
Spay USA
750 Port Washington Blvd, Suite B
Port Washington, NY 11050
Dr. John Berg, DVM,
DipACVS
Catnip, Editor-in-Chief
Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine
200 Westboro Road
North Grafton, MA 01536
Mr. Tmothy H. Cole,
Editorial Director
Cat Watch
Cornell University of Veterinary Medicine, Box 7
Ithaca, NY 14853-6401
Animal Rescue &
Adoption Society, 2390 S. Delaware, Denver, CO 80223
I Love Cats, Ms. Lisa Allmendinger, Editor, yankee@izzy.net
Ms. Harriet Baker, The Cat Catalyst, email
Mr. Hal Abrams, Animal Radio,
email
The Paw Project, info@pawproject.com
Ms. Rene Knapp, Helping Paws,
email
Mr. Gary Lowenthal, email
Humane Society of the United States, Ms. Nancy Peterson, email
Friends of Animals, info@friendsofanimals.org
Political Voice for Animals, pva@pva-colorado.org
Angels With Paws, Ms. Diane Romano, email
Ms. Louis Holton, Alley Cat Rescue, email
Ms. Jennifer Orme, American Humane, email
Dr. Grant Turnwald, AAVMC Publications Committee, turnwald@mail.vt.edu
Rocky Mountain News, letters@RockyMountainNews.com
Denver Post, openforum@denverpost.com
Daily Camera, Boulder, Colorado, Mr. Clay Evans, evansc@dailycamera.com
(end of letter. Backside has “Declawing Resources”)
__________________________
April
6, 2004
Dr. Alan M. Kelly, Ph.D.
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
3800 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6044
Subject: Veterinarian students need more
knowledge of cats
Thank
you for sending me Dr. Karen Overall’s address.
Please
consider offering a course on cat behavior at your university.
It is obvious that most veterinarian students could use basic
education on cat behavior—given that most veterinarians (as
Dr. Overall and others clearly indicate) don’t know or understand
how important claws are to cat exercise, health and behavior.
The
University of Pennsylvania
could become the leader in cat education by teaching simple
basics regarding cats. Currently, no college teaches how diet and
exercise deeply effects cat care, expense, safety and actions. Please
consider sharing my “basics of cat behavior” with your animal
behavior department. I have enclosed a copy of my book, Cat Be Good
: A Commonsense Approach to Training Your Cat especially for you.
Both
your professors and students need to realize that declawing (besides
the pain and suffering it causes cats) makes them expensive and
dangerous to own, due to the higher risk of litter box and/or biting
problems. Cats never need to be declawed!
Please
teach your students about scratching post training and the dangers of
declawing. Most veterinarians don’t provide instructions on how
to train a cat to use his post! They don’t inform clients that
declawing is illegal in many countries. Most veterinarians don’t
warn that declawed cats more often pee outside the litter box, bite
people or chew on wood or computer cords. Americans need to know that
declawing helps neither cat, sofa, nor cat owner.
Cats
deserve good homes and good health. Cats need veterinarians who
will educate owners. Cats don’t need “last resort” mentality.
The University of Pennsylvania could pave the way to help both
cats and their owners by teaching a commonsense approach to cat
behavior. Please use my book/philosophy in your classrooms. I provide
simple techniques for owning healthy and well-behaved cats. (I
personally sent a copy of Cat Be Good to every veterinarian
university medical library in the United States in August, 2001.)
Annie
Bruce
author
of “Cat Be Good”
p.s.
My cats are taught to come when called, to use their scratching post,
to stay in the yard and to walk on a leash. Cats are very smart
and easy to train!
p.s.s.
My letter to Dr. Overall got returned, her new address is
‘not deliverable’ but that’s ok, I emailed her.
cc:
Dr. Karen Overall, Faculty, University of Pennsylvania, email: overallk@vet.upenn.edu
Dr.
Lawrence Heider, Executive Director
Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges
AAVMC/VMCAS Washington, D.C. Staff
1101 Vermont Avenue, NW Suite 710
Washington, DC 20005-3521
leheider@aavmc.org
Dr Donald Walsh, JVME Editor
Journal of Veterinary Medical Education
Department of Medicine and Epidemiolgy
School of Veterinary Medicine
University of California, Davis, CA 95616
dawalsh@ucdavis.edu
Dr.
Michael Lorenz, Chair, AAVMC Publications Committee
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
College of Veterinary Medicine
Oklahoma State University
205 Veterinary Medicine
Stillwater, OK 74078-2005
Fax: 405-744-6633
Mlorenz@okway.okstate.edu
The Editor, Veterinary Forum
Veterinary Learning Systems
275 Phillips Boulevard
Trenton, NJ 08618
Fax (609) 882-6357
Dr.
Linda Blythe, AAVMC Publications Committee
Associate Dean of Academic & Student Affairs
College of Veterinary Medicine
Oregon State University
200 Magruder Hall
Corvallis, OR 97331-4801
Dr.
Robert Jones, AAVMC Publications Committee
Assistant Dean, Prof. Vet. Med. Curriculum
Dean's Office
College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1601
Fax: 970-491-2250
rjones@cvmbs.colostate.edu
Dr.
Grant Turnwald, AAVMC Publications Committee
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine
Virginia Tech Duckpond Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Fax: 540-231-9290
turnwald@mail.vt.edu
American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine
PO Box 119
Winterville, GA 30683
Animal Behavior Society
Indiana University
2611 East 10th Street #170
Bloomington IN 47408-2603
Editor-in-Chief
Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association
2218 Old Emmorton Road
Bel Air, MD 21015
Fax: 1-410-569-2346
Consumers Union
101 Truman Avenue
Yonkers, NY 10703-1057
Ms.
Teri A. Barnato, MA
Association of Veterinarians for Animals Rights (AVAR)
PO Box 208
Davis, CA 95617-0208
(27
veterinarian colleges in the United States.)
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
Auburn University
College of Veterinary Medicine
Auburn University, AL 36849
Dean
of Veterinary Medicine
Tuskegee University
School of Veterinary Medicine
Tuskegee, AL 36088
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
University of California
School of Veterinary Medicine
Davis, CA 95616-8734
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
Western University of Health Sciences
College of Veterinary Medicine
309 East Second Street - College Plaza
Pomona, CA 91766
Dean
of Veterinary Medicine
Colorado State University
College of Vet Med & Biomedical Sciences
Fort Collins, CO 80523
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
University of Florida
College of Veterinary Medicine
Gainesville, FL 32610-0125
Dean
of Veterinary Medicine
University of Georgia
College of Veterinary Medicine
Athens, GA 30602
Dean
of Veterinary Medicine
University of Illinois
College of Veterinary Medicine
2001 South Lincoln Urbana, IL 61801
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
Purdue University
School of Veterinary Medicine
1240 Lynn Hall
West Lafayette, IN 47907-1240
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
Iowa State University
College of Veterinary Medicine
Ames, IA 50011
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
Kansas State University
College of Veterinary Medicine
Manhattan, KS 66506
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
Louisiana State University
School of Veterinary Medicine
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
Tufts University
School of Veterinary Medicine
200 Westboro Road
North Grafton, MA 01536
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
Michigan State University
College of Veterinary Medicine
East Lansing, MI 48824-1314
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
The University of Minnesota
College of Veterinary Medicine
St. Paul, MN 55108
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
Mississippi State University
College of Veterinary Medicine
Mississippi State, MS 39762
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
University of Missouri
College of Veterinary Medicine
Columbia, MO 65211
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
Cornell University
College of Veterinary Medicine
Ithaca, NY 14853-6401
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
North Carolina State University
College of Veterinary Medicine
4700 Hillsborough Street
Raleigh, NC 27606
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
The Ohio State University
College of Veterinary Medicine
Columbus, OH 43210
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
Oklahoma State University
College of Veterinary Medicine
Stillwater, OK 74078
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
Oregon State University
College of Veterinary Medicine
Corvallis, OR 97331-4801
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
University of Tennessee
College of Veterinary Medicine
Knoxville, TN 37901
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
Texas A&M University
College of Veterinary Medicine
College Station, TX 77843-4461
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
Virginia Tech & University of Maryland
College of Veterinary Medicine
Blacksburg, VA 24061-0442
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
Washington State University
College of Veterinary Medicine
Pullman, WA 99164-7010
Dean of Veterinary Medicine
The University of Wisconsin-Madison
School of Veterinary Medicine
Madison, WI 53706
Professor
Gary L. Francione
Adjunct Professor Anna E. Charlton
Rutgers Law School
123 Washington Street
Newark, New Jersey 07102
###
(end of letter. Reverse side is “Facts About Declawed Cats”)
_______________________________________________________
December
22, 2003 (US
mailed, emailed & faxed)
Dr. Dan
Stinchcomb, Vice President of Research and Development
Heska Corporation
1613 Prospect Parkway
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Faxed: 1-970-472-1640
Email: market@heska.com
Subject: Heska’s
microalbuminuria data overlooked declawed cats
Dear Dr.
Stinchcomb,
In
September 2003, Heska sent me information on the "New Data:
Prevalence of Microalbuminuria in Cats".
Heska states that for the 1243 test subjects,
“Veterinarians reported the health status of each cat
prior to microalbuminuria testing at a centralized laboratory.”
[emphasis added]
From observing them, I know that declawed cats
cannot ‘exercise’ the same as clawed cats. (Declawed cats cannot
strengthen shoulder, neck, back and stomach muscles by scratching posts;
and their attitude is complicated from pain.) Declawed cats often
contract illnesses and weird behavior which more likely require urine
tests, and drugs or special care. Therefore I needed to know what
percentage of cats in your study were declawed. On 11/11/03, I called
Heska and talked with Ms. Nancy Weisnewski. She told me she was in
charge of the study.
Sadly, Ms. Weisnewski did
not document declawed cats. I was disappointed that she justified not
documenting declawed cats because she thought declawing had nothing to
do with microalbuminuria. How can any scientist or researcher
assume such conclusions when no data was collected to prove otherwise?
Not tracking declawed
cats in cat studies is like researching cancer and not asking which
subjects smoked cigarettes!
Claws, strong muscles,
pain and exercise have everything to do with the health
and behavior in cats. Even though the AVMA claims otherwise, it is well
known amongst cat experts that declawed cats pee outside the box
more than non-declawed cats.
Based on my three years
of data collection I determined that declawing is the number one cause
of litter box problems in cats—consequently, declawed cats are more
likely to need lab work such as your “E.R.D.-Healthscreen Urine
Tests.”
It’s unfortunate that I
had to explain to Ms. Weisnewski that declawing effects pain, behavior,
health and exercise in every cat that gets declawed. Pain and exercise
influence health and behavior. I also told Ms. Weisnewski that
based on reports from cat owners who have called me about cat problems,
declawed cats cost more to own and have worse behavior and illness
problems than clawed cats!
The
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) claims that declawed cats
behave the same as clawed cats. That is false. Clawed cats usually
don’t urinate outside the litter box unless they are sick or old.
It’s declawed cats who are more often surrendered to cat
shelters, destroyed, abandoned and abused. (Data supporting my claims is
posted on my website www.goodcatswearblack.com.)
It is in
the best interest of people, cats, and their homes that animal shelters
and cat professionals recommend people own clawed cats only.
I have
written the AVMA many times about the threats declawed cats pose to
humans and our communities. Unfortunately they have chosen to disregard
my data, warnings and advice.
Declawed
cats are more likely to:
·
experience pain
(in fact, ALL declawed cats suffer pain after surgery. Pain effects
health and behavior.)
·
develop
litter box problems
·
bite people, hurt children
·
suffer urine disorders,
diabetes, cancer
·
require drugs (pain killers,
anti-depressants, steroids, tranquilizers, insulin)
·
cost more to own because of increased cat litter
maintenance, veterinarian visits, and destroyed sofas, floorboards,
carpets, beds, etc. (due to peeing outside the box.)
·
be easily
stressed by changes and their ability to function in the environment
·
be abused,
abandoned or destroyed (declawed cat ‘behavior’ problems are usually
worse than clawed cats, forcing them to live with people who already
think little of cats.)
In
every study on cats Heska should always ask owners and veterinarians of each
and every cat:
1.
Does the cat suffer any physical disabilities? Document all
disabilities. (Loss of limbs, fingers/toes, hearing, sight, etc.
Disabilities often cause pain and stress which effects health and
behavior. Factor in the percentage of cats who are declawed.)
2.
How does the cat exercise? How long and how often does the
cat scratch posts/trees, climb, jump, and run? Or does he just sleep?
3.
How long does the cat sleep?
4.
At what age were the cats declawed?
5.
Does the cat have litter box problems? (Litter box problems in
cats are a sign of stress or illness.)
6.
What is the cat eating? Does he eat the same meal everyday? (Diet
effects behavior.)
7.
Does cat go outside? (From personal experience, indoor-only cats
tend to be more ‘crazy’ and suffer more kidney problems too.)
8.
Is cat on verge of losing it’s home? (i.e., Is owner currently
considering euthanasia of cat due to health or litter box problems? A
loving or hateful environment effects stress and attitude which may help
or hinder physical ailments.)
9.
Has the cat been properly handled (by humans) throughout it’s
life? Or has it been abused?
The truth
is there. And urine damage is very expensive to fix. Owners of declawed
cats are truly suffering though most don’t know why. Due to the
effects pain and disablements potentially have on the health and
behavior of each cat and it’s owner, any study
on cats should always document every cat that is declawed.
Please count all declawed cats in all of your studies. Cat
owners deserve to know the high costs and dangers that are usually
associated with housing declawed cats.
I look
forward to hearing that you will be documenting all declawed cats
in future studies.
Thank you,
Annie
Bruce
Good Cats Wear Black
PO Box 11265
Boulder, CO 80301
Tel: 303-530-9000
www.goodcatswearblack.com
cc:
Mr. Robert
Grieve, CEO
Heska Corporation
1613 Prospect Parkway
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Ms. Nancy
Weisnewski
Heska Corporation
1613 Prospect Parkway
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Dr.
Bruce Alberts, chair of National Research Council
The National Academies
500 5th Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
Mr.
Mark McClellan, FDA Commissioner
Food and Drug Administration
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, Maryland 20857
Morris
Animal Foundation
45 Inverness Drive East
Englewood, Co 80112-5480
Fax: (303)790-4066
Executive Board
The Winn Feline Foundation
1805 Atlantic Avenue
P.O. Box 1005
Manasquan, NJ 08736-0805
Email winn@winnfelinehealth.org
Dr.
Em |
