Yellow Jacket Times - Jefferson County Public Schools

More documents

Recommendations

Info

De-Law The Declaw By: Kaylee Bealmear Did you know that declawing cats is illegal in almost two dozen countries, including Europe, Australia, and Japan, due to it being considered inhumane and an unnecessary form of mutilation? Catalonia, Spain also prohibits it under their Law of Animal Protection. As a cat owner, I am strongly against declawing. Cats’ claws are not simply just a toenail; they are very closely adhered to the bone. For them to be removed, the last bone of a cat’s claw must be severed. By declawing your cat, you are amputating the last joint of their “toes.” Just imagine having someone amputate your fingers at the first joint against your will. A long and painful recovery time ensues after this serious surgery, during which your cat will still have to walk, jump, play, run, scratch in the litter box, and everything else a cat does in order to live its life. Not only is this torture bad enough, but the procedure causes lifelong crippling results. Cats’ claws help them balance, and without them, the cat’s leg, shoulder, and back muscles will begin to weaken. This is a picture showing the structure of a cat’s claw, and what their paw looks like after amputation of the bone. Whenever I argue the topic of declawing a cat, someone always has the rebuttal of, ‘But my cat will tear up my furniture, I have to have him declawed.’ Which brings me to my second point; has no one ever thought that are ways around that? Train your cat; it is a very simple thing to do. Fill a spray bottle with water and spray your cat every time they try to claw your furniture. It worked for me; cats are smart and will quickly learn to stop clawing the wrong things unless they want to get sprayed. It also doesn’t hurt to buy a scratching post, which you can find at just about every pet store. These are far better alternatives as opposed to uncalled for disfigurement. Most people don’t even know why cats use their claws; they think it’s just a bad habit. Well, these people are wrong. Cats need their claws; they are a necessity. Grooming, for one, is very important; it maintains health and cleanliness. Scratching and licking prevents fur from tangling, removes dead skin and hair, and helps waterproof their coat. Cats’ also require a lot of sleep, which is another reason claws are important. Cats need to stretch and exercise their muscles, which they always do after taking a nap. Clawing is a part of stretching, and exercises the muscles in the cat’s toes. Claws are used to mark territory, too; if they are taken away, cats may urinate to replace them. There are various complications that could occur with the operation, such as: adverse reaction to the anesthetic, gangrene (which could lead to limb amputation), hemorrhaging (serious blood loss), permanent nerve damage,
This is a picture showing a few unfortunate cats, and the impediments they have to go through because their owner inconsiderately had them declawed. persistent pain, scar tissue formation, bone chips (which would require additional surgery), skin disorders, and the nails could grow back into the paw as well, causing tremendous pain. Were you aware that 80% of declawed cats developed more than one medical difficulty, yet 31% of all cat owners in the United States still have their cats declawed? A large number of people believe that declawing their cats will protect any small children they have in the house. This is not exactly correct; claws are a cat’s first line of defense; if eliminated, a cat will have to rely on its teeth. In addition, not having claws will put the cat on a higher defense, due to the lack of self protection; this means they will bite frequently. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), 33% of declawed cats form at least one behavioral problem. This will lead to more cats being surrendered to animal shelters, and most likely being euthanized, all because an owner didn’t think about the well being or feelings of their cat. From one cat owner to another, I hope I have opened your eyes as to why declawing is a horrifying act that should never be performed. I have a declawed cat myself; of course I did not do that to him. He was a stray, and was already declawed when we found him. It breaks my heart when he plays with the other cats, and can’t follow them when they race up a tree. I agree with what a city council official stated in West Hollywood, California: This is a picture of the tool used to declaw a cat. “As guardians of animals, we have a relationship of respect, that the animal not be amputated or subjected to techniques that create harm.” If you can’t respect your pet, then you shouldn’t have a pet. I hope you will side with me, and stand against declawing. Works Cited Glamour On The Rocks. "Why you shouldn't declaw your cats. EVER. "http://www. wordpress.com. . Veterinarian, Dr. Christianne Schelling. "DECLAWING: What You Need To Know " http://www.declawing.com. . Jennifer Dougherty. "The Facts About Declawing and the Alternatives” http://www.paw-rescue.org. Partnership for Animal Welfare. .
Page 1 and 2: F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 3 Contributin
Page 3 and 4: 1. At the age of 40, while engaged
Page 5 and 6: medical bills each year, it’s mor
Page 7: It’ Not Always Your Choice Antwon
Page 11 and 12: Stupidity at its Finest Jamila John
Page 13 and 14: Laundry Alyssa Allen I can remember
Page 15 and 16: Tweeting and Shooting Angry Birds M
Page 17 and 18: Pet Statistics Facts about U.S. Ani
Page 19 and 20: They’re Still Human Amber Tuttle
Page 21 and 22: De’Ericka Jernigan Do you or a fr
Page 23 and 24: What Are You Afraid Of? Jasmine Col
Page 25 and 26: Hawp Ton & Devin Hayley Hawp: There
Page 28 and 29: 3-peat Champions
Page 30 and 31: -Davon Carr- “China, to see if ev
Page 32 and 33: -Iesha Johnson- “Experience life!
Page 34 and 35: area of the mat or they will be dis
Page 36 and 37: Sullivan University in my hometown.
Page 38 and 39: Overuse injuries—especially those
Page 40 and 41: Below are some legal specialties an
Page 42 and 43: Vet Tech, and Big Ideas Cole Neel I
Page 44 and 45: 10 Ways Teachers Make a Difference
Page 46 and 47: Jamar Banks I don’t make it to th
Page 48 and 49: It’s the Law Lanisha Porter Law i
Page 50 and 51: I have a passion for cooking. I lov
Page 52 and 53: Fences, by August Wilson. New York,
Page 54 and 55: I Have a Dream By Tyshell Morris I
Page 56 and 57: Erin Carr Across 1. Affectionate ph

Yellow Jacket Times - Jefferson County Public Schools

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?