Campaigning against edclawing

One of my big things is to educate people against declawing and get it outlawed in the US. (That will take time, I know.) I've put together some ideas to get a start and raise awareness and encourage others to get involved. Would love more ideas.


1) Wear anti-declaw t-shirts, tote bags, pins, etc.
2) Dress up your car with anti-declaw bumper stickers, car magnets, etc.
3) Stick an anti-declaw yard sign in your front yard.
4) Write to your local newspaper and ask them to print reasons not to declaw.
5) Hand out anti-declaw business cards, educational pamphlets, etc.
6) Write! Online and on paper.
7) Make a video explaining the harm in declawing.
8) Make anti-declaw posters and put on public bulletin boards, etc.
9) If possible, support vets who do not declaw. If for this reason you switch vets or turn one down, let them know the reason.
10) Write to your local politicians and ask them to consider a ban on declawing.
11) To anyone involved in cat rescue: Adopt out only to people who will not declaw, and educate as many people as you can.
12) Be nice to people. When you'd really like to attack someone because they would declaw, don't. That will only make enemies, and won't convince anyone to change their mind.
13) But do be firm in your stand. Don't let anyone tell you that you're wrong, that what you're doing is not important, or that you're wasting your time.
14) Be creative. Think up different ways to get the word out and educate people.
15) Don't give up! You're doing an important service, helping cats and people. We need all the help we can get. Every person counts. At times it will seem slow, but keep on. We've come a long way already. Let's go the rest of the way!

I had no idea that declawing is legal when done by a vet in the USA. This inhumane practice is certainly not allowed in Britain.

I assume these are indoor cats and the owners don't want their furniture scratched. They could just buy a specially designed cat pole for their pet to scratch instead of declawing. I'm really shocked that anyone would ask a vet to do this, and angry that vets are doing it.

Yes, it's sick how it's not only allowed, but promoted by some. I've made a few brochures that tell a few declawing facts, briefly how to protect the furniture, and things to do to help get it stopped. So they're good to hand to anyone, whether they need educating or want to get involved. I'm thinking about handing them to local animal shelters that are not all against declawing and hope they will start making sure potential adopters will not declaw and try to educate people, or at least give them something to think about.

They should make a poster with a cat owner holding their pet, and photoshop off the owners fingers at the knuckles, making them look like they were all chopped off. It might help send the message home of what they are really doing to a cat when they have them declawed. If you can't tolerate the behavior of a pet in your household, don't get a pet at all.

I still don't know why this is so bad? I am only considering it to prevent my 2 year old from getting scratched. It's not the furniture I'm worried about. It seems how no matter how careful he is, he still ends up getting scratched. I think its just because the kitten is playing and doesn't actually realize she is being harmful. I definitely don't want to do something to the cat that may end up being more harmful to her though.

(12-03-2013 06:20 AM)amy005 Wrote:  I still don't know why this is so bad? I am only considering it to prevent my 2 year old from getting scratched. It's not the furniture I'm worried about. It seems how no matter how careful he is, he still ends up getting scratched. I think its just because the kitten is playing and doesn't actually realize she is being harmful. I definitely don't want to do something to the cat that may end up being more harmful to her though.

Definitely make sure baby and kitty's playtime is supervised. Kittens tend to roughhouse like human kids; usually when they're older they know not to bring the claws out around people who care for them. Does the two year old know to gently pet the kitty? I wouldn't let a child play catch-the-finger with a kitten or even a cat, but a cat toy on a string or on a stick should be alright.

Definitely don't get her declawed. If you have to take her to a shelter or get her rehomed where she might be an outdoor cat, she will have no defenses and will most likely die in a serious fight with a dog or more vicious cat if they can't run away.

(12-03-2013 02:32 PM)lildoge Wrote:  Definitely make sure baby and kitty's playtime is supervised. Kittens tend to roughhouse like human kids; usually when they're older they know not to bring the claws out around people who care for them. Does the two year old know to gently pet the kitty? I wouldn't let a child play catch-the-finger with a kitten or even a cat, but a cat toy on a string or on a stick should be alright.

Definitely don't get her declawed. If you have to take her to a shelter or get her rehomed where she might be an outdoor cat, she will have no defenses and will most likely die in a serious fight with a dog or more vicious cat if they can't run away.

That's a good point. Yeah it is supervised and he knows to pet her nice. He definitely is not mean to her by all means. It just ends up happening when they both get excited.