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From: dxa@bentley.UUCP (DR Anolick)
Newsgroups: net.pets
Subject: Cat Claws
Message-ID: <547@bentley.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 1-Aug-85 17:12:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: bentley.547
Posted: Thu Aug  1 17:12:01 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 3-Aug-85 02:50:25 EDT
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Piscataway
Lines: 45

> Why do people EVER declaw their cats?  (other than vets who do it to make $$?)
> I'd like to hear some reasons for this.

> Liz Vaughan
> ...tektronix!tektools!lizv


Well, I finally decided that I should get in on this debate.  In 
answer to the above question, there is one very good reason to declaw 
cats which I have not seen mentioned during this current debate.  
That is to protect children in the house.

A few years ago, when my brother's daughter was in her crawling
stage, the cat in the family gave my neice a nice cut with its
front claws.  I saw the scratch, it was about a half an inch 
from her eye.  Their cat was declawed shortly afterwards.

Granted not all cats are the same.  My brother's cat has always been
nasty, and was probably fed up with my neice's affections, which 
consisted of tail pulling.  

My cat is both very affectionate, and very playful.  When he rolls 
on his back with his feet in the air it means either please rub my 
stomach, or please play with me.  Sometimes I guess wrong and he 
give me a playful swat or bite when I expect nothing.  So, how is 
a baby supposed to know that sometimes this animal will be a warm 
fuzzy, but sometimes it will be dangerous?  (Yes the animal is 
playing, put that play may be dangerous to a baby.)

I am a cat lover, and also feel that declawing should be avoided.  
For now, he has his claws, and a scratching post which he has been
trained to use and does use.  But unless I am convinced otherwise, 
I plan to have my cat declawed if I still have him when I have children.

Any comments?  My exposure to this problem have been with this one
case only.  I'm sure someone out there can tell me if there is a
better solution.

-- 

	Droyan				David Roy Anolick
ihnp4!bentley!{droyan|dxa}		^     ^^^ ^^

"First COCAINE..., then CULTS..., now REPUBLICANISM!
 Just a fool for the latest passing fad, AREN'T YOU?!?"