The *cause for claws* is on my mind today.

My friend Stephen sent me a Care2 article about the kitty declawing controversy. Even though my four oldest are declawed, I have been struggling with the thought of declawing Deuce and Trey. In my mind, they have already gone through enough no matter how much more convenient their declawing would make things for me. They will still have to be neutered Octoberish, but for boys that procedure is relatively minor.

I didn't think twice about having my girls declawed ~ for purely selfish reasons. They had zero problems recuperating, and there were no behavioral changes afterward. The trick is to have the surgery done when the kitties are still very young and light on their feet.

However, after Elly Fae, I was reading more and more online about just what the procedure involved: something similar to our cutting off our fingers at the first knuckles. By then, too, Elly and I were feeding two *declawed* stray males that someone had dumped, and we fretted every day that they would be unable to defend themselves ~ though we learned later that a kitty's back claws are really more important for defensive purposes.

Nonetheless, when Joey joined my household, I did, briefly, consider *not* declawing him, but ~ since his sisters were declawed ~ I thought he should be, too. Joey had a little more trouble with recovering. These days the resulting wounds are glued shut rather than sutured shut, and Joey managed to tear open one of his wounds and bleed a bit. A little TLC and Neosporin fixed him right up, but I was having more and more doubts about the whole declawing thing in general ~ intellectually speaking, for I surely didn't think I would need to make any personal decisions about it for a long, long time.

Then Deuce and Trey came along, and the controversy was suddenly personal again.

They played so roughly with each other that I was sure declawing was the *smart* thing. Otherwise, I would have two scar-faced kitties on my hands. However, as they grew, their play became less injurious, and they really are very well-behaved, responding well to *NO!* when they hear it and, even better, *remembering* the no-no things and responding appropriately without further reminders from their mommy. I have lots of sisal surfaces for claw sharpening, so my furniture isn't necessarily at risk ~ though, truth be told, my furniture is so *used* that a few claw holes won't make much difference. :)

I am also re-learning the skill of claw clipping ~ this time, on the advice of Dr. Britt, using baby nail clippers instead of regular claw clippers. The baby clippers are easier to maneuver and cut more cleanly. I try to handle the pedicures when my baby boys are sleepy, and so far I have encountered very little resistance.

After a conversation with Dr. Bailey, I definitely decided that the twins will not be declawed. He assured me that they can live harmoniously and safely with four declawed kitties. As a vet, he is reluctant to perform the surgery and will only if *not* doing it means that an inside kitty will have to move outside.

The article that Stephen sent to me says that San Francisco is considering a ban on declawing kitties, and I know that places in Europe have already outlawed the procedure. In fact, in these areas, vets who are willing to perform the surgery can be reported for animal cruelty.

By no means am I saying that those who opt for the surgery are being cruel. In the right circumstances, I would choose it again myself. I just like considering all the angles before I make decisions like this one ~ especially when the decisions involve the welfare of an animal. And declawing is one thing my sweet little boys will not have to endure. As I said, they have been through enough.

As an alternative to clipping, I am also considering nail covers called *Soft Paws* and/or *Soft Claws.* They come in jazzy colors, and the new, improved versions are supposed to stay on better than the prototypes did.

I wonder if my energetic little boys would mind wearing *pink*???? :)

[The photo at the top of this post was borrowed from ShackSpace.]