Help us to ban the barbaric de-clawing of cats in the USA

The de-clawing of domestic cats is a cruel mutilating operation and people are having this procedure done in the United States of America, without considering the full implication of the physical and mental effect on their cats. It is banned already in 24 countries. De-clawing is banned in West Hollywood, California. We petition that it should be also banned in all the rest of the United States of America. 

Not only does this major operation cause physical pain and mental distress, cats use their claws for balance, to jump, and to climb. Cats walk on their toes, not the pads of their feet, and de-clawing forces them to walk in an unnatural way. The claws play an important role in grooming, and that grooming is the way a cat helps to control its body temperature, its scent signals, and more. 

Quote from the American Veterinary Medical Association: ‘De-clawing of domestic cats should be considered only after attempts have been made to prevent the cat from using its claws destructively’ which of course means this mutilating operation is supposed to be as a last resort. Yet some veterinarians are performing it routinely, including on kittens, on demand from their clients.  
 
This is from a quote from one State’s Head of Veterinary Medicine: ‘most veterinarians encourage de-clawing at a reasonably young age’ surely, instead of encouraging it at all, veterinarians should be educating their clients as to the enormity and consequences of this procedure to their cats and to the alternatives to this drastic step. 
 
Misconceptions about De-clawing There are several misconceptions about de-clawing. It does not make cats more "mellow." Some de-clawed cats undergo a profound personality change. They may be morose, reclusive, and withdrawn, or they may be irritable, aggressive, and unpredictable. De-clawed cats feel so insecure, lacking their first line of defence that they tend to bite more often as a means of self-protection.  
 
For anyone not yet convinced, please see the following web sites: www.pawproject.com/html/faqs.asp  
read the comments to the right, on this link Warning: The following links include graphic descriptions, pictures of the barbaric procedure and pictures of some unfortunate cats who have suffered it. 
 
www.declawing.com/htmls/declawing.htm          http://declaw.lisaviolet.com/

DESIRED OUTCOME - To ban the de-clawing of cats in every state of the USA

WHO WE NEED TO INFLUENCE - The American Veterinary Medical Association

HOW LONG WILL WE CAMPAIGN - Ongoing

WHO TO CONTACT

Ruth Ockendon Laycock 
County Durham 
England 
kattaddorra@googlemail.com

http://www.petitionthem.com/?sect=detail&pet=4312

Then sign the online petition.  Thank you for your support.