SCRATCH-HAPPY

uExpress, November, 2009 by DR. MARTY BECKER AND GINA SPADAFORI

By Dr. Marty Becker

and Gina Spadafori

Universal Press Syndicate

We don't like declawing, and we don't recommend it as a first reaction to any behavior problems in cats.

That said, we understand how in some cases it's a cat's last chance to stay in a good home rather than face uncertain prospects at a shelter. And we know, too, that a well-done veterinary declawing with full pain control is no worse in the short-term than many other surgeries. But we still don't recommend it as anything except a last-chance alternative to losing a good home. In other words: It shouldn't be a preventive or immediately reactive approach to a behavior problem that can be dealt with in other ways.

That's because scratching is a natural and satisfying behavior for...

Read the full article with a Free Trial at MyWire.

Premium Content Partnership | MyWire provides an in-depth online archive library of reference works.