smkindersley@water.UUCP (sumo kindersley) (08/02/85)
--- i know of two humans who've had their toenails REMOVED because they were always A) breaking/tearing socks/scratching girlfriends and B) getting PAINFULLY ingrown. they went through considerably more pain and discomfort than a declawed cat does, for reasons of convenience. their bare toes look a little strange but it doesn't gross me out or anything. i guess i look at the declawing of [at least indoor] cats in a similar light. not mutilation; not "amputation"; removal of nails which are causing a problem. ihnp4!watmath!water!smkindersley ---
cam@aluxe.UUCP (MASCAVAGE) (08/06/85)
> --- > . i guess i look at the declawing of [at least indoor] cats in > a similar light. not mutilation; not "amputation"; removal of nails > which are causing a problem. > > ihnp4!watmath!water!smkindersley > --- It is not that some of us consider declawing as amputation, but that declawing as practiced today is amputation - the removal of the first joint of each of the cat's front toes. If you find it an acceptable practice or not, it still is what it is - more than just removing the claws. CAM
wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) (08/07/85)
I've had the toenails on both big toes removed, due to ingrowing. It was a relatively simple process, done in the podiatrist's office, and I went home by bus afterwards with no real difficulty. After a while, the nail area covers over with something like callus. The only problems I had were that twice, not long afterwards, in two different houses, packages of frozen food leaped out of the freezer and landed on my toes.. :-) (ooh! ouch!) If declawing a cat is physiologically equivalent, I would not call it cruel. I'm sure spaying feels a lot worse... Will
jhs@druri.UUCP (ShoreJ) (08/13/85)
... and the beat goes on ... and on ... and on ... and .... Ackpht!