Denver Becomes First City In Colorado To Ban Declawing Of Cats

By  Amanda Froelich Truth Theory

Go, Denver! The city is now the first in Colorado to pass legislation that bans the practice of declawing cats. The city Council passed the bill unanimously on Monday. As GoodNewsNetwork reports, the legislation only applies to elective declawing, meaning the surgery for medical reasons is still allowed.

Since 2003, eight cities in California have banned declawing. In 2016, New Jersey became the first state to ban the controversial procedure. Now, Denver — which has a population of 682,000 — has banned declawing, as well.

Animal rights groups oppose the surgery for numerous reasons. First, they argue that clawing is natural and even healthy for cats. It maintains the condition of their nails and stretches their muscles. Second, removing a cat’s claws removes their independence and effectively forces them to be an indoor cat for life. A cat’s claws is their first line of defense, after all.

The third reasons animal advocates oppose declawing is that it is painful. Many people think that declawing is similar to trimming one’s nails. But in reality, it is closer to removing a portion of the fingers. Pain persists after the surgery, as well, when nails grow back inside the paw. This causes extreme pain you can’t see. These effects acknowledged, it makes sense why 20 countries have already adopted declawing bans.

If you — or someone you know — is still considering having their cats declawed, consider this: studies show that declawed cats have increased chances of being relinquished to shelters — and thus, euthanized. This is because felines who are declawed tend to become more aggressive. It is also more common for them to urinate on the carpet due to distress.

While we — as a society — still have much to learn when it comes to the welfare of indoor pets, it seems clear declawing is unnecessary. Since New Jersey passed the declawing ban last year, there have been no spikes in animal shelter intake.

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Read more: Do Cats And Dogs See “Spirits”? Study Shows Animals See Different Frequencies Than Humans Do

I am Luke Miller, content manager at Truth Theory and creator of Potential For Change. I like to blend psychology and spirituality to help you create more happiness in your life.Grab a copy of my free 33 Page Illustrated eBook- Psychology Meets Spirituality- Secrets To A Supercharged Life You Control Here