Part-time math and science professor Nuha Salem wants to raise discussion of the controversy behind cat declawing at Algonquin.
Declawing is a procedure in which a cat’s claws are removed by a veterinarian, typically with a scalpel, guillotine clipper or through laser surgery. A cat’s claws are connected to their distal phalanges, which are the end bones in their paws, and these bones are removed entirely in the process.
“I don’t see why anyone would declaw their cat,” said Salem.
Like many activists, Salem has spent the last few years doing her best to get the practice banned by law. She has collected signatures from Ottawa residents and presented them along with letters to ministers and MPPs — but due to alleged miscommunication issues and missing files, Salem says no progress has been made.
Two years ago, she created a petition on change.org asking the Canadian Prime Minister to ban declawing, and collected over 2,000 signatures, though many were from other countries, and the petition lost steam. A similar petition asking for Canada to ban the procedure has over 19,000 signatures, but has yet to accomplish anything.
Declawing has been called violent and unnecessary by PETA, and has been condemned by the Humane Society. The operation has been banned in several countries — although it is still 100 per cent legal in Canada.
Some argue that declawing is the cat owner’s choice and the decision to declaw should be made on a cat-by-cat basis.
The Ottawa Veterinary Hospital, for example, says on their website that declawing offers the benefit of “preventing injury to other cats, people and furniture damage,” but that cat owners should discuss the process with their veterinarian before making a decision.
In 2011, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association released a statement discouraging declawing unless it is necessary for the cat’s health, though it is ultimately the cat owner’s choice.
In August, Salem turned to the Algonquin Students’ Association, hoping that she could create events at the school that would create discussion about declawing. There are currently no clubs related to animal rights at the school. Salem says she would have created one, but clubs can only be created by students.
Salem’s only event thus far has been a free airing of The Paw Project, a documentary on the subject, in a second-floor E-building room. It was held on Nov. 23, but it attracted no visitors. Despite this, Salem doesn’t feel discouraged.
“I believe (young) generations care more about animals,” she said. “They read more and learn about what things like declawing do (to cats).”
Salem plans to reach out to students directly, and has recently begun collecting signatures around the school for a new petition.
She hopes that signatures from local residents will attract more attention from ministers and MPPs.
Some veterinarians refuse to declaw cats. For example, Kimberly Cote, a student in Algonquin’s personal support worker program, found that her vet would not remove the claws of her Bengal cat.
“She said it would only damage them,” said Cote. “(My cat) would have to learn to walk properly all over again.”
First-year office administration Amber Schening says that as long as declawing is performed safely and at an early age, the cat won’t be negatively affected.
“They give pain and numbing medication to make it easier for the pets,” said Schening. “I would only ever do it when they’re young because they don’t remember it.” Schening finds that her cat’s behaviour hasn’t been negatively affected by the procedure.
Second-year advertising and marketing student Laura Bodé sees both sides of the argument.
“I could never declaw a cat myself as it is uncomfortable for them,” she said. However, she recognizes the benefits of declawing as the cat she rescued three years ago is already declawed. “I am glad she is (declawed) because I don’t have to worry about her scratching me or the furniture.”
Salem hopes that students who are against declawing will join her in her efforts to bring awareness of the negative effects of declawing to members of parliament.