LETTERS

THE DEBATE OVER DECLAWING The New York law that prohibits declawing cats that you cheered in Winter Action Line is not necessarily good news for cats. Too often, when a cat scratches the furniture or the baby, it may wind up being euthanized, brought to a shelter or abandoned on the street. Declawing should be discouraged but sometimes it is the preferred alternative. Cats that have been declawed are unaware that they have no claws and often continue a clawing motion. No doubt, declawing may be painful. It is surgery and should not be taken lightly. Is it more or less painful then spaying or neutering? Who can say with certainty but it can, in the long run, result in a happy pet allowed to live a long happy life. GILBERT SCHWARTZ • AVENTURA, FL

President’s note: Thanks for weighing in on a thorny issue. More than the temporary pain from surgery, it’s the psychological and physical effects of declawing that should be noted. Years ago, when I adopted a declawed cat, I learned that declawing gradually weakens the muscles of the cat’s legs, shoulders and back, so the cat’s balance is lessened. Emotionally, my gray cat “John Thomas” lived in an almost constant state of stress, as though he was defenseless. My friend’s adopted declawed cat occasionally went berserk and bit her in the middle of the night. It’s best to protect your furniture by giving your cat a manicure with the clippers especially made for cats. Typically, one does this every 2-3 weeks while giving cats scratching posts because scratching is a normal characteristic.

HUMANS ARE THE MOST OVERPOPULATED ANIMALS ON THE PLANET I’m tired of the “only humans matter” mentality.

I thank the Action Line editor for having the gumption and bravery to print that article several issues ago about the runaway human population growth and how it damages wildlife and the environment and the need for birth control and family planning. Most environmentalists are too afraid of the religious community to touch these things.

There are areas in the world where people are overpopulated, poverty stricken, facing starvation, disease and crime, but access to crucial family planning programs and affordable birth control is limited or not available at all.

Being from Iowa, I’m also discouraged by how laws have been eased for hunters, so now they can carry loaded and un-cased guns in vehicles and use silencers. HERMAN LENZ • SUMNER, IA

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MAIL US: Editor, Action Line Friends of Animals 777 Post Road Darien, CT 06820

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