Still no luck? If you are unable to care for the pup and search for its owner, take him to your local shelter. If found in San Jose, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Milpitas or Saratoga, take the dog to San Jose Animal Care Center located at 2750 Monterey Road in San Jose. If you found a pet in Campbell, Monte Sereno or Santa Clara, go to Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority at 3370 Thomas Road in Santa Clara. For Sunnyvale, go to Humane Society of Silicon Valley located at 901 Ames Avenue in Milpitas.

To file a Found Dog report at San Jose Animal Care Center, bring the pup to their facility at 2750 Monterey Road in San Jose. They will take a photo and collect pertinent information on him. For other shelters, you can fill out an online report with the Humane Society of Silicon Valley here and for Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority here. All these organizations will enter the dog's information into their databases and post a description on their websites.

You aren't done yet! Now that you've got a canine house guest, there are a few more steps you need to take to help him find his people. 

Post the dog online at Craigslist.org in the "Lost & Found" and "Pets" sections. Post him on your neighborhood websites such as Nextdoor.com. Post him to local animal welfare social media pages you follow. Don't forget to ask us to post on our San Jose Animal Advocate's Facebook page! 

Something to keep in mind as you network him - sometimes less is more. Don't include an overly extensive description about the dog. When someone contacts you claiming to be the owner, you can easily verify if the animal belongs to them by asking some simple questions. 

Be sure to put an ID tag on him with your contact information. Why? He got lost once. He may do so again.

Here are a couple final tips that can help make a huge impact on finding Fido's family:

Make a flyer! 
Type out "Found Dog" in a LARGE FONT, include a good sized photo of the pup and your contact info. Many people who will see your flyer will be driving by it, so keep it simple and easy to read. A good photo is the best advertisement you can have. Post the flyers around the area you found the dog. (Click here for an online template.) 

Leash up and go for a walk! 
If you are able to, take the dog for a walk in the area you found him. Be sure to bring your flyers and talk to anyone you see... the mailman, UPS delivery person, neighbors, places of business and of course, other dog walkers!

Whether you transport a loose dog to a local shelter or commit to fostering and searching for its owner, you make a difference in that dog's life!

Reposted from ASCPA www.aspca.org

1. Don’t Get Tricked by Labels
During the holidays it can be difficult to make it out of stores alive, never mind navigating the confusing labels around farm animals’ welfare. If you eat meat, eggs or dairy, look for certifications that require better treatment and independent farm audits, specifically Certified Humane, Animal Welfare Approved and GAP (Levels 2+ for turkeys and 3+ for chickens). Unfortunately, common terms like “humane,” “hormone-free,” and “natural” can be meaningless when it comes to animals’ welfare. Take our label guide with you so you’re armed with facts.

2. Beware of Cheap Meat
Holidays can be expensive, so it’s especially tempting to go for money-saving promotions at the supermarket. But both consumers and animals can pay a steep price for cheap meat, eggs and dairy—in the form of poor animal welfare, poor quality and potential human health risks. Animal products often cost less because companies cut corners with welfare, but all things considered, choosing higher-welfare animal products is a much better deal.

3. Go to the Source
Whether you’re a city mouse or a country mouse, there’s bound to be a farmer’s market in your vicinity. Use this search engine to locate one. There you can often talk directly to people who work on or for the farms to learn how they raise animals. Start by asking about the farm’s policies on cages, debeaking, feedlots and antibiotics. Farmers tend to appreciate an informed consumer, so don’t be shy.

4. Plant Power
Try adding more vegetables to your holiday meal. Veggies are super healthy, look beautiful, and tons of recipes exist to make them taste delicious. You might also try some of the ever-more-available and tasty plant-based alternatives for meat, egg and dairy products. Testing out plant-based versions of old favorites or bringing in new veggie-based dishes is an exciting opportunity to develop new family traditions. Let us know your favorites in the comments section!

5. Ask and Receive
Above all, don’t forget that you have the power to demand more humanely raised products in your stores. This holiday season and going forward, you can impact which brands your grocery store carries. Start by demanding more humanely raised chicken in your stores with our supermarket request letter.

Now 1.5 years old, well-socialized, thoroughly trained, and healthy, Rani and Begum are ready to move forward on their journey toward “furever”. You're probably wondering how Manish and Matrayi can say goodbye to Rani and Begum after all this time. Allowing the girls to move on allows Manish and Matrayi to continue rescuing dogs from India (and locally). Their next goal is to save Rani and Begum's mom, bring her to California, get her healthy and finally spayed so she can live a life beyond breeding. With the big picture in mind, Manish and Matrayi will be able to let their girls go. Understandably, Rani and Begum are very much attached to each other given all they’ve been through together. Manish and Matrayi would like to see them adopted together, but going to separate homes is not entirely out of the question. The only thing that matters is that they both find a very special home where they will be loved, cherished, and forever treated as "queens". Rani and Begum's story is just too incredible not to share – if you’d like to set up a meet & greet with the girls, please contact their foster parents via the contact information listed below:

matrayi@gmail.com AND/OR joneja@gmail.com

206-407-9927 OR 408-921-8704

The girls are also on YouTube! Check out their beautiful video:

By Aubrey Bowen, SJAA Volunteer 

There are so many choices out there when it comes to dog food. Whether you're in a grocery store, a big box pet store, or a pet supply boutique, you're faced with a wall of different food options. 

Here's the first step to choosing a quality food: READ the ingredients and KNOW what you're looking for. We realize that's kind of a two-fold deal. Knowing what you're looking for involves a little bit of light research. 

Most importantly, you want a food that has clearly named meat. We're talking well-defined, pure, basic protein like chicken, turkey, fish, duck, lamb, beef, etc. What you don't want to see when it comes to proteins: by-products, animal digest, or meat meals. What does that stuff mean, anyway? It means animal garbage. By-products and unspecified "meat meal" includes the stuff we throw away like hooves, beaks, bones, and entrails [note: named meals are okay, like duck meal or salmon meal]. We don't want our dogs eating roadkill. It's gross and just really not healthy. The first two or three ingredients should be basic meats.

Fat is an essential part of a balanced dog diet. Dogs get most of their energy from fat, unlike humans. No "rendered fats" allowed! Look for named fat sources like salmon oil, chicken fat, etc. That's a pretty easy one.

Next up: complex carbs. Now, here's where it gets a little tricky. Carbs aren't bad! Having said that, some are better than others. Look for whole grains like barley, oatmeal, rye, and brown rice instead of corn and flour. By-products and corn are the dastardly villains of pet foods. If you're looking for grain-free food because your pet has allergies or because you believe that's the absolute best way to go, you want to look for alternative carbohydrate sources. So instead of barley and oats, you'll look for flaxseed and potatoes. To make life easier, grain-free pet foods are typically labeled as such. They also tend to cost a little more, but we'll get to that in a bit.

Moving on: pets need their fruits and veggies, too! This one's the easiest yet. Just make sure there are a few different plain old fruits and vegetables listed that you recognize and would eat yourself. Spinach, carrots, peas, apples, potatoes, berries, and pumpkin are some common examples. You also want to see some good vitamins listed. A, B, D, nutrients like omega-3, biotin, and glucosamine are all great.

Here's where it gets a little controversial. At the end of the day, nobody wants to say they like chemicals. The fact is, they're really useful and we need them for certain things. Don't worry if you see some long funky names on the label. They're preservatives. Without these, your food would expire way too quickly. On the flip side, some chemicals really should not be used in pet foods and can have harmful side effects. So if you're concerned about the "-ates", "-ides", and "-enes" listed on your pet food label, pick the one that has the fewest. If you're following the rest of these guidelines, odds are that bad chemicals won't be an issue in the food you choose.

Although it can be tough to stomach the cost, spending more money on a high quality dog food pays off in the long run. Low quality food results in higher vet bills, gassier pets, weight problems and skin issues. 

For the best of the best, you’ll see across the board that Orijen, Acana, and Wellness Core score the highest. These are fantastic foods that come in a wide range of wholesome varieties. BUT! It’s not all about brands and it’s not all about price. Don't be fooled into thinking that you've got to have a money tree in order to afford good pet food. There are some hidden gems out there in the pet food world that have both good quality ingredients and palatable sticker prices. Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul runs about $40 for a thirty-five pound bag. That's really good; it's not grain-free, but it doesn't have any sketchy ingredients. AvoDerm is a wallet-friendly grain-free choice. Depending on which protein you select (fish generally costs more than chicken), you can get a twenty-five to thirty pound bag for $40-50. A lot of folks dismiss Merrick because they label their foods with silly names like Turducken, Thanksgiving Dinner, and Wingaling. Merrick is actually a really nutritious, affordable, and palatable food. Canidae is another great quality, mid-budget, grain-free food. With independent companies like Canidae, you can rest easier knowing that you’re getting a cleaner, more consistent product in every bag than those generated by big-box brand food companies.

So where can you find top notch food for your furry friend? It’s not difficult! San Jose has some great local stores like Sam’s Downtown Feed, An-Jan Pet Supply, and Unleashed by Petco that offer a fabulous variety of pet foods. It is very much worth the extra trip to a specialty store to find the best option for your dog’s nutrition. By and large, grocery stores carry the cheapest foods available, which are also going to be the foods highest in undesirable ingredients. Corn, wheat, by-products, we’re lookin’ at you. 

Bonus: take your dog shopping with you! He can’t go in the grocery store, but small pet supply stores welcome our four-legged friends. Going to pick up your buddy’s food can become another special little outing for both of you to enjoy together. Finally, it’s encouraging to know that if you need help choosing a food, your local pet supply store has plenty of knowledgeable employees who will be happy to help guide you in the right direction. You can’t get that kind of expertise in a grocery store!

For more help with exploring proper nutrition for your dog as well as a wealth of additional useful food info, please check out these helpful links:
http://recipes4gourmetdogs.com/worst-dog-food-brands/
http://recipes4gourmetdogs.com/dog-food-comparison-chart/

Article and photos courtesy Our Pack Inc.

People often tell us that they feel their dogs need lots of space and a big backyard to roam and frolic in while they're away working or running errands. While dogs are all individuals and respond differently to environments, in general, a backyard where squirrels run along fences, neighbor's dogs are barking at the fence line, and other exciting things are going on, is not the best place for many dogs to hang out while you're gone.

This can cause your dog to become frustrated and bored. They do not exercise themselves in a healthy way and they can potentially become more nervous and anxious.

There are dogs that do fine with hanging out in the backyard while their people are away, but many don't. Some will dig out of the yard, get out and get into trouble or get hit by cars.

Typically, dogs don't frolic and run around happily in large spaces when their people leave. They generally find a small spot on a couch or chair, curl up and sleep until you come home. However, as a puppy, they're more likely to become bored and chew on things if left in the house unattended.

Dogs that live in backyards full time without any leadership and training tend to become disassociated from their own family members and generally under socialized. They also don't learn to live in the house and learn house rules. A vicious cycle ensues where owners feel that they just can't have the dog in the house at all. This is simply due to the lack of training and exposure to the house.

The answer is to find a smaller place to contain your dog inside where he's not exposed to the excitement of the goings on outside and items in the home that are tempting to chew on. He can rest, chew on a bone or toy, and relax until his folks get home. He can go in a small room or a crate.

This way he stays out of trouble, can't destroy the house and will generally be much happier and calmer. Try it out or call in a trainer to help you if you think your dog might be having behavior issues due to being left unattended in the backyard for long periods.

Our Pack, Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit pit bull and Chihuahua rescue group based in the South San Jose Bay Area. Its mission is to promote compassion and kindness towards these breeds. 

Our Pack rescues dogs from shelters, educates the public about pit bulls and Chihuahuas and facilitates lifelong bonds between dogs and their people through training and education. In addition, they also offer training for dogs in shelters and foster homes. 

What Do You Do?
By Cathy Grovenburg

Kitten season is upon us!  It seems that everywhere you turn, there are kittens, and pregnant cats.  What can you do to help?  

First, let me share some sobering facts:

• In this climate, cats will cycle into heat and deliver litters of kittens up to three times each year.
• Cats can cycle back into heat within 6-8 weeks of giving birth, and in rare occasions, can cycle back into heat within one week of giving birth.
• Kittens as young as 4 months of age can cycle into heat and become pregnant.
• Over the span of eight short years, an unspayed female cat, her mate and their offspring, producing two litters per year, with 2.8 surviving kittens will add up to 2,072,514 kittens.

If you would like to do something to help this season, here is what you can do:

If you see a litter of kittens in your backyard or shed or in some bushes, leave them alone!  Do not scoop them up and take them to your local shelter or attempt to nurture them yourself. Cats instinctively will move their kittens several times - when they feel unsafe, when they want to be in a warmer, more protected location or when they want to be relatively close to a food source. If the mother cat gets interrupted during one of these moves, she may leave a kitten(s) behind.  Rest assured, she is not far away, and as soon as she can safely return, she will come back for the kittens. If you come across a nest of kittens, just leave them alone and let the mom continue to care for them.

Do not remove the mother and litter of kittens and relocate them to a “safer” place.  Community cats/ferals feel safest in their home environment.  Any changes to that will likely stress the mom and may cause her milk to dry up, leaving you with hungry or starving kittens and a very unhappy mother cat.  Additionally, keeping the mother cat from her colony for a prolonged period of time may place her at risk of being accepted back into the colony at a later date.  So, before you act on that impulse to help the mother cat by relocating her and her kittens, ask yourself the following questions:  1) Do you have a safe and quiet space that can accommodate the mother and kittens for up to eight weeks or longer?  2) Can you tolerate the fleas that will most certainly come with the mother and kittens?  3) Are you comfortable working with and caring for an adult feral cat that may be especially stressed or anxious due to the circumstances?  4) Do you have a backup plan in the event that this doesn’t work out?  If your answer is “No” to any of these questions, do yourself, and the mother cat and kittens a favor.  Leave them where they are. 

Provide high quality food and fresh water for the mother cat, ideally putting out food and water twice daily, and at the same time(s) each day.The cat will acclimate to the routine, and will bring her kittens to the food source when they approximately 4 weeks old.  That is the perfect time to pull the kittens, socialize them and begin looking to find them a good home once they are altered.  It is also the best time to get the mom in and spayed – before she becomes pregnant again.  If she is friendly, place food in a cat carrier, and close the door behind her when she enters to eat.  If she is feral, use a humane cat trap to capture her.  (See the end of this article for an array of low cost/no cost spay/neuter options for Santa Clara County residents.)

Have the kittens spayed/neutered before you send them off to their forever, adoptive homes.  Kittens can safely be altered once they weigh two pounds, which is at approximately eight weeks of age.  Shelters are required by law to have kittens altered before they are adopted, so routinely perform spay/neuters at 8 weeks of age.  Kittens recover quickly at this younger age and studies show no ill effects of spaying early in kittenhood.  Moreover, kittens can cycle into heat as young as four months of age, so having them altered at 8 weeks ensures that there are no future “oops” litters of unwanted kittens born.

Santa Clara County residents are fortunate to have a large number of affordable resources available to them for spay and neuter. Please visit the following websites to get detailed information on low cost spay and neuter options or call the PAWS hotline for advice at 877- 729 -7475 (877-PAWS4SJ).

www.cityofpaloalto.org
www.hssv.org
www.peninsulafixourferals.org
www.sanjoseanimals.com/spayNeutInfo.asp
www.sccgov.org/sites/acc/spayneuterprogram
www.svaca.com

Examples of humane feral cat traps:

Engaging with Your Vet
by Karen Zamel, SJAA Volunteer

When I was younger (okay, much younger), I remember my mom’s reluctance to question or challenge our family physician – he was the expert, and she believed that questioning him was disrespecting him.  

As an adult, I got game.  I learned how to have a voice with my doctor – assert myself, ask hard questions, and give myself permission to request clarification.  Next, I had to do the same with our vet. 

We call our vet “our primary care physician” and trust her with our cats’ lives.  We respect her experience and time but we engage, inquire and sometimes dig until we have enough information to accept a recommendation – or ask for another one.  In our faster-than-the-speed-of-light pace and rush to get to the next meeting, it’s sometimes difficult to breathe and ask for an extra bit of detail.  But, our vet knows we want to be involved and informed guardians and she is okay with that. 

So, here are a few tips from personal experience that might help with all things “vet.”

• Choose a vet who will engage with you – and is comfortable with questions.
• Follow-up is okay.  As we drive away from our vet’s office, I often think of what I should have asked earlier.  Our vet is great about responding to voice mails and emails.
• Do your own research.  When it comes to understanding pet medications and procedures, the Internet is your friend.
• Getting a second opinion doesn't only apply to people.  And, pet specialists exist for almost everything.
• Don’t let the stressful but temporary chaos of the vet’s office distract you from being thorough.
• Equip yourself with a basic set of questions so that you don’t have to react on the spot in the exam room.  What are the side effects?  What are the other options?  What effect will this have on my pet?  Should I change his/her diet as a result of this medication/procedure?  Is this the only/best course of treatment?
• Plan for emergencies.  Know in advance what facilities provide 24-hour care and get a recommendation from a trusted source. Find out about extent of care, overnight staffing (if vets or techs are on duty overnight), and inquire about visitation policies.
• Over-treatment isn't just a human risk.  We learned that less can be more.

This blog is in honor and memory of our cat, Mopps.

by Sheila Fretwell

It was December 2012. My husband Matt had just accepted a job offer in Palo Alto and we were excited to be planning a move. Foremost on our minds was thinking about how we could safety transport our 4 cats (Pepper, Cinder, Catnip and Shivers) nearly 3,000 miles from Pittsburgh, PA to the Bay Area. Since we had some previous experience moving with our feline family, we knew we needed to start making plans right away.

Tip #1: Planning ahead is critical. Cats (although there are exceptions) are not known for being good travelers. They can become easily stressed in new and changing environments so it’s vitally important to prepare them, yourself and their environment.

The first thing you should do is ensure each cat has a comfortable carrier. The carrier must be large enough for the cat to stand up and turn around. For air travel a soft sided carrier is recommended. Purchase some puppy training pads and line each carrier with a pad. These provide cushioning and are also excellent at soaking up any accidents that might occur.

Open the carriers and scatter them around your living area well in advance of your moving day. Place toys and treats in them to get your cats' interest. The idea is to get your cats to associate the carrier with pleasant things, instead of something you only pull out when it’s time to visit the vet. When it’s time to actually put your cat in his carrier, it can be easier on both of you if you put him in butt first. If he can’t see that he’s being put in the carrier, he’s less likely to put up a fight. 

Make a few test trips with your cat(s). Take the cats with you in the car and go for a ride. Ideally have someone else drive so you can watch their reactions. Most cats will initially be very stressed but may calm down once you get on the highway and get up to highway speeds. 

Watch for extreme anxiety or motion sickness. If necessary, talk to your vet about calming medications for your cat. If you decide these are necessary, it’s important to test the medicine prior to any travel; in some animals these medications can have the opposite effect and increase anxiety. Another option is a pheromone product such as Feliway. Some vets recommend these as a more natural way to help your cat stay calm. 

Determine your mode of travel – air vs. ground. Matt and I flew our two cats from Edmonton to Pittsburgh in 2010. Air travel is especially stressful for cats due to the loud noises and air pressure changes. Look for an airline that lets your cat travel in the cabin with you as carry on luggage. It’s safer to keep your cat with you in the passenger cabin than have him travel in the cargo hold.

Plan your route and book accommodations. Remember that it can be difficult to let your cat out of his carrier on the way. For that reason, try to plan trips that aren't more than 6 or 7 hours a day. Many hotel/motel chains will accept pets (some with an extra fee). When you book be sure they know you are bringing a cat, as some hotels have special pet rooms set aside.

A site like BringFido.com can ca be a valuable resource in finding cat friendly accommodations.  

Tip #2: Adjust Feeding and Litter box schedules for the trip. Since cats tend to travel better on empty (or almost empty) stomachs, consider giving your cat a large meal before bed the night before the trip.  Skip breakfast or give a very light breakfast. One of the difficulties I faced was how to get my cats to use their litter box prior to beginning the journey. Since cats tend to use a litter box right after it’s been cleaned, I would give them a tiny breakfast and clean the litter box (noisily so they could hear) while they ate. Sure enough, they all used the litter box shortly after. I would suggest adjusting the feeding schedule for travel a few days before you start your trip so your cat is accustomed to it.

Tips for Air Travel:
*Plan your travel so your cat has to spend the least amount of time in the carrier. Look for direct flights. If you have a significant layover, think about how you could let your cat out for water and access to a litter box. When Pepper and I flew from Edmonton to Pittsburgh we had a two hour lay over in Minneapolis. I had packed a small flattened cardboard litter box, as well as a very small amount of litter (it’s heavy). In the Minneapolis airport I found a single stall restroom with a door that locked. I was able to set up a litter box and let Pepper out of the carrier for a few minutes to use it and have a drink before we began the long leg to Pittsburgh.

*Buy a well fitted harness for your cat to wear on the trip. When you go through airport security, you will need to remove your cat from the carrier and carry her through the x-ray machine. This poses some risks and the harness can make it easier to hold onto to or catch the cat if she does squirm away.

*Even if your cat becomes stressed, try to remain calm yourself. Take off and landing are the scariest parts of the experience for your cat due to engines revving up and reverse thrusters upon landing. If you can, choose a seat as far forward in the passenger cabin as possible as noises are louder towards the back.

Tips for Car Travel:
*Consider traveling very early in the day when it is cooler and traffic is lighter. Avoid placing carriers in direct sunlight and don’t have air from a vent blowing directly on your cat. If possible use seat belts or bungee cords to secure the carriers so they won’t move in the event of a sudden stop or an accident.

*Keep pit stops short and sweet. Avoid leaving your cat alone in the car for anything longer than a few minutes. Do not leave them at all in hot weather – the interior of a vehicle can heat quickly to dangerous temperatures. If you are traveling alone and you must leave them for a short period, have a second set of keys so you can leave the car and air-conditioning running.

*Avoid driving through areas where you will encounter heavy stop and go traffic. Many cats will calm at steady highway speeds but become stressed with changes in speed. If possible, stick to highways and inter-states and travel at a time of day when traffic is light.

Tips for Hotels/Motels:
*Many cats will be stressed and scared in a new environment and may hide. For this reason, I suggest releasing your cat(s) in the bathroom first. Set up the litter box, water and food in the bathroom, then set the carrier down and open the carrier door. Make sure the bathroom door is shut. Your cat may not come out immediately but eventually will venture out. Leave the carrier available for them to go back into – your cat will now likely see it as a safe familiar place that he can retreat to. If your cat is not overly fearful, you can let him or her explore the hotel room after a while. If your cat has a favorite treat, keep a bag handy. You can use that if you need to coax them out from under the bed or another hiding place.

*Use caution when leaving the room. Be extremely careful when opening the door. Confining your cat to the bathroom is a great option when you leave the room. It makes escape less likely. It provides a barrier - a second set of doors - if hotel staff enters the room while you’re gone. Always put the ‘do not disturb’ sign on the exterior of the room when you leave.

*Pack along some of your cat’s favorite foods and treats for the trip. A stressed cat may not have much of an appetite and is more likely to eat if you give him something he really loves. If you have the space, consider bringing a favorite blanket or throw along. Something that smells like home can help your cat calm down in an unfamiliar environment.

Seven days after we left Pittsburgh we rolled into Palo Alto. A little weary perhaps but healthy and happy. The planning and extra effort involved was completely worthwhile. We kept our family together and honored the life long commitment we made to our cats when we adopted them.

We don’t know yet where our next move will take us – across the city or across the country. 

One thing we know for sure is wherever we go, our cats will be coming, too!

By Karen Zamel, SJAA Volunteer

As a life-long cat-lover, I always felt that declawing our feline friends was wrong, but I didn’t know why.  So, I went to a leading expert to get the facts. Dr. Jennifer Conrad, DVM, founder and director of The Paw Project, recently explained why declawing is a painful, unnecessary and life-altering procedure, and why The Paw Project is working to abolish it. Sincere thanks to Dr. Conrad for allowing us to interview her on this important topic.

Q:  Is the ability to “scratch” an important part of a cat’s health? 
Dr. Conrad:  Scratching behavior is an essential part of a cat's well-being. Not only does it strengthen muscles and keep the claws healthy, it also gives a cat a way to alleviate anxiety by marking territory. Cats are territorial. They need to mark their space. We need to allow them the ability to secure their homes. If they can't do it by scratching things, they might resort to marking their territory with urine. 

Q:  What is involved in the declawing process?
Dr. Conrad:  Declawing is a misnomer. The surgery should be called de-knuckling. Declawing is the amputation of the last bone in a cat's toes. It is the same as amputating the last bone in each of human fingers.  It is not a fancy manicure that only a vet can do. A manicure is about as much like declawing as a haircut is like decapitation. 

Q:  What are the consequences or the after-effects of this process on a cat?
Dr. Conrad:  Very often, a declawed cat will come home from the surgery and go, as he always did, to use the litter box.  After stepping in the gravely sand and feeling the pain on what's left of the recently amputated toe nubs, he may forever associate the box with that excruciating pain, and never use the box again. Declawed cats also quickly learn that their paws, once formidable modes of protection, have been rendered useless and therefore, must protect themselves by resorting to biting.

The truth of the matter is that declawed cats, because of the behavior problems they get from being declawed (litter box avoidance and biting) lose their homes at a rate of about 2:1 compared to cats with normal paws.

So, here's the kicker: many people say that they "would rather have the cat declawed than have it lose its home."  This sounds reasonable until the reality sets in: Declawing does not ensure that the cat gets to stay in its home at all!  It seems to be the exact opposite. If someone is intolerant of the cat scratching the couch, then that person is going to be really intolerant of the cat peeing all over everything and biting people. The bottom line is that it is not declaw or death, it is declaw and then death for a lot of animals. The Paw Project is trying to make people realize that the better option is humane alternatives to declawing.

The other argument we often hear is that declawing a cat is "necessary to protect human health in the case of immuno-compromised people."  It is well established that declawed cats bite more than clawed cats. Ask any groomer or vet tech. It is also well established that a cat bite can be severely deleterious to people with compromised immune systems or even those with normal immune systems. So by declawing the cat, the veterinarian who thought s/he was protecting human health is actually putting human health in greater jeopardy.

By the way, the Centers for Disease Control, the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Public Health Service and the Infectious Diseases Society of America have a joint position statement for people living with HIV/aids. It says declawing their cats is not advised. 

Declawing is illegal or considered unethical in much of the rest of the world. People seem to be able to coexist with cats and their claws everywhere else. Why can't we in the US and Canada?

Q:  When and why did declawing become mainstream?
Dr. Conrad:  Declawing cats began with dog fighting. Apparently, declawing was used to render cats as defenseless bait for dogs forced to engage in this cruel practice. Veterinarians first began reporting declawing as a way to prevent damage to sofas in the 1950s.  It gained momentum in the US and Canada. Most other countries find it cruel.

Q:  Is it requested as much as it used to be?
Dr. Conrad:  In certain parts of the country, yes. The veterinary literature says that 25% of American cats are declawed. That means over 22 million cats. 

Q:  How do veterinarians who don’t agree with the practice deal with requests for declawing?
Dr. Conrad:  Most people who request declawing are completely unaware that it is the wrong thing to do for the cat. If a vet educated these people, they wouldn’t choose to put their beloved cats through it. They just have to be educated about all the humane alternatives to declawing. 

Q:  How can pet owners cope with cats scratching in undesired areas?  How can we allow a cat to scratch, but on more acceptable surfaces?
Dr. Conrad:  Cats need to scratch. Pay attention to what they're scratching on. If it is a table leg, get your cat a wood scratching post; if it is the carpet, get a carpet post. Let the cat choose. Posts have to be in areas that are important as far as territorial marking. They should be in the living room, near the place where the unwanted scratching is done. They are marking territory that their owner uses. The posts can't be hidden. Be thoughtful about the cat and the cat will respond. Declawing does no one any good. Behavior problems should be addressed with behavior modification, not surgery.   

*At the time of this posting Jethro is available for adoption at San Jose Animal Care Center located at 2750 Monterey Road in San Jose. Jethro is a cat volunteer favorite because of his fabulous personality. He is a declawed kitty who needs to be an indoor only cat.

The Paw Project
Founded in 2002, The Paw Project’s mission is to educate the public about the painful and crippling effects of feline declawing, to promote animal welfare through the abolition of the practice of declaw surgery, and to rehabilitate cats that have been declawed.  The organization has helped implement a declawing ban in eight California cities to date and led the successful campaign to legally ban declawing of wild or exotic cats in the state.  

Take Action, Get Involved, and Speak Up Loudly
Create momentum in your community to help abolish declawing.  Attend the screening of the The Paw Project on January 29. Send a letter to the San Jose City Council or your local city council voicing your support of a declawing ban (sample letter below).  Contact your state senator or assembly member saying you would support declawing ban legislation; ask about his or her interest in authoring, co-authoring or carrying a related bill.  Email local rescues, Humane Societies and SPCAs to learn about their efforts and commitment to ban declawing. Educate fellow pet owners and friends.  And, of course, go to www.pawproject.org for more information and inspiration.

Declawed Cats Need to Be Rescued, Too!
Visit your local shelter or search on petfinder.com to find cats that have already been declawed and need permanent homes.  Go to petfinder.com, fill in location and pet type, and the website will provide additional search filters.  Under the heading of characteristics, you will find a box where you can specify "declawed."