Declawing: against or for?

[sasha the cat]

I hope one day that in Canada, the USA and everywhere a law is enacted whereby Onychectomy [declawing] felines and ferrets becomes a criminal act.

Claws are the first line of defense for felines and ferrets. My son has a sweet cat named Scruffy. She was an abandoned young cat, about a year old who one day was sitting on my balcony. A friendly little girl she jumped onto my lap. She was pregnant. Imagine my horror to find she was declawed, all four paws!

My son, Mark was living w/his father, going to college. I had convinced his dad to foster the cat until her kittens could be placed. My son insisted this be done. I knew my son would never let the mother leave once he had her. Scruffy had two kittens, one still-born. At the time my son was 17 1/2. He kept Scruffy and her surviving baby, Mr Baby. His dad wanted him to find a home for Mr Baby and Mark was so shocked. He said Mr Baby was born on his bed and he would not leave. He asked his dad: "could you have given me away?"

Mr Baby was born with a heart defect but he did live 7 wonderful, happy years with Sruffy and Mark.

To think Scruffy was abandoned after being declawed all four paws thus eliminating her ability to protect and defend herself bothers me to this day.

Instituting a law where declawing becomes a criminal act can't happen fast enough for me, Scruffy and her human, my son Mark.

Catfancier sums it up purrfectly:

Last point: Drapes/Curtains/Carpet/Couches can be easily replaced but can your cat?

I heard that in England Onychectomy is illegal but don't know if this is true. Hopefully that is the case.