Local filmmaker Cesar Alejandro dropped by to tell us about this years Binational Film Festival and all the guests and honorees that will be in the town.  One of them is veterinarian Jennifer Conrad whose movie The Paw Project is all about her campaign to do away with the practice of declawing cats.

I had no idea this issue even existed. I certainly had no idea that it was a subject that people go ape-crap insane over on the internet. But it is. Pro-declawer vs. Anti-declawer is a debate that will send some people into rage mode. If you don’t believe me, do a Google search.

Here’s the trailer for the movie.

I hate to mix metaphors, but I really don’t have a dog in this fight. I’m not a cat-hater but I also have never been a cat owner. I am ambivalent toward cats, in much the way I assume they are ambivalent toward me.

But, it occurs to me that almost everyone, pro-declawing and anti-declawing alike, would probably agree that you should spay or neuter your cat.  In fact, I’ve never heard anyone argue against spaying /neutering.  If I’m a cat and you give me the choice between having my fingernails pulled out or my genitals altered, I wouldn’t have to think about it very long. My fingernails might grow back. You might make the argument that de-clawing is something done just for the convenience of the cat owner. But, when you think about it, isn’t neutering really just for the convenience sake? I don’t see anybody polling cats on the issue.

And, just like that, I have become part of a bitter argument that I really care nothing about.

 

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