Declawing your cat is far worse than giving it a manicure. Experts say people often mistakenly believe that it is a harmless “quick fix” for unwanted scratching. However, they don’t realize that removing the bones at the tip of their cat’s toes can make it less likely to use the litter box or more likely to bite. It also can cause lasting physical problems for the cat. In fact, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and many European countries have laws and policies that significantly restrict or prohibit onychectomy.

Sick and tired of hearing about the practice, artist and cat lover Kikidoodle posted a Twitter thread on why declawing is a bad idea and how to approach cat scratching in general. The informative and comprehensive read quickly went viral, so at least we know that people understand just how important this topic really is. Let’s hope it makes cat owners renounce the procedure too!

More info: Kikidoodle.com | Instagram | Twitter

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Kikidoodle has 4 cats: Gandalf the Pink, Piggy (Pythagoras), Pandora, and Jiji. “Gandalf and Piggy are both sphynx cats, Jiji is a cornish rex, and Pandora is a feral rescue tortie,” the artist introduced her pets to Bored Panda. “Pandora is 11 and I found it half starved in a planter, trying to catch birds many years ago. I admired her moxy. Gandalf is 8 and was my first ‘pure bred’ cat and has a myriad of health issues due to poor breeding. Her, plus my second sphynx (Archimedes, who died of HCM last April) got me obsessed with the health and wellness of cats. Jiji is 3 and an extremely hyper black cornish rex who gets into trouble non-stop. I am Kiki so he is my Jiji! He’s my first well-bred pedigreed cat and very healthy. He loves to meet strangers. Piggy at 2 is our newest kitty and a very healthy and hearty sphynx with an amazing temperament. He loves when you yell his name.”

Kikidoodle practices what she posts and has trained all of her cats; they know where the scratching posts are and, most importantly, know the house rules. “All 4 of them have realized that they get praise and pets when they use their posts, so besides being a normal cat behavior thing, they use the posts when they want attention from me. Win-win!”

The same applies not just for the scratching posts. The cats and their owner do a bunch of training to keep things as happy and harmonious as possible. Kikidoodle said sphynx and cornish rex are known for being “absolute gremlins” about getting into trouble, so house rules are important.

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Cats and animals in general is something she has always been obsessed with. “My mom was a high school biology teacher and growing up, we were encouraged to ask questions at zoos and museums and nature parks and to learn, and question what you already know,” she explained. “I’ve had cats forever, but I also engage with others. [One time], I wound up doing a coloring book for The International Cat Association (TICA) and was invited to do signings of it at a local cat show. There, I was introduced to the world of cat fanciers and connected with a large number of cat people who view breeding not as a pursuit of a beautiful but unhealthy animal, but as making the most well-rounded, healthiest, happiest, sturdiest cat and educating others on health and behavioral issues, and all kinds of [positive] things.” The invaluable well of resources and networking that happened has strengthened Kikidoodle’s desire to learn and to help others too.

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

According to the author of the thread, people’s reaction to it has been wonderful. “I have always complained that there is nothing that can go viral without being toxic, and have had viral threads in the past that were less enjoyable. The cat scratching post, however, has broken this ‘rule’ and I have seen nothing but positivity!”

Her absolute favorite thing that has come from all of this has been people sending her private messages about how the thread gave them the confidence to try out nail trimming or engagement with their needier or more difficult cats—and how they were able to find success. “I absolutely cried a few times reading some of the messages to me. I think cats are often misunderstood because of how different they are from dogs. They’re treated as mean or aloof, disliked, killed, and even people who like them often treat them as decorative objects or non-trainable and impenetrable walls,” Kikidoodle said. “Cats just think differently than humans and dogs do, but are still amazing social animals who just want to be in a harmonious colony with us. Even the most feral, scaredy-cat can give unconditional love and deserve it in return.”

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Image credits: KikiDoodleTweet

Kikidoodle frequently talks about other cat-related topics on her social media as well, such as diets, training, health, and all kinds of other things, sometimes including other animals too. But that’s not all. “I’m a full-time artist! I used to work in the games industry with Disney, have illustrated children’s books and comic covers, and even briefly was a professor of digital arts, and now I make my living creating art and products at home! I do a ton of cat and wildlife things, including mermaid-cat plush toys (Purrmaids). If you want to check it out, here’s my website.”

Here’s what some people said after reading the thread

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