Dear Scooter,
We recently adopted a kitten, "Scratch," from our local humane society. True to his name, our new pet has damaged some of our furniture and clothing with his claws. What is Animal Matters' position on having a cat de-clawed?
Sincerely,
Cat Owner in Grand Rapids, MI |
Dear Cat Owner in Grand Rapids:
A cat's claws are used to capture prey, for climbing, and in self-defense. Claws are an integral part of a cat's life, but their use can also be a problem for cats' human cohabitants. Declawing, however, is a painful and permanently crippling procedure. There are effective and humane alternatives to declawing that can reduce or eliminate clawing damage.
Declawing a cat involves general anesthesia and amputation of the last joint of each toe, including the bones, not just the nail. Possible complications of this surgery include reaction to anesthetic, hemorrhage, bone chips which prevent healing, recurrent infections and damage to the radial nerve, pain, and possible abnormal regrowth of the nails.
Many vets refuse to perform the surgery, calling the operation cruel, and in most cases, unnecessary. It is illegal in Germany and other parts of Europe.
To train a kitten or to retrain an adult cat requires the following measures:
Regularly trim nails. When the cat is relaxed and unafraid, gently press on the toes until the claws extend. Use a pair of animal nail trimmers and cut only the tip of the nail, taking care not to damage the vein or quick. The nail "hook" is what tears up upholstery, so when it is removed, damage is greatly reduced.
Buy or build two or more scratching posts. Such posts must be sturdy, tall enough to allow the cat to completely stretch (3 feet or taller), and properly placed. A bark-covered log, a post covered with sisal, or a tightly woven burlap-covered post works well. Soft, fluffy, carpeted scratching posts don't work - they are one of the greatest causes of declawing because cats often don't like the posts, and frustrated human companions resort to surgery. If you use carpet, secure it to the posts with the rough backing on the outside; soft carpeting will not satisfy a cat's need to claw.
Give your cat specific instructions as to where to claw and where not to claw. Place your cat on the new scratching post and move his or her paws, or pretend to scratch it yourself. This will scent the posts and encourage exploratory clawing. Make the post a "fun" place to be. Play games with your cat on and around the post and attach hanging strings, balls and/or bouncy wire toys to it. Sprinkle catnip on the post, too.
Sincerely,
 |
Dear Scooter,
Someone told me that glue was made from horses. If this is so, how is that done and is there an alternative to horse-made glue?
Sincerely,
Amy Chen,
Washington, DC |
Dear Amy,
Glue is obtained by boiling skin, tendons, ligaments or bones with water, and comes from any animal processed after slaughter including horses, cattle and hogs. White glue, like Elmer's Glue is made from a non animal source. Unfortunately, it's hard to tell which other glues are animal free. That information does not appear on the packaging. If you are unsure, our suggestion is that you write to the company and ask. This will also show them that you are concerned about the animals.
Sincerely,
|
Dear Scooter,
I noticed that Arm & Hammer is on the list of companies who do test on animals. I have been using baking soda as an environmentally friendly cleaner and can't seem to find an alternative.
Thanks for helping,
Allison Moore Cortizo |
Another site to recommend:
www.mothernature.com. They sell products and services that promote healthy living. They sell people on the idea of slowing the aging process, having more energy, sleeping better at night, and losing weight, all through the use of natural products and alternative medical points of view. MotherNature.com will offer the best possible selection of top quality natural products, priced to present superior value. Their products are not tested on animals. They care deeply about the health of the planet and will support those companies that follow environmentally sound production and packaging practices.
Sincerely,
|
Dear Scooter,
We've received the following email and we need to know if this is true!
"KFC has been a part of our American traditions for many years. Many people, day in and day out, eat at KFC religiously. Do they really know what they are eating? During a recent study of KFC done at the University of New Hampshire, they found some very upsetting facts. First of all, has anybody noticed that just recently, the company has changed their name? Kentucky Fried Chicken has become KFC. Does anybody know why? We thought the real reason was because of the "FRIED" food issue. It's not. The reason why they call it KFC is because they can not use the word chicken anymore. Why? KFC does not use real chickens. They actually use genetically manipulated organisms. These so called "chickens" are kept alive by tubes inserted into their bodies to pump blood and nutrients throughout their structure. They have no beaks, no feathers, and no feet. Their bone structure is dramatically shrunk to get more meat out of them. This is great for KFC because they do not have to pay so much for their production costs. There is no more plucking of the feathers or the removal of the beaks and feet.
The government has told them to change all of their menus so they do not say chicken anywhere. If you look closely you will notice this. Listen to their commercials, I guarantee you will not see or hear the word chicken. I find this matter to be very disturbing. I hope people will start to realize this and let other people know. Please forward this message to as many people as you can. Together we make KFC start using real chicken again."
Laura VanDeusen, Portland, OR and Justi Schmeichel, Linton, IN |
Dear Laura and Justi,
I too received this email and just had to know if it was true. After doing a search of KFC on the web, I came across an article from a USA Today reporter. She had called the folks at the University of New Hampshire. They weren't laughing. I guess their phones were lighting up like Christmas trees with people calling to find out more about this "horrible story."
UNH Computer specialist, Jim Cerny, finally put up a link on the university's main Web page on "The Chicken Hoax," and he says it's getting 10,000 hits a day! Below is what's posted on their site:
"Kentucky Fried Chicken Hoax. An active Internet hoax, of the urban legend type, falsely claims that KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) is using genetically engineered organisms instead of chickens. The hoax includes reference to an unspecified study of KFC done at the University of New Hampshire and there is no such research or study that was done here.
When you read the message carefully you can see it has all the hallmarks of a hoax. It starts with a well-known subject (KFC) and a timely topic (genetic modification of animals and plants) and then spins out a story that progresses from possible, to improbable, and finally to impossible. As an extra touch of false verisimilitude, there is the vague reference to a study at the University of New Hampshire!"
Sincerely,
|
Dear Scooter,
What are nonanimal sources of omega-3 fatty acids?
Jim and Crissy Shepherd, Baltimore, MD |
Dear Jim and Crissy,
Canola and soy oil provide tiny amounts but vegetarians can turn to omega-3-rich flaxseed oil, the best pant-based source. You can buy flax seeds, flax meal, and flax oil in health food stores. Adding at least one tablespoon of this nutty-tasting oil to your diet on a daily basis will give you the basic nutritional requirements and significantly adds to the proper EFA (essential fatty acids) balance, because flaxseed oil has a 3:1 omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. Also, one wild green - purslane - is an omega-3 source but it is not easy to come by.
Sincerely,
|
Dear Scooter,
What's wrong with buying silk?
Ann Wu, Coldwater, MI |
Dear Ann,
Silk is made from silkworms. I know people have a hard time feeling for a worm but I hope I you'll change your mind. Silk is made from the shiny fiber that silkworms make to form their cocoons. Many people think of it as "natural," not realizing that farmers boil or steam the silkworms alive in their cocoons by the thousands. It is necessary to destroy the worm inside the cocoon if the silk is to be reeled. Please choose fabrics that are not associated with this type of cruelty.
Sincerely,
|
Dear Scooter,
Do geese have to be killed to make goose down and down blankets?
Amy Chen, San Marino, CA |
Dear Amy,
"Down" is the soft underfeathering often plucked out of live geese who are raised for food. White geese are plucked repeatedly to supply filling for products such as comforters, pillows, and ski parkas. Plucking the geese causes them considerable pain and distress. Four or five times in their lives, they will squirm as a plucker tears out five ounces of their feathers. A skilled plucker can handle 100 birds a day. After the last plucking, the geese have five weeks to grow more feathers before they are sent through a machine that plucks their longest feathers. From there they go to the slaughterhouse. Please purchase cruelty-free synthetic insulators.
Sincerely,
|
|