hello, my fellow ferret fanatics.
 
i'm going way out on a limb here, and i mean no disrespect to anyone.  we
all love our little ferret family members, and i guess i'm just trying to
clear up my own mind.
 
before i post my highly-inflammatory query here, PLEASE understand that my
cats and my ferrets are my immediate family members.  i would NEVER
intentionally do anything even remotely cruel to them.
 
what i'm wondering is this.  everyone here seems to believe that declawing a
beloved cat (or ferret) is cruel and inhumane, because it would
(undoubtedly) cause some pain and recovery time.  but how is this different
from descenting and neutering a baby ferret?  if comparable to sterilization
of a human female, then neutering or spaying of a ferret or cat is major,
traumatic surgery.  and descenting would be no different.  so why is it ok
to put a ferret (or cat) through sterilization and descenting, but not ok
for declawing?
 
from what i understand, neutering and declawing of a kitten is usually done
at the same time.  so what's the difference?  how is surgically descenting a
ferret or neutering a cat so much more justifiable than declawing?  they
both hurt.  they're both unnatural to your beloved pet.  so how come
descenting and neutering are ok, but declawing at the same time is not?
 
i'm tossing out this subject in all seriousness.  if there is a difference,
then i absolutely want to know about it.
 
no flames, please. i really want to know. please educate me.
 
thank you,
linda
[Posted in FML issue 1363]