Anyone's home may be full of prized possessions and expensive furniture, but just think about how much more memorable your items are with deep grooves left by your pet cat. From climbing the Christmas tree to marking territory on the grand piano, cats can leave a mess behind and not even want to. A surgical procedure called onychectomy, could solve any solution to this mess for pet owners. The only problem with this procedure is that it seems pretty brutal to do such a thing to your favorite little feline. If a procedure like declawing never existed, many cats would be placed in a shelter or even thrown out by their trusted pet owners. Therefore, it is important for critics to know both sides of the issue before making a complete judgment on the topic. Onychectomys People have many misconceptions on the topic of declawing their cats. They say it's almost like cutting off the tip of a human's finger; the truth is that they have a right. Onychectomy (declawing) is simply the surgical removal of the last bone in each digit of the paw. Generally declawing is only performed on a feline's front claws, but in some cases rear declawing needs to be done as well. It is important to discuss the procedure with your local veterinarian. Also, check local listings to make sure it is legal for your vet to perform such a procedure. In many places it is illegal to declaw an animal, while in others it is not. Hypothetically speaking, let's say that in Butler County Kansas it is perfectly legal to perform an onychectomy, but in a higher county it is completely illegal. Now, why is this procedure so controversial? Well, mainly because many people think it is brutal, inhumane and even causes pain in the long run of the cat's life. This is a topic that generates a lot of interest... middle of paper ......bold views of Mrs. Mittens after she decides to tear down the kitchen curtains and take her to a vet to explore all the alternatives to her destructiveness . Declaw, or not to declaw, that is the question. Works Cited Atwood-Harvey, Dana. “Death or Declaw: Addressing Moral Ambiguity in a Veterinary Hospital.” Society and Animals 13.4 (2005): 315-342. Premier of academic research. Network. December 9, 2013. “AVMA Policy Statement on Declawing Domestic Cats.” DVM: The Newsmagazine Of Veterinary Medicine 38.8 (2007): 16. Academic Search Premier. Network. December 9, 2013. "Declawing Cats: Much Worse Than a Manicure." The Humane Society of the United States. The Humane Society, April 12, 2013. Web. December 9, 2013. Ginsberg, Susan. “Cats, Claws and Conflict.” Animals 126.4 (1993): 26. MasterFILE Premier. Network. 9 December. 2013.