I volunteer for a rescue and am working with a family returning a cat adopted from us 10 yrs ago (declawed at 8 wks old). The cat defecates outside her box, and they've been unable to resolve the issue. I'm convinced the cat has some sort of paw pain, arthritis, or is using this method to mark territory. Krista Kafey, would you like to foster this defecating kitty in your home and figure out how to resolve the problem?

I don't appreciate non-rescuers giving their opinion on what would be best for rescues. Best Friends, the largest, says NO to declaw. Declawing isn't the answer, it's the problem. The "thinking beyond stage 1" should be the ramifications of altering the anatomy of your cat! Emphasis on wrong sylLABle!

Like potty training a puppy, training a cat to scratch on appropriate surfaces is no different. Training pets is part of pet ownership.

Looking forward to the day this barbaric, unnecessary mutilation is banned, and we no longer see these cats abandoned or surrendered!