Mrs. Norah Andrews - Kyina & Talisker Cats Breeders of Russian ...

Carrespond,eroee CornerReaders are invited to send contritrutionsto this feature and so tojoinin the useful exchange of ideas, experiencesand knowledge, Lettersshould be concise and deal preferablywith items of general interest.LETTERS WANTEDI'd be glad to corresponcl rlith anr'cat lovt'rs.Mrs. Walter Moore,719 East Second Street,Flint 3, Michigan, U.S.A.NEUTERING AND DECLAWINGI rvould like to comment on the pointsraised b.v Mr. Soderberg in ,vour Augustissue:(,a) Nanuing olf males. Considerableannoyance is caused throughout thecountry bv screaming cats on the tilesat night, due more olten than not tcrcomplele ignoranie .r neglect on thepart of the owners. Llnless a male catis required for stud llork he should inrny opinion be neutered. This operationis simple and does not distrcss the cat inan,v s,ay. Stud cats should never beallowed ro slra\ or:ta\ oul aiJ nighr f"robvious reasons) i.a., annoyance toneighbours and risk of disease.(,b) Spa2ing of -femalu. My reactionto this subject is much the same as formales. The majority of breeders knolvonly too well what happens when theyare unobservant or careless lvith aqueen approaching a calling period.I]r,rt the real trouble lies with owners ofcats rvho couldn't care less rvhat happensto their females. The result is that hundredsof unfortunate little kittens arebrought into a very precarious existence.Malnutrition and disease become rampantthereby endangering the lives olhealthy and l'ell-bred cats rvho mightdecide to risk an occasional " flutter overthe garden fence." With modern sciencespaying has become commonplace andmost effective. I have often seen queensnLnning about and actually climbingtrees rvithin 48 hours after the operation.tlThe cost is a possible deterrcnt but it ismy firm conviction Lhat cat o\\'nersshould. if they really love their cats, bearthe expense or have them put clorvn. I'agree that neutered males are apt to bcless affectionate than females ; they sitabout and appear to some extent to loseinterest in life. I invariablv find thatbul.ers of kittens prefer males as pets, butI leel that the real ansrver is that thevare thinking of the cost to have a femalespayed. My stud cat is most affectionate,but only lvith me. He is very u'ary ofstrangers and distrusts them.(,.c) Declauing. I am strongly opposedto an,v form of declawing as it only appliesto cats $'ho have full lieedom and thereforeneed their claws to protect themselvesand to catch their lbod. Caged cats neednot be declawed as presumabl,v theowners lyould not object to somescratching of the u'ooden parts of thecage. Trvo o{'mt- cats, both queens, onespavecl. have complete freedom of thehouse and garden and they have notcaus"d any damage ro furniturc. Theywere reproved when they were kittens anclnou should rhey feel like transgrc.singthey are checked by a reproving barklrom my dog. No, I think it would be acriminal act to remove a cat's clarvs atany age. It would be signing its deathwarrant,Air Commodore F. J. Vincent,Woking, SurreY.AND A CANADIAN OPINIONWhile I readily agree that cats attimes do considerable damage to furniture,I do feel it rvould be very unfairto take away their most effective meanso{'self-defence. Even a much-loved andcared for pet will very likely meet an.unfriendly dog or cat at some time--and