Thinking of declawing your kitty? If you're in Israel, think again as the Israel legislature has unanimously passed a bill that outlawed the declawing of cats.
It's now a crime punishable by one year in prison and a fine of $20,000. But oh, won't someone think of the furniture? Link - via Metafilter
Declawing, debarking, ear and tail docking are of course banned here, since, like, forever.
If you take proper care for your kitteh, he/she will use the scratching post or board. If there is one and the little critter prefers your furniture, it feels it gets too little attention from its humans.
The comparison to circumcision is a weak one. Sometimes it is absolutely necessary (e.g. phimosis), while declawing never is.
Frankly I don't understand religious circumcision, myself. To me it is an unnecessary surgery which has no benefits.
Still, cutting a little piece of skin comparing to cutting off parts of a limb seems disproportionate.
I say good for Israel. I wish declawing, ear docking, tail docking and other unnecessary surgeries were banned in the US.
I think it's cruel now and would never get it done to my own. Our cat used to tear up our furniture until we finally found smething he would use instead. Lured him with catnip to a scratching mat and he's been using it ever since.