Landsberg G M
Doncaster Animal Clinic, Thornhill, Ontario, Canada.
Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 1991 Mar;21(2):265-79. doi: 10.1016/s0195-5616(91)50032-2.
Scratching is an inherited, normal behavior in cats that is used as a visual and olfactory territorial mark and as a stretching exercise for the forelegs. In addition, it serves to condition the claws by removing the old, worn-out external sheath and exposing the healthy, new claw. When scratching occurs indoors, it often is disruptive and undesirable unless it can be directed to an acceptable object such as a scratching post. During playing, jumping, climbing, and aggressive displays, cats also may injure people with their claws. With appropriate behavior modification techniques, most undesirable scratching can be prevented or eliminated. Although somewhat controversial, declawing is another alternative for those owners who are unwilling or unable to control the undesirable scratching. Declawing can successfully correct most scratching problems with no adverse behavioral effects; in fact, most owners of declawed cats indicate that there is an improved relationship (bonding) between cat and owner. On the other hand, declawing is often unnecessary, because appropriate behavior modification techniques can be used to correct most scratching problems successfully.
抓挠是猫的一种遗传的正常行为，它被用作一种视觉和嗅觉的领地标记，也是前腿的伸展运动。此外，它通过去除旧的、磨损的外部爪鞘并露出健康的新爪子来保养爪子。当在室内发生抓挠时，它通常具有破坏性且不受欢迎，除非它能被引导到诸如猫抓板之类可接受的物体上。在玩耍、跳跃、攀爬和攻击性展示过程中，猫也可能用爪子伤害人。通过适当的行为矫正技术，大多数不良抓挠行为是可以预防或消除的。虽然有些争议，但对于那些不愿意或无法控制不良抓挠行为的主人来说，去爪术是另一种选择。去爪术可以成功纠正大多数抓挠问题且不会产生不良行为影响；事实上，大多数给猫做了去爪术的主人表示，猫和主人之间的关系（亲密程度）有所改善。另一方面，去爪术往往没有必要，因为可以使用适当的行为矫正技术成功纠正大多数抓挠问题。
