Debate: Should It Be Illegal to Declaw Your Cat?
With legislation pending, New York could become the first state to make removing the claws of a cat a crime.

Claim: It should be illegal to declaw your cat
Reason: Declawing your cat can understandably lead to them failing to cover their waste.
Warrant 0: litter boxes can be cleaned on a daily basis
Warrant 1: litter boxes are annoying to clean on a daily basis
Correct warrant: 1

Claim: It should be legal to declaw your cat
Reason: My mom's cat nicked his eye when scratching his face and her vet advised he be declawed.
Warrant 0: he attacked people even more viciously after declawing
Warrant 1: he was still able to attack and defend himself afterwards
Correct warrant: 1

Claim: It should be illegal to declaw your cat
Reason: Declawing is a crime; instead, people should be educated on proper care and training.
Warrant 0: owners should have the right to be in charge of their animals
Warrant 1: owners should not have the right to be in charge of their animals
Correct warrant: 1

Claim: It should be illegal to declaw your cat
Reason: The concept of declawing and any attempt to defend the procedure is horrifying.
Warrant 0: necessary human surgeries aren't as horrifying
Warrant 1: some necessary human surgeries are just as horrifying
Correct warrant: 0

Claim: It should be illegal to declaw your cat
Reason: I'm against declawing cats, it's mutilation.
Warrant 0: a person's personal values should weigh on the law for all
Warrant 1: a person's personal values should not dictate the law for all
Correct warrant: 0

Claim: It should be legal to declaw your cat
Reason: My mom's cat nicked his eye when scratching his face and her vet advised he be declawed.
Warrant 0: being declawed increased his quality of life
Warrant 1: being declawed decreased his quality of life
Correct warrant: 0

Claim: It should be illegal to declaw your cat
Reason: People in other countries keep cats as pets and don't practice the barbaric ritual of declawing them.
Warrant 0: other countries are willing to do what is necessary in the modern world
Warrant 1: other countries are not willing to do what is necessary in the modern world
Correct warrant: 0

Claim: It should be illegal to declaw your cat
Reason: They need to use their claws for defense and instinct.
Warrant 0: we are no longer in the wild
Warrant 1: we are still in the wild
Correct warrant: 1

Claim: It should be illegal to declaw your cat
Reason: Declawing is really amputating the toe, forcing the cat to walk on their phlanges, which are not meant to be fully weight bearing.
Warrant 0: fully mobile cats are harmful to the ecosphere
Warrant 1: fully mobile cats are helpful to the ecosphere
Correct warrant: 1

Claim: It should be illegal to declaw your cat
Reason: Declawed cats have limited ability to protect themselves from an attacker.
Warrant 0: the fights are much more entertaining without claws
Warrant 1: the fights are much more dangerous without claws
Correct warrant: 1