Lori Shepler—an award-winning former Los Angeles Times photographer who now presides over CityTheKitty.com, among the most informative and influential websites dealing with feline declaw surgery–traces that unlikely path. Shepler recalls how the cat who later became known as City the Kitty entered her life, and how when she began photographing City, there was something unusual about the way he reacted to—embraced–the shoots. Not coincidentally, perhaps, Shepler explains when she started a Facebook page featuring those City photos, it generated tremendous response—the beginning of his becoming a social media sensation. That Facebook page, she notes, was indirectly responsible for triggering her interest in declaw. Shepler describes what the declaw procedure really involves—amputation—and the ill affects that cats experience afterwards, often for the rest of their lives. She outlines the pending legislation in four states—New York, New Jersey, West Virginia and Rhode Island—moving toward outlawing declaw, and noting some of the political machinations that have slowed progress…particularly the efforts of veterinary medical associations. Shepler points out why these entities are so fiercely opposed to such legislation (primarily, for many veterinarians, performing declaw surgery constitutes a lucrative facet of their practices.) She touches on City’s new book, entitled fittingly enough, “City The Kitty,” which features a foreword by veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Conrad, founder of The Paw Project. (www.citythekitty.com, www.facebook.com/citythekitty/)
COMEDY CORNER: Daniel Sloss’ “Gay Penguins” (http://danielsloss.com)
MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Neko Case’s “I’m An Animals,” instrumentals
NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: R.E.M’s “Wolves, Lower”
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