The newest entrant in California politics (actually, there are 10 little entrants) are cat claws on feline front feet.

The state has absorbed a flurry of ballot initiatives calling for humane treatment of farm animals including cattle and chickens. Now the be-kind-to-all-animals forces are taking aim at the practice of surgical removal of front claws from the ubiquitous house cat.

A few months ago, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill prohibiting cities from enacting local bans on cat de-clawing. This didn't please everyone. The ban goes into effect Jan. 1, 2010, and it has split the veterinary organizations. Many small animal veterinary clinics see this ban as governmental intrusion into their practices. Sort of like a ban on vodka sales in bars and saloons.

For years, clients who want their furniture to remain free of pet cat clawing have often relied on de-clawing. When your business, consists of 90 percent dogs and cats, bans on the procedure can affect the clinic's budget. Other veterinarians contend there are other ways to curb this habit besides surgical claw removal.

For advice on the subject, one logical local source is Mickey Zeldes, manager of the Rohnert Park Animal Shelter. She's an adamant opponent of cat de-clawing and so is the shelter. They have a flyer called "Kitty Claw Disaster" outlining the feline problems resulting.

"Declawing is really like 10 amputations, it involves removing the last joint of each toe," she said. "A de-clawed cat should never be allowed outdoors for its ability to defend itself or escape from danger has been seriously impaired... it also affects a cat's balance because the cat can no longer walk normally and their posture is affected."

Like so many human ailments, preventing cat-clawing damage works better than last resort surgery, Zeldes claims. Regular trimming of the nails helps (works better if someone else holds the cat), a product called "Sticky Tape" on furniture is something most cats detest. Many cat owners keep an atomizer filled with water to spray when a cat starts to claw forbidden furniture. The cat doesn't associate the spray with the owner but soon learns the habit means a spray of water ensues. Scolding or swatting with a newspaper usually makes the cat more afraid of you.

A visit to 49er Pet on Southwest Blvd. in RP will reveal a huge array of cat scratching posts and furniture designed for the feline's private use. Toys they can sink their claws into and bat around the floor are also handy to have around.

It seems Schwarzenegger's edict runs counter to voters' wishes for humane treatment of farm animals and poultry. But when you've got a stack of legislative documents on your desk.

Cat de-clawing has reached the political arena, that's for sure.

For example, Dr. Peter Weinstein, director of the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association said in a Nov. 16 article in the New York Times, "The emotions, both of those in favor of banning de-clawing, plus the emotions of city councils being told by Sacramento what to do, weigh heavily on the decision making process."