“Do you really love your ottoman more than your cat!?” Amy Hoggart, the hilarious correspondent from Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, wants to know. Ontario is currently the only province in Canada that does not have a ban on cat declawing, so this comedic confrontation about the normalization of animal torture and denaturing carries particular urgency. Using a disarmingly light touch, Hoggart cracks jokes, cuddles kittens and attacks this controversial practice using sarcasm to expose a heart-rending catspiracy. On its surface, declawing appears to be a simple and harmless procedure for the convenience of pet owners, but is in fact a huge industry, protected by a powerful lobby, that not only promotes but profits from this inhumane procedure that generates “one billion dollars a year for a quick 11-minute surgery.” Through devastating interviews with veterinarians, activists and pet owners, Hoggart navigates through a maze of misinformation and discovers the profound physical and psychological effects declawing has on our feline friends.
