Anyone Declaw their kitten? No Debates please I have seen plenty of websites...

[CheshireVal]

I never considered it for my cats, but they're not huge scratchers. It's illegal in a lot of countries, and for a good reason in my opinion.

 

[remyandhollandsmommy]

Our cat Kipper is declawed. He has a "claw condition" (don't recall what the vet called it) where his claws don't retract all the way and they get ripped out when they catch on the carpet/etc. I thought it was more humane to declaw him personally. We left his back claws of course so he can still scratch itches and all that. If he didn't have this condition I would have still had it done..he has always been a sweet cat but now we don't have to worry about accidental scratching or destroyed furniture.

He didn't decelpe any bad habits such as biting (though he will bite if pushed too far..but it takes ALOT to make him do that). He does pack a wallop when he smacks the dog with his paws though LOL. He is strictly indoors (never stepped foot..err paw..outside in his life) so being declawed doesn't make a difference in his lifestyle. He does do this "phantom clawing" on the furniture but since there are no nails he can't damage anything...it just looks weird when he does it LOL.

I wish we could declaw the dog now LOL. We get her nails clipped but they grow FAST! Maybe I could try the soft claw things for her so she'd stop catching her "Freddy Krueger nails" on the carpet.

 

[beavismom]

I have 2 cats, both declawed by the laser method while they were already under being spayed. They are both fine with no bad behaviors due to the declawing (they are wire chewers, but were before the declawing). We tried several different scratching posts and spraying them with water with no success. DH gave me until they were old enough to be spayed to get them to stop scratching stuff and even with me home all day they still did it so the claws had to go (front only). They are indoor only.

 

[NAB]

Thanks for all your responses. It helped alot.

I still have a few days to decide because he gets neutered on Thursday.

Our kitten is a kneader too, and has jumped up on my back trying to get up on my shoulder while I was doing the dishes. I would not want that to happen to one of the kids because that hurt. I think my dd would play with Buddy more to if she wasn't afraid of getting scratched. She got a scratch on her face by accident. He isn't a mean cat.

We really tried alot of things. The soft paws seems time consuming , heck I don't even get time to get my own nails done.

We too signed a contract not to declaw...that was #3 on the contract but at the bottom it said we could get $50. back if we neutred him but if he was declawed you wouldn't get this. So the vet said this was an out in the contract. Plus they wouldn't take the kitten back because there are so many cats out there to be adopted and he is in a good home. We really thought we would not declaw but now I think we may.

 

[TurboKitty]

I really wish you wouldn't declaw him. But, honestly if it comes down to the cat or the claws - one of them has got to go, let it be the claws.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

DH and I adopted 2 kittens YEARS ago. One was about 6 mos. old, the other was 4 mos. and we had both spayed and declawed. I *think* the older kitten may have had the declaw done in a separate surgery, the younger one had it all done at once. The older one did become quite a biter, and she bit for her entire life (almost 15 years). The other kitty never did bite, and she lived to be 16.

When the first kitty (the biter) passed away we got another kitten and had her spayed and declawed. She is a lovely kitty and doesn't bite.

When our other "old" kitty passed away we got yet another kitten and did NOT declaw her. She is now 11 months old and I am kicking myself every single day for not declawing her. She is a demon cat. She claws EVERYTHING - furniture, carpet, bed linens, tablecloth, you name it. She uses her claws to hang from the back of chairs, she jumps up the door frame then digs her claws in and slides down, she is a horrible cat. She isn't mean, she is just naughty. I let myself get all drawn in by the literature against declawing and I made a REALLY bad decision. Now she is too old to declaw (from the way I see it). DH trims her nails but it doesn't help. We may have to look into the little claw cap things, which is a lifetime of having them redone every 6 weeks.

All of our cats are 100% indoor cats. They go outside only to go to the vet, and they are in a carrier then. I swear every cat we get in the future will be declawed.

 

[NAB]

TurboKitty and Cheshire V -- I too wish I didn't have to do it either. Like I said we signed a contract saying we wouldn't and I didn't think we would. I am seeing through the responses that some times it is necessary and some times it isn't. I do know it is illegal in some countries. Like I said I did my research.

But we really don't want to give up our pet either. We love watching him play and be lovable, just not tearing the place apart or scratching my children. I have come home to my curtains being down if that gives you a clue, should I just let him do it because that is what cats do?

So like I said I don't want a debate and I do appreciate what you saying. You don't have to agree just see where I am coming from too. Believe it is really hard for me to say yes go ahead, I go back and forth but know in the long run it is probably this or the kitten will go back to a shelter.

 

[NAB]

Thought I would share a picture of Buddy with you. He was 4 1/2 months there so he is bigger now at 6 1/2 months.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Buddy looks like my Daisy! She was already declawed when we adopted her, but I always front declaw my cats, as does everyone I know. I've never had any issues. I keep them indoors and am very aware of them whenever a door is opened. In fact once at Disney DH opened the hotel door and I (half asleep) said "don't let the cats out!"
I can't believe rescue organizations would put yet another restriction on adopting a cat when around here at least, every shelter is at their limit with cats and kittens!
Robin M.

 

[luv2nascar]

Our cat was declawed. He didn't seem to mind too much. He did take to biting our dog if the dog annoyed him after that though. But trust me the biting was no worse than the dog getting hooked by a claw in the butt if he annoyed him. He was a great cat and I never regretted the decision.

 

[sha_lyn]

Our first cat was declawed when we got her. She definately was a biter, but I realy don't have no idea if she would have been had she not been declawed.

I never thought I would consider declawing, but our second cat almost changed my mind. She did however outgrow clawing everything by the time she was 1 1/2or so. She doesn't/didn't like scratching post, but she loves to scratch canvas/rough fabrics. DH just left his old duffle bag out as her scratching post until she out grew that.

My opinion of declawing has changed over the last couple of yrs. Partly because of our 2nd cat, also because the newer proceedure is less tramatic. Also I feel that a cat is better off declawed in a good loving home, than being returned to the shelter, thrown out to be an outdoor cat or many of the other "options".

 

[Lisa_M]

Lisa_M--I read that some don't like to use the litter box after because of course they would be tender. And carpets are softer on their paws.

That is why I started this thread to see how many did indeed have problems. Thanks for your input.

The vet said that is why they only do the front claws and not that the back ones because they would still be able to climb a tree if they got out. Believe me I know cats are quick. Just drop food on the floor, guess who can get it first....

He was only declawed in the front and we had him for 3 years after the declawing. It was a problem that unfortunately never went away. My parents decided to put him down when my mom got pregnant and it would be dangerous for the baby. Also, the whole house was carpeted and he made his mark pretty much everywhere. My parents female declawed cat doesn't have any litterbox or marking problems, she is just very unfriendly.

 

[TurboKitty]

Also I feel that a cat is better off declawed in a good loving home, than being returned to the shelter, thrown out to be an outdoor cat or many of the other "options".

Not debating this with you NAB. Just making my thoughts known is all. I do appreciate the thought you've put into this and I hope your family, including Buddy enjoy many happy, healthy years together.

 

[crazymomof4]

haven't read all the other posts but here's my 2 cents............
I had a cat declawed when he began swiping at the face of my 6 month old. This cat was a particularly mean one and couldn't be trusted. So I'm not totally anti-declawing.............
but with my next set of cats (3) the kids were older, no longer at the dangerous crawling level, and so I tried an alternate remedy just to spare my furniture. When they were still kittens, I began clipping their claws (with toe-nail clippers) to take off the "hook" of the claw. (The vet's office does this sometimes so that they won't get scratched too badly during treatments.) I did this regularly (every 2 weeks or less) all during their kittenhood and ever since. It has really made a difference. They still claw at the furniture but they don't damage it terribly bc. the claw is more of a "nub" rather than a hook that pulls and tears. The key is starting when they are very young. Try doing this for the first time to an adult cat and YIKES!!
You would be astounded if you watched me clip the claws of my 3 who have been having this done for 10 yrs now............they lay there and watch me as if they are getting a manicure!
Hope this helps.