Budget buster-cat declawing

[Arabelle]

We have had 3 cat that were/are declawed. We adopted them that way. One had all 4 paws declawed. (I'm not sure why someone would do that to a cat). Anyway, none of them were overly agressive or resorted to biting. All 3 of them seemed to think they still had their claws and still "sharpened" them. 2 of them were complete teddy bears and snuggled.

A cat that lives in a happy home doesn't have to defend itself. . My dad has one that is declawed because she was adopted that way. She plays with the other two cats and her people nicely. Biting might become an issue if someone or thing was hurting her, but that would be no more or less "bad" than clawing.

 

[ADisneyQueen]

My older 18 year old cat that passed away a few months ago was declawed as a kitten. I just didn't know much about it back then and I was a young girl so I just did it b/c she was scratching the furniture. Our vet was an older man and he didn't tell me what declawing was. And there was no internet! I just thought it was trimming their nails so they wouldn't grow back, I guess. It wasn't such a controversy back then. My cat's behavior did not change b/c of it. She was still a loving cat who wanted to be with us all the time.

We have a new kitten now and I won't declaw her now that I know more. She doesn't scratch either at least not yet.

 

[dakcp2001]

I say keep the cat and send your husband for a little ride.

 

[torinsmom]

I say keep the cat and send your husband for a little ride.

 

[SaraJayne]

OP, I am all for declawing indoor cats. It saves your furniture, carpet and walls/trim, not to mention you don't have the danger of being scratched accidentally.

We've front declawed every cat we've ever owned (going way back to when I was a teen) and not one of them has been "agressive or started biting". That's a scare tactic used by anti-declaw folks.

Not one of the cats has had any lasting effects from being declawed. They still love us. After a day or so, they are back to their normal routines, jumping around on their people and furniture.

If you have to choose between declawing the cat or getting rid of it, to me, the choice is clear.

 

[PattySwind]

DH should not be giving you deadlines and telling you he's going to take the cat for a ride. Not sure if it's a threat or if he actually would but if he did that just shows a very cold heart. My ex DH thought he was the big boss of everything. I sent him back to his mommys house and now life is peaceful again.

 

[Arabelle]

Hopefully it was just said out of frustration. Seeing your furniture and carpet ruined is heartsickening. My cats got a couch that we can't replace. My husband would have happily been rid of them at that point, and I was close. They are still here, fat and sassy, but it still makes me sick to see the damage done.

 

[pigletto]

OP, I am all for declawing indoor cats. It saves your furniture, carpet and walls/trim, not to mention you don't have the danger of being scratched accidentally.

We've front declawed every cat we've ever owned (going way back to when I was a teen) and not one of them has been "agressive or started biting". That's a scare tactic used by anti-declaw folks.

Not one of the cats has had any lasting effects from being declawed. They still love us. After a day or so, they are back to their normal routines, jumping around on their people and furniture.

If you have to choose between declawing the cat or getting rid of it, to me, the choice is clear.

Well that's a tad extreme isn't it? Scare tactics? My choice to not declaw, comes from research and educating myself on the topic and procedure. Perhaps you have not witnessed behavioural issues in regard to declawing, but one could say that since you are clearly in favour you are relaying the results that you have convinced yourself of.
Everyone has to make the choice that they are comfortable with. I would hope that choice would be made through unbiased research and carefully considering each side of the argument. Declawing is 10 separate amputations and a serious decision.
The Op doesn't have to "choose between declawing the cat or getting rid of it". She has a myriad of other less invasive behavioural modifying choices at her disposal that many on this thread have tried to present to her.

 

[SaraJayne]

Well that's a tad extreme isn't it? Scare tactics? My choice to not declaw, comes from research and educating myself on the topic and procedure. Perhaps you have not witnessed behavioural issues in regard to declawing, but one could say that since you are clearly in favour you are relaying the results that you have convinced yourself of.
Everyone has to make the choice that they are comfortable with. I would hope that choice would be made through unbiased research and carefully considering each side of the argument. Declawing is 10 separate amputations and a serious decision.
The Op doesn't have to "choose between declawing the cat or getting rid of it". She has a myriad of other less invasive behavioural modifying choices at her disposal that many on this thread have tried to present to her.

It has been, every single time we've declawed our cats.

Behavior modification takes a lot of time and doesn't always work. The OP's DH is already at the end of his rope in regards to the destruction of their property and wants it stopped.

At this point, she does only have two choices ~ declaw or get rid of the cat.

 

[Fyrefly]

I for one am amazed you've had a cat all this time without taking it to the vet once. The declawing thing isn't even on my radar right now.

The poor thing could have heartworm or something, feline leukemia, who knows what and you wouldn't even know. And that's stuff that needs to be kept under control or your pet will die. If it's a female and you didn't spay, screaming when she goes into heat each month. If it's a male and you didn't neuter, spraying. You think clawing is bad, you think your husband is going to put up with 24-hour screaming or spraying urine all over your house?

Leaving aside your husband's ultimatum (my father did the same with one of our cats. We have several rescues and only one is declawed and that was because we literally tried everything and it would not take), have you ever had a cat before?

None of my local vets will do anything to a cat that hasn't had their shots. It's not responsible. I would be hard-pressed to find a vet who would declaw a cat that hasn't been given its standard kitten immunizations and checked for communicable diseases. They couldn't keep it in the back while it recovers with the other cats.

Now before all of you decry me on being off-topic, what I'm saying can be boiled down to a few things:

1) If you have a decent vet he probably won't just let you declaw and go home.
2) You will have to declaw + immunizations and standard first vet visit stuff.
3) You should get the cat spayed/neutered or your problems will be worse.
4) If the three facts above are busting your budget, give the cat to someone who will take care of its health properly. And don't let your husband "take it on a ride." That's despicable behavior. Take it back to a shelter if you have to, or find a friend who can take care of it.

 

[Arabelle]

The cat is spayed if you actually read the thread.

How many indoor only cats get those diseases?

 

[PatriciaH]

Most civilized countries ban declawing

The following is a list of countries in which declawing cats is either illegal
or considered extremely inhumane and only performed under
extreme circumstances.


England
Scotland
Wales
Italy
France
Germany
Austria
Switzerland
Norway
Sweden
Netherlands
Northern Ireland
Ireland
Denmark
Finland
Slovenia
Portugal
Belgium
Spain
Brazil
Australia
New Zealand

Vets and experts say the only reason the US does not ban it is that we have way too many animals in shelters here. Most people that do their research know it is a big money maker for vets (just like selling crappy pet food and overdosing on shots.) People here are way to willing to give up their animals when they become too much work or have an issue. It has just gotten worse with this economy. We had tons of cats dumped at our condo complex in Celebration. It was heartbreaking. There were also tons of homeless cats/dogs dumped all up and down 192 in Central Florida. I think people would dump their kids if they could.

 

[AlwaysMoving]

How many indoor only cats get those diseases?

Unless you know where the kitten came from, it can have all sorts of diseases or parasites. Also, indoor cats can sneak out of the house, even when you try your best to avoid it.

 

[bumbershoot]

We're already pulling from the savings every month to cover basic bills.

I'm speaking from experience here. If you're in those financial straits, you *cannot afford a pet*. We're not pulling from savings, but we can't afford a pet. Pets can be expensive! As you're finding out.

Find a new home for the cat, one who can manage all the current and potential expenses of it.

BTW, if my husband took my cat for a "car ride", he better not come back home

So, so true.

... and our local shelter will not take any more cats.

Go to a non local shelter.

She hates having her paws messed...

So she probably won't appreciate having them operated on.

Unless you know where the kitten came from, it can have all sorts of diseases or parasites. Also, indoor cats can sneak out of the house, even when you try your best to avoid it.

The cat was spayed, which means she's been to at least one vet. Which means those things aren't happening if she has been indoors (which the OP says she has been). If an indoor, especially a declawed one, gets out of the house, they have other things to worry about, since they'll probably be dead pretty quickly.

 

[Agri]

Taker your cat to the vet, get her up to date on her vaccinations, and while you're doing this start looking for a friend or a friend of a friend who is looking for a cat.

I won't even touch the whole deal with your husband, but clearly, YOU, the OP, did not know a darn thing about owning a cat. You haven't bothered clipping her claws until now? You haven't bothered to see if she even needs vaccinations? I'm ignoring the declawing bit, too, because everyone else has covered that well enough by now.

I am aware that by far we do not live in an ideal world, but I still cannot wrap my head around the fact that you would take on the responsibility of an another living being without knowing exactly what that responsibility would require of you. Before I got either of my cats, I read up and made sure that I had all the supplies - including clippers!! - before I even brought her home. This SHOULD be common sense for anyone!!

And yes, Arabelle: INDOOR CATS NEED VACCINATIONS. They need rabies and just about everything else as they do not live in a vacuum. As people come and go in a household, things take rides on our clothes and then attach themselves to "indoor only" pets. If a mosquito gets in the house, your "indoor only" pet could get heartworm. Both of my "indoor only" cats get all their shots and are on a monthly heartworm prevention regimen.

 

[Arabelle]

What is the percentage of indoor cats that get these diseases? It is a pretty simple question. It seems the answer would be that those vaccinations are pretty big money makers or the vets too.

Like crappy Food and declawing.

 

[dakcp2001]

I used to think indoor cats did not need vaccinations either. Then I brought a box in from the garage and a mouse must have been in it and my cat got it. Now they have their shots. Part of owning a pet is taking care of it, and taking it to the vet at least once or twice for a check up or whatnot is part of the deal. OP did mention the cat was spayed but also stated the cat had never been to the vet which indicates to me that she got the cat already spayed. Pets can be expensive, but they are living creatures and when they depend on you, it is up to you to care for them. Don;t declawd cats need special more expnesive litter too? Don't they need follow up visits to the vet to check on the progress of the parts that were amputated?

 

[Arabelle]

http://www.americananimalhospital.com/faqs/both/6-why-does-my-indoor-pet-need-vaccinations

A rational look at vaccines for pets, IMO.

Op, are you not legally required to have rabies shots? We have one cat that spends some time outdoors so we are at risk and vaccinate. I just don't think that his is the core issue here where people have made it.

 

[AlwaysMoving]

The cat was spayed, which means she's been to at least one vet. Which means those things aren't happening if she has been indoors (which the OP says she has been). If an indoor, especially a declawed one, gets out of the house, they have other things to worry about, since they'll probably be dead pretty quickly.

What are you talking about?

Going to the vet for a spaying does not mean a cat has current vaccinations later on, nor does it mean they have all the vaccines to cover diseases encountered outdoors. Since you don't believe in western medicine, know that accupuncture does not prevent kitty AIDS or rabies.

Being labeled indoors does not mean that a cat is immune to diseases. They need vaccines. See above.

Declawed does not mean they will probably die pretty quickly. Both of my declawed cats got outside on multiple occassions. One of them got into a serious fight and gave the other cat a run for his money, and the other time he got out he disappeared for 5 days and came back unharmed. I've seen clawed cats run over by cars, receive serious injuries, catch diseases from being unvaccinated, and shot at. My cats lived to age 15 and died of natural causes. Wonder about those clawed, unvaccinated, stray cats.

 

[torinsmom]

Rabies vaccines are mandatory for pets in my county. I may be spending the extra money to get a titer check done on my one cat before he is due this summer. He had a terrible allergic reaction last time he had the rabies vaccine, and I have heard they can get worse with every vaccine. Our state only does one year rabies vaccines now, so I don't want to keep increasing his risk.