Budget buster-cat declawing

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Our vet charged $200 to spay and declaw our cat. Yes the cat was in pain for a day or two but we were given pain meds to give her and it helped. After that she was fine. Our cat is indoors only and we have had her for 5 years. Infact two of my foster kitties are going in tomorrow to be declawed but the rescue group is paying the cost so I don't know what the cost is.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take your cat for the vacinations & leukemia testing she/he needs its important. Often on Saturdays Petsmart and Petco have walk in clinics.

 

[DMRick]

but the rescue group is paying the cost so I don't know what the cost is.
.

Your rescue group is paying for a declaw on your kittens? What rescue group is that? Wow, I've never heard of such a thing. Every single rescue group in this area, including ours, makes you sign a contract saying you will not declaw.

I don't understand declawing kittens. You haven't even given them a chance to be trained to use their scratching posts. Every kitten I foster (about 400 now) I have worked with prior to their being adopted to use several different types of scratching posts. I use either bottled water or an air can (sold anywhere they sell computers) to redirect them.

I do understand that some people have tried everything they can and still have a problem (usually a cat adopted as an adult) and while I have against declawing (worked in a vet office, know what they go through to have it done), I would rather if the only choice be a cat brought to the shelter (often the same as being put down) or declawed to continue to live, I would pick the laser declawing. Not for it, but I am for the cat's life. But first, there are lots of other avenue's to explore for the cat.

 

[Bob NC]

Sorry I wasn't trying to get into your business,

Yes you were.

Instead of answering the question, "getting into her business", is exactly what you were trying to do.

 

[Tina]

Your rescue group is paying for a declaw on your kittens? What rescue group is that? Wow, I've never heard of such a thing. Every single rescue group in this area, including ours, makes you sign a contract saying you will not declaw.

I was just about to make the same comment. I've never in my life encountered a rescue group that promotes (and pays for!) declawing.

I've had indoor cats my entire life and never had a serious scratching problem. The first step is to trim nails regularly. It's true not all cats like to have it done, but that shouldn't matter. I currently have an older cat that I adopted 2 years ago that not only hates his nails clipped, but he hates to be picked up or confined in any way. Well guess what? I do it anyway! I wrap him in a thick towel like a tortilla and clip his nails once a month. It's not pleasant and he gets pretty darn mad at me, but I do it for his benefit and mine. It's a fact of life and it needs to be done. I don't get people who say they "can't do it" or the cat "won't let them do it." Just do it! and here's the kicker, once you buy the trimmers, it costs NOTHING!

Beyond that I have a few different scratching items around the house and deter any of the cats who opt for furniture by redirecting them and placing a strip of Sticky Paws (double-sided tape strips) on the spot.

So, OP... don't declaw. It's cruel. Take control of your pets life. Get your cat(s) vaccinated and trim the claws.

 

[MSLRAC]

We had horrible luck with the soft paws - our cat hated them. She would let me trim her nails, but wouldn't tolerate the soft paws.

I know declawing is wildly unpopular - but if it saves the cats life...

We had a cat die during the declawing procedure so I was seriously not even go down that route.

 

[hereyago]

Yes you were.

Instead of answering the question, "getting into her business", is exactly what you were trying to do.

if you read all the posts, we have moved on. And I did answer the question-reading is fundamental. I apologized and I wrote why I wrote what i wrote. It was a A and B conversation, so C your way out of it.lol

 

[maxiesmom]

Yes you were.

Instead of answering the question, "getting into her business", is exactly what you were trying to do.

The OP did post looking for help, and that they were having money issues, which directly affects the care of her cat. And what realistic solutions people can offer her.

 

[bedogged]

I do understand that some people have tried everything they can and still have a problem (usually a cat adopted as an adult) and while I have against declawing (worked in a vet office, know what they go through to have it done), I would rather if the only choice be a cat brought to the shelter (often the same as being put down) or declawed to continue to live, I would pick the laser declawing. Not for it, but I am for the cat's life. But first, there are lots of other avenue's to explore for the cat.

I agree with this. A lot of people don't realize that 99.9% of adult cats in shelters never make it out alive and no kill shelters simply don't have the room to take many cats. Sometimes a less than perfect situation is the best you can do for a cat.

 

[soonerfan2008]

We have no laws regarding containment of cats in our area. So it isn't a requirement in most communities.

If the cat goes out, then she will need vaxed, obviously. She is already spayed according to the op.

IME, in the areas we've lived in (OK, VA, GA, TX, LA and WA), there are rules about containing all animals. So, whether it is or is not a requirement in most communities, IME it has been.

Regardless, it is not very considerate behavior to allow a pet, any pet, to roam the neighborhood. I cannot stand the fact that my neighbors allow their cat the run of the street, and their animal poops in my yard and garden (highly disgusting poop that stinks and makes it an adventure to garden), climbs on my car and scratches the paint, etc. Obviously, rural living is a different ball game.

 

[alh921]

We had our cat's front-paws declawed 11 years ago -- it wasn't very expensive; maybe along the same price range as a neutering. He is almost 13 years old now and has been living a long, happy, spoiled life. Soft Claws would never work with my cat. He is continually grooming his rear claws, and it's pretty aggressive looking when we watch him do it. He would chew those off immediately. We do trim his rear claws regularly, and that keeps them from being really sharp, but they can still scratch if he wants to try (since they are rear claws, though, he doesn't use them for scratching anything but himself). At the very least, nail clipping is a must. I got scratched up like crazy from a friend's cat that never had it's claws trimmed. Claw-trimming essential basic maintenance with owning a cat. Trying the Soft Claws first would at least show you are working towards remedying the situation, too, and maybe your cat will be fine with them.

Declawing is only controversial because people's opinions about it are just that: opinions. You need to weigh the pros and cons and decide what's the best solution for your situation. People have their reasons for choosing this solution, and while it's an available option, it's their business. In the case of my cat, my brother was diagnosed with Leukemia and his pediatric oncologist instructed that we either needed to find the cat a new home, or we needed to have his front claws removed to prevent accidental scratches while my brother's immune system was compromised. We weren't going to give the cat to a shelter with the odds being so low for him being placed in a home (and my brother LOVED that cat), so we opted for the declawing.

A PP mentioned a cat that died during the procedure -- cats occasionally die during any surgical procedure, and sometimes cats can die from reactions to vaccines.

 

[VAfamily1998]

I was just about to make the same comment. I've never in my life encountered a rescue group that promotes (and pays for!) declawing.

.

When I've done petfinder searches, I've seen some rescue groups/shelters that include declaw in the adoption fee...

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/20795416
I noticed several kittens from this one are declawed

and this one
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/17137364
This one lists what the adoption fee covers--mostly routine medical stuff and the declawing is listed with those.

 

[awanatech]

For all that are bashing the DH for being tired of the house being torn up, has anyone wondered why the OP brought a cat into the house without his agreement? Especially if she knew his thoughts beforehand. Not for his permission, but I think that any spouse's opinion should be taken into consideration before committing to the care of a pet (similar to the decision to have children).

 

[KigerKat]

Since this is a budget board...it's going to cheaper to have your cat declawed. Soft Paws need to be replaced every 4-6 weeks, not to mention if you don't get them on right, your cat will pull it off pretty easily and continue with the scratching. The cost of Soft Paws over the life of your cat will be far more expensive than declawing. Since you are on a timeline, declawing is going to be the fastest option, as well.

If our only choices were to either front paw declaw our cats or not have cats at all, then there would be way more homeless cats out there and those cats would most likely be put down because there would just be too many.

Our three cats are strictly indoors, don't try to run outside, sleep in our bed every night, eat only wet food, and are dearly loved and played with every day. I bet cats would line up to live with us, even if it meant giving up their front claws.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

The animal shelters in our area offer low cost clinics that include not only vaccinations but regular claw clipping at a reasonable price. Might be something to look into and help greatly reduce your cat's scratching behavior.

 

[Eeyore98]

Since this is a budget board...it's going to cheaper to have your cat declawed. Soft Paws need to be replaced every 4-6 weeks, not to mention if you don't get them on right, your cat will pull it off pretty easily and continue with the scratching. The cost of Soft Paws over the life of your cat will be far more expensive than declawing.

Actually the cheapest option would be to buy one $20 set of clippers and learning to trim the cat's nails, and training her to stop scratching doorframes.

 

[pintamino]

Actually the cheapest option would be to buy one $20 set of clippers and learning to trim the cat's nails, and training her to stop scratching doorframes.

training is free, it just takes time. Plus, budget or not, there is no price on humanity!

(and nobody with an ounce of humanity would ever take an animal for a "little ride in the car", to dump it or otherwise. )

 

[DMRick]

We have declawed cats on our petfinder site as well. However they have either been already adopted, declawed in spite of signing a contract saying they won't, and returned, or done by someone other than us. I am taking in two tomorrow whose owner is in a coma and dying..we won't turn them away just because they are declawed and actually they will be easier to adopt to someone who prefers a declawed cat but won't do it themselves because they believe it's cruel.

We also have many courtesy listings and sometimes those cats are declawed.

As I said, there is no rescue group in my area that would advocate declawing. And that kittens were declawed without even giving them a chance to be trained is IMO terrible. In most cases it's not necessary. If it means the cats life, then I would rather it be declawed then killed.

For the first one you posted, they don't say they declawed it but that they had vet bills. If you click on it and look at the adoption form one of the questions is, just like the groups around here, about declawing. We ask that so we can explain alternatives. If they are rountinely declawing kittens, shame on them IMO.

Sounds like Juliet is now in a foster home..she was declawed almost a year ago. They are adopting for only $50..that doesn't cover all this cat had done to her.

When I've done petfinder searches, I've seen some rescue groups/shelters that include declaw in the adoption fee...

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/20795416
I noticed several kittens from this one are declawed

and this one
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/17137364
This one lists what the adoption fee covers--mostly routine medical stuff and the declawing is listed with those.

 

[FloridaPixie]

We have three cats. One is a very frisky, curious one-year-old "kitten." We have tried the squirt guns for her misbehavior, but have found a small container of pennies shaken at her works wonders. In fact, this year we just left the container by the Christmas tree, since she liked to climb it and knock ornaments off when we first put it up. After a few times of shaking the can at her, she never tried to climb it again. Of course, the container of pennies by the tree may have reminded her what could happen in she was naughty!!

 

[richmond282]

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT DECLAW YOUR CAT!!
If clawing your furniture is a problem then please look into ALL alternatives available. If you remove their claws you are taking away their only natural defense. I guarantee you that the cat will start to bite and then become aggressive because it will have no other way to defend itself and then you will get rid of it anyway. This will make it so much more difficult to adopt it out.

I would rather see you give it to a no kill shelter than declaw it. PLEASE DON'T do this to your cat. What would happen to it if it got out. It would have absolutely no way to defend itself.

You are breaking my heart...sorry, I LOVE cats! Right now I have 2 sweet little kittens sitting on my desk napping.

Please Don't....

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.

 

[crashbb]

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.

My cat (18 years old) was declawed before I got him (as a kitten). Has never bitten me (or anyone) nor has he ever intentionally scratched me (with his back paws). He is the biggest suck of a cat in existence (and is currently snuggling into me). His brother (who lived to 16 years) was also declawed and also not aggressive.

So much for the PP's "guarantee". I get that people are against declawing (and I wouldn't have done it to my boys), but it is not really helpful to make up facts to get ones point across.