Declawing an indoor cat....?

[RonnieJo66]

almacdonald:

There is no reason to be nasty about it...I was simply asking a question.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

I'm sorry, but it is posts like above (almmcdonalds) that really get me. As I have stated I can understand the views against declawing and respect your right to hold them - but to tell people they only care about their furniture and that they should not have pets is just wrong. I choose to have both a nice home and a loving home for my pets....I simply do not view declawing the way you do. As I have already stated - homes are very much needed for pets (all of ours "found us" or were adopted from shelters) - it would be a horrible situation if you denied these animals loving homes just because the people choose declawing.

Also, I think you turn more people off to your views with such tactics....

 

[DaisyD]

We have our one cat declawed years ago and she has had no bad effects. It is great to not have your furniture tore up. She was not one to use the numerous scratching posts and everything else bought for her so off with her claws! I have a new kitten that will be declawed when she is old enough whether she shows signs of tearing up furniture or not. Right now she is tearing up the declawed cat in playtime and poor Nala doesn't know what to think of those nasty sharp claws that Kate still has! I personally don't care what others think. My cat, my house, my furniture, and my decision!

 

[CheshireVal]

I'm sorry, but it is posts like above (almmcdonalds) that really get me. As I have stated I can understand the views against declawing and respect your right to hold them - but to tell people they only care about their furniture and that they should not have pets is just wrong. I choose to have both a nice home and a loving home for my pets....I simply do not view declawing the way you do. As I have already stated - homes are very much needed for pets (all of ours "found us" or were adopted from shelters) - it would be a horrible situation if you denied these animals loving homes just because the people choose declawing.

Also, I think you turn more people off to your views with such tactics....

I think it makes people uncomfortable to hear the truth sometimes. If you declaw your cat because you're worried about your furniture, then that's pretty telling. Surgery is no fun for people even when they know why they're having it.... I'm sure it's much less fun for cats who have no idea why they're being tortured. Not to mention that any surgery carries inherent risks. I mean, you're voluntarily bring a living breathing thing in to the vet to be "mutilated" just to save a piece of furniture... what's that all about?


I can understand declawing in the most extreme circumstances, but not just to save *stuff*.

I have pretty strong feelings on this issue, as you can tell. My family lost everything we owned in a house fire when I was 12. It kind of makes you realize that *stuff* is just not important.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

and you have every right to your views and to state them - but it is wrong to assume people care more about their stuff than their companions..or to make the judgement that they have no right to those animals...I simply do not view declawing the way you do, so it is not putting my stuff over and above the animals I love dearly - that follows from your argument not from my (or others who disagree with your) viewpoint......I don't see it as so dire and therefore it is not the same kind of call

and your "truth" is not necessarily mine - sorry..and I am not in the least uncomfortable about anything other than the judgemental, holier than thou attitude of "almamcdonald" -like I said that just turns more people off to the views expressed anyway....

 

[tiggersmom2]

We have our one cat declawed years ago and she has had no bad effects. It is great to not have your furniture tore up. She was not one to use the numerous scratching posts and everything else bought for her so off with her claws! I have a new kitten that will be declawed when she is old enough whether she shows signs of tearing up furniture or not. Right now she is tearing up the declawed cat in playtime and poor Nala doesn't know what to think of those nasty sharp claws that Kate still has! I personally don't care what others think. My cat, my house, my furniture, and my decision!

Amen, I agree totally! My 2 cats are declawed as well.

 

[Beth76]

OP since she's a kitten you might be able to teach her to scratch a scratching post. Supposedly the sisal covered ones work best. I've never done it, but my cat came to us at a year old and did very well at using her scratching post only. We never had a problem with her scratching the furniture. However, we did end up declawing her because she started scratching me when I became pregnant.

 

[Tantor]

 

[almacdonald]

"Holier than thou" whatever!

If you can't handle the responsibilty of maintaining a pet without mutilating it then you shouldn't have one.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

well, you are only proving my point...thankfully, you have no say in it....my pets are healthy, well taken care of, and very much loved....they could not want for a better home.......but thank you for your concern

 

[Jennasis]

Many cats get put to sleep each year at animal shelters. Is that outcome prefereable to a cat being declawed so that it can have a long happy life with a loving family? Not in my opinion. Remember I said OPINION.

My first cat was declawed by the people who gave him to us as a kitten. I currently have 4 "barn cats" and they have claws and I wouldn't dream of taking away their claws (they need them!). But I have no beef with people who do declaw their cats or de-fang their snakes/tarantulas.

 

[NikiM20]

"Holier than thou" whatever!

If you can't handle the responsibilty of maintaining a pet without mutilating it then you shouldn't have one.

Hmmmmm would you consider "mutilating " a pet spaying and neutering also? Because in all actuality you are removing body parts . I think that if you dont spay/neuter you are an irresponsible pet owner. I have 5 dogs and 1 cat , they are all fixed and the cat is declawed. I am a very responsible pet owner all my animals are up to date on shots. Princess destroying our furniture I could care less about, now whenever she would walk up to my child, or anyone one else and just scratch them THAT I have a problem with. I have ripped up carpet and put down tile and wood floors to deal with pethair...so dont tell me I dont care about my animals becuase i had her declawed. Would you have preferred i dumped her at the pound and had her put to sleep?

 

[lilkitty819]

Hi
I have 3 cats, one is not declawed and uses a post the other had a really bad climbing up everything habit so we had him declaw cause he had no fear of anything and I was afraid he would knock something over on himself.Our little girl kitten is declawed because she liked to chase your eye movement while you sleep. No choice there . They all are happy fat playfull lovable kitties.

 

[DaisyD]

"Holier than thou" whatever!

If you can't handle the responsibilty of maintaining a pet without mutilating it then you shouldn't have one.

So I take it you don't spay or neuter your pets? After all that is mutilating. The only reason to do that to an indoor pet is for the owner and not the pet. Oh. and dressing ones dog like a troll borders on abuse IMO too.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

98% of all cats who find their way into an Animal Shelter are destroyed for lack of owner's willing to adopt.

I find it very difficult to fathom that most people would believe that being put to death at 8 months old after living your entire life in a steel cage at the pound is somehow superior than 18 years of kitty treats, soft cushions, windowsills to lie on, and tuna at my house.

And yep, my male beagle got his testicles removed also. I suspect that if we would have consulted his feelings on the matter, that wouldn't have happened either.

Would he also be better off dead?

 

[RealMickeysGirl]

Feralpeg: How did it affect your cat? Any adverse reactions?

Well, I am not Feralpeg but over our married life my DH and I have had 5 cats declawed and never had any adverse reactions. They act like they don't even miss them.

 

[beavismom]

This is one of those "can of worms" topics, but I will weigh in as one who has had their cats declawed as well. We tried other methods first and I was concerned about the process as well. I ended up searching out a vet that did the laser method and had it done when they were spayed so they would be under only once. Both cats are great and have been living pretty happily for 4 years now.

You have to make the decision about what is right for you and your household just like on any number of other topics from the already mentioned circumcision to whether or not to pull your kids out of school for a Disney trip. Anytime these topics are brought up they always play out the same...

 

[N.Bailey]

I've read statistics that would blow almost everyone's mind regarding the number of pet owners who never take their animal to a vet. I find those numbers to be unreal, but at the same time, I would never say "if you can't afford a vet, you can't afford a pet." I've always found those types of statements to be ludicrous.

I wish everyone could afford a vet, but just because a family can't doesn't mean they don't love their pet as much as we all love ours and do everything they can to make their lives as comfortable and happy as possible.

There are NO WHERE near enough non kill shelters for advocates to say you should take them to one of those if you can't afford it.

These ridiculous arguments don't hold up, IMO.

 

[grlpwrd]

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Well, who knew? A hot topic I haven't seen before!

My cats are declawed. We adopted 2 kittens 15 years ago and had them both declawed. We had to have one of them put down year before last, and the remaining kitty was very sad. We went in search of an adult female who was already declawed and we couldn't find one! The shelter where we got our kitten had nearly 200 cats and only 2 or 3 were declawed. The one they were trying to talk us into was much older than we had in mind (we wanted a cat that was 2 or 3, she was 6 or 7) and didn't have much personality. We ended up with the kitten. We had her spayed and declawed all in one swoop. She is fine.

FWIW I would never declaw an older cat or a cat that was going to spend ANY time outside.