declawing cats....cruelty?

[Pea-n-Me]

Dogs chew furniture and almost everything else under the sun. I dnever hear about toothless dogs.

Jasminesmommy, thank you for posting the pictures of the actual declawing. I don't own a cat so I wasn't really sure what it was. After seeing the photos, I would hope this is something that's done by owners as a last resort and not as a matter of routine. My guess is those stumps would always be pretty sensitive - when you think of it it's ten amputations on two feet. I know when I've had surgery the area always remains kind of numb and sensitive. I can only imagine what an amputation feels like times 10.

 

[Charade]

Ummm...no having a cat payed or nuetered is not cruel or selfish. giving the amount of unwanted cats, NOT having them spayed or nuetered is selfish, IMO.

Having a female cat spayed IS major surgery just like declawing.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Having a female cat spayed IS major surgery just like declawing.

This thread is not about whether a cat having major surgery is cruel. It is about having a cat's natural defenses taken away from them.

 

[tabby1964]

I have had many cats but my latest one is the only one I have declawed (all four paws). He actually has done more damage to my furniture with his back claws. Most of my cats have been at most 10 lbs. The vet told us he would be a a big cat (25 lbs but vet said 18-20 would be better) and very strong. He had extremely curved nails...more curved than any cat I have ever had. He also sheds more than any cat I have ever had. We tried to keep them cut but were also afraid of our kids being injured. He is a very happy cat. He can still knead his toes and he stills does try to scratch things but he doesn't do any damage. He handled surgery fine. He had it just before turning one and he is five now. He has no problem chasing us around nipping at our ankles. Very large teeth!!!
Janice

 

[Charade]

This thread is not about whether a cat having major surgery is cruel. It is about having a cat's natural defenses taken away from them.

Oh, so that's the "cruel" part??? Even though many people keep their declawed cats inside? I thought the MAJOR surgery was the cruel part. Ok. Got it.

 

[Beth76]

This thread is not about whether a cat having major surgery is cruel. It is about having a cat's natural defenses taken away from them.

What about taking a mother cat's babies away from her? That seems just as cruel.

 

[nwdisgal]

My cat just meowed to me that she is fine and dandy being a cat thank you, don't insult her with calling her a human. (And she also says she is happy despite being declawed )

ITA Cats are cats and we should let them be and act like cats.


I always let my cats go outdoors, too, if they want to. I believe that you can take the cat out of the savannah but you can't take the savannah out of the cat.

 

[tiggersmom2]

What about taking a mother cat's babies away from her? That seems just as cruel.

Yep and just so selfish!!!!! Why else would you dare to take a baby from its mother?

 

[Planogirl]

Amputating any part of a creature's body is what seems so awful to me. I can't compare it to spaying a female cat unless it's the same as comparing chopping one's fingers off to a hysterectomy. Somehow it just seems different.

I don't get my cats declawed and luckily we haven't had any that clawed furniture in quite a while. We did have a stubborn kitty at one time and couldn't stop the cat from clawing no matter what we did. I finally had him declawed and never felt right about it. But to each their own.

I am curious about the laser declawing though. If that is less invasive, it might be the way to go if I come across another chronic clawer.

 

[Beth76]

To go off topic for a second......

Out of curiosity, how many of you that are so against declawing have sons that are circumsized? For the record, mine aren't.

 

[tiggersmom2]

I am curious about the laser declawing though. If that is less invasive, it might be the way to go if I come across another chronic clawer.

Hey!

I went this route and there was never ANY bleeding.....I don't know all the specifics but I DID pay 60.00 extra per kitty b/c the vet told me this was not as painful and the recovery time was almost nil.

My kitties were JUMPING on the bed that night and never once whimpered....it was great.


Oh and Beth.....I have declawed kitties and circumsized boys....I am so going to hell!!!!!

 

[JennyMominRI]

To go off topic for a second......

Out of curiosity, how many of you that are so against declawing have sons that are circumsized? For the record, mine aren't.

I would never get my cat Circumsized,but I'm not ready to call people that make an educated decision to do that cruel.
I have one circed baby and one uncirced.. I did no studying at all on Circumcision..My experiences with my oldest son caused me to study up on it..My youngest DS was not circed.
I would never circumsize another child of mine but i'm not willing to call people that make an educated decision to circumsize cruel.
Seeing a pattern?

 

[pearlieq]

To go off topic for a second......

Out of curiosity, how many of you that are so against declawing have sons that are circumsized? For the record, mine aren't.

Opposed to both, thanks.

I just can't see causing an animal pain and suffering for convenience. My cats are more important than my furniture. I think it's sad that folks believe their material possesions are worth more than a living being.

 

[Planogirl]

Hey!

I went this route and there was never ANY bleeding.....I don't know all the specifics but I DID pay 60.00 extra per kitty b/c the vet told me this was not as painful and the recovery time was almost nil.

My kitties were JUMPING on the bed that night and never once whimpered....it was great.

Thanks. I was hoping that this method was kinder.

I had my son circumcised but I would never have it done to one of my cats.

 

[Aidensmom]

I have declawed kitties and circumsized boys....I am so going to hell!!!!!

I guess I'll see you there

 

[tiggersmom2]

I guess I'll see you there

Bwahahaha....Just so you know, I'll be the one with a coors light and a declawed kitty in my lap!!! A perfect time to use this smilie!

 

[Sparx]

we had one cat declawed a long time ago, before we knew how crule it was, we would never do it again.

 

[robinb]

Out of curiosity, how many of you that are so against declawing have sons that are circumsized? For the record, mine aren't.

Oh! TMI!

I have never had a cat that clawed so much I felt any need to declaw them. In fact, I bought a new car scratcher for my kitties today and they seem to like it. Especially with all the fresh cat nip spread on top!

I think that many people declaw thier cats without thinking. It's just what "everyone" does, so thier cats will be declawed as babies. They don't wait to see if there might be a problem and then they don't take the time to work through the situation if the cat uses their claws on somthing they shouldn't. Instead, they take the easy way out. In those cases, I think it's cruel. If you have a habitual scratcher ... one that has plenty of good places to scratch and doesn't respond to training ... then declawing would be OK. Otherwise, I think you're just a lazy cat owner who is looking for the easy way out to owning a pet.

 

[Aidensmom]

Bwahahaha....Just so you know, I'll be the one with a coors light and a declawed kitty in my lap!!! A perfect time to use this smilie!

I formula fed my child (that I got pregnant with when I was not 100% sure I wanted children) too, so I am sure there is a special place reserved for me. (And I will have a glass of wine in my hand - coors light just doesn't do it for me )

 

[JennyMominRI]

I formula fed my child (that I got pregnant with when I was not 100% sure I wanted children) too, so I am sure there is a special place reserved for me. (And I will have a glass of wine in my hand - coors light just doesn't do it for me )

But did you prop the bottle?
Just wanted to use the scary smiley