Did you declaw your cat?

[It'sWDW4me]

If you have a cat with claws and don't want to keep water bottles around the house - or as a pp posted, their cat LIKES water - get a can of compressed air. I don't think they're terribly expensive and you can get them anywhere computer equipment is sold - Staples for sure and probably Wal-Mart, Target, etc. Just a quick blast of air will startle kitty and make him/her stop clawing whatever he's clawing at. I've seen that one on Animal Planet's "My Cat From Hell".

 

[luvmy3]

If you have a cat with claws and don't want to keep water bottles around the house - or as a pp posted, their cat LIKES water - get a can of compressed air. I don't think they're terribly expensive and you can get them anywhere computer equipment is sold - Staples for sure and probably Wal-Mart, Target, etc. Just a quick blast of air will startle kitty and make him/her stop clawing whatever he's clawing at. I've seen that one on Animal Planet's "My Cat From Hell".

Thanks for that suggestion, I would rather do that than spray water in the house.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

You have to wonder if the same selfish people who advocate declawing are also hunky-dory with de-barking a dog.

If you can't be a responsible owner of an animal without mutilating it, perhaps you shouldn't own the animal.

1) There is a difference between saying that there are instances where declawing may be necessary or preferable to the death of the animal and being an 'advocate'. Do you really know anyone who is pro-declawing? Since you'd apparently rather see someone not adopt than declaw obviously you must be pro-kittty-death, then, right? Or am I making a sweeping generalization? It's easy to do in an internet post.

2) I do not believe that declawing and de-barking are in any way comparable. I do not believe that declawing is mutilation, though I would likely classify de-barking as such. Yes, I understand what the procedure entails, and yes I understand that there is pain involved...and yet strangely all of my declawed cats have been happy, healthy, well-socialized kitties who never missed the litter box (unless they were sick). The measure of the mutilation is not what happens to them for a few days when they are kittens, but wether in the future it severely impacts their physical and psychological well-being. Although some people might say that it does have affects going forward, I have personally never seen any evidence of this. I have seen anti-social, untrainable, and unhappy cats with and without claws. I've never actually known a de-barked dog, but I would imagine they would be impaired from participation in many of the dog activities which make their lives worthwhile.

3) I have declawed some of my my cats. I have neutered/spayed all my animals. I have descented my ferrets. I have microchipped my animals. I have freeze-tattooed my horses. The dog I had when I was young had her ears clipped and her tail docked.

I have spent thousands of dollars on expensive treatments for my pets when they have been ill. I have made sure they made their annual vet appointments, even when I had no insurance of my own and could not afford to go to the dentist. I have always bought high quality pet food, in some cases prescription foods. I have always made sure they had a safe and warm family home. I have played with them and exercised them. I buy them Christmas presents. I have gotten up early on a Sunday morning because they were begging to be fed. One of my earliest jobs as a child was cleaning out litter boxes. I have never boarded my animals (well, except the horses) and have always made sure they stayed with a family friend whenever I had to leave. I have made the gut wrenching decision not to persevere when an animal was clearly in discomfort and not going to get any better.

Selfish? Irresponsible? Really?

 

[klmall]

We have had many cats and now have just one who was declawed BEFORE we adopted her from an acquaintance. All our cats have been and will always be indoor cats and have never escaped outside; they are deathly afraid of the outdoors when they even look at an open doorway.

Some declawed cats do become "biters" when played with or threatened. One of our two declawed cats did; the other basically just swats hard when upset.

When our current declawed cat dies (she's 19 with a heart condition) I do not want to go through the training and possible messed up furniture problems since we just replaced all our furniture in the main rooms so I would probably go for the "claw covers" or whatever their called.

With some of our cats that we adopted young enough we did train them to sit still for nail trimming but it was NEVER easy!

 

[Handbag Lady]

I would never declaw my cat as I find that practice utterly barbaric.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I declawed the very first cat I owned as an adult. After learning about the procedure and what it entails, I've never done it again.

We've always had different types of cat scratcher things around the house and trimmed the cats nails. When they start to scratch on something other than the scratching post, I give them a quick spray with the water gun.
That only works when I'm in the room though so I've got some furniture damage anyway.

Trimming their claws isn't normally hard. I've got one cat right now who doesn't mind it at all because I give him treats during it and he sits and munches his treats.
The other cat is a terror and hates it. Her nails grow really fast too. I've learned how to hold her so I don't get scratched up. I've been tempted to look into claw covers for her.

 

[kacaju]

1 I've never actually known a de-barked dog, but I would imagine they would be impaired from participation in many of the dog activities which make their lives worthwhile.

You are totally wrong...for the record...

before I get bashed I DID NOT DEBARK MY DOG...

He came to us debarked.

My dog can STILL bark...it is just a raspy/ sounding bark...not a normal bark... he sounds like he has Laryngitis. He had it done at a Veterinary office.
In fact, I was being teased by my family recently, I had Laryngitis and they were saying I sound like I have been debarked.
NOW..My dog can fully participate in every activity he does..except he will never win the loudest bark. He barks when he is happy, when someone comes to the door...when he hears a noise. The brreder had him debarked..not me...but I can't say it bothers me..why?? Because he mostly barks when he is happy... he can be as happy as he wants and I can ignore the barking...which i would not do if he had his real voice

 

[fortwildernessishome]

Over the years we have had five cats, three had claws and two did not.

They ALL have had to sharpen their claws on the furniture.....even the two with no claws, still go through the motion.

Honestly, although the two without front claws no doubt went through some discomfort, when they came home the next day they were running aorund pain free.

People on here, talk of spraying water at their cats or blowing an air horn. While that may not be painful (although the air horn may be painful on the ears....) it cant be fun for the cat to have that happen their whole lives. Or for the cats that dont like to have their claws trimmed every month, not fun for them either, to spend a lifetime having that done.

The declawed cats have pain/discomfort for a day and then a lifetime of freedom from being sprayed, clipped or an air horn blown at them.

While some people wil say that they only needed to spray water/blow a horn a few times and the cat stopped scratching thats great. NOTHING we did, ever stopped our three from scratching.

 

[It'sWDW4me]

Over the years we have had five cats, three had claws and two did not.

They ALL have had to sharpen their claws on the furniture.....even the two with no claws, still go through the motion.

Honestly, although the two without front claws no doubt went through some discomfort, when they came home the next day they were running aorund pain free.

People on here, talk of spraying water at their cats or blowing an air horn. While that may not be painful (although the air horn may be painful on the ears....) it cant be fun for the cat to have that happen their whole lives. Or for the cats that dont like to have their claws trimmed every month, not fun for them either, to spend a lifetime having that done.

The declawed cats have pain/discomfort for a day and then a lifetime of freedom from being sprayed, clipped or an air horn blown at them.

While some people wil say that they only needed to spray water/blow a horn a few times and the cat stopped scratching thats great. NOTHING we did, ever stopped our three from scratching.

NOT an air horn ... compressed air. It's used for cleaning computer equipment. Sounds like hair spray - maybe a little louder - but without anything liquid actually being sprayed out. Kitties don't like the sudden "Psssst" of the air and it's FAR from painful.

It's all in how much time you're willing to put into training. Cats can be trained to not scratch certain things and they can also learn that clipping nails doesn't hurt.

 

[Coconut36]

Over the years we have had five cats, three had claws and two did not.

They ALL have had to sharpen their claws on the furniture.....even the two with no claws, still go through the motion.

Honestly, although the two without front claws no doubt went through some discomfort, when they came home the next day they were running aorund pain free.

People on here, talk of spraying water at their cats or blowing an air horn. While that may not be painful (although the air horn may be painful on the ears....) it cant be fun for the cat to have that happen their whole lives. Or for the cats that dont like to have their claws trimmed every month, not fun for them either, to spend a lifetime having that done.

The declawed cats have pain/discomfort for a day and then a lifetime of freedom from being sprayed, clipped or an air horn blown at them.

While some people wil say that they only needed to spray water/blow a horn a few times and the cat stopped scratching thats great. NOTHING we did, ever stopped our three from scratching.

Seriously..first off nobody said air horn but you mean to say you never train your pets? You just let them run wild and do whatever they want..to their own detriment and yours? It's pet training to spray them or discourage them from unwanted or unsafe behaviors/actions. Nothing bad or wrong about that and far better than amputating part of their foot.

 

[Deb in IA]

No.

We have had 3 cats. Some indoor, some indoor at night, out during the day. None declawed.

We trim nails, have scratching posts, and train/monitor them.

We got our current cat from the shelter. They will not adopt out a cat if they are going to be declawed. And he is 100% indoor.

If your furniture is that important, you probably shouldn't have cats.

 

[Callie]

I won't declaw my kitten! I cut her nails at least once a week, and she has a post to use. I still catch her using my couch at times, but I'm trying to teach her that is a NO. Thankfully its an old one that my mom gave me, so no real harm

 

[Ayla]

I've had cats all my life. Every single one of them has been front declawed and I make no apologies about it ~ to anyone. I did what was best for me and my animals. No one else gets to make that decision but me. If I have cats in the future, they will also be front declawed. My cats have always been strictly indoor and do not ever go outside. I honestly don't care what anyone else thinks about declawing. I made the decision after researching the procedure and have absolutely no regrets about it. My cats are healthy and happy and so am I.

 

[LuvinLucifer]

No. If my cat had such severe behavioral issues I felt compelled to put it through such a painful procedure I would have it euthanized. I couldn't take the risk of having it attacked while so defenseless.

 

[penn19]

No. If my cat had such severe behavioral issues I felt compelled to put it through such a painful procedure I would have it euthanized. I couldn't take the risk of having it attacked while so defenseless.

Meow. Meow. That's my cat saying he strongly agrees with that statement Hmm........dead? Or no front claws?

 

[Scurvy]

No. I have never had a cat declawed and frankly I am disgusted by most people who do. With very few exceptions, I consider declawing to be the easy way out for people who are too lazy to be responsible pet owners, who can't be bothered to properly train their cats. I would equate it to someone having their dogs debarked rather than training them not to bark, except that declawing has a much bigger effect on the cat than debarking does on the dog. Some animals may have a medical need to have their claws removed, as mentioned earlier in the thread, and in that case of course it's a valid choice.

 

[AlwaysMoving]

No. I have never had a cat declawed and frankly I am disgusted by most people who do. With very few exceptions, I consider declawing to be the easy way out for people who are too lazy to be responsible pet owners, who can't be bothered to properly train their cats. I would equate it to someone having their dogs debarked rather than training them not to bark, except that declawing has a much bigger effect on the cat than debarking does on the dog. Some animals may have a medical need to have their claws removed, as mentioned earlier in the thread, and in that case of course it's a valid choice.

I think, from a bone amputation point of view, a better comparison would be tail docking.

 

[kacaju]

No. I would equate it to someone having their dogs debarked rather than training them not to bark

LOL My dog came to us debarked and I still cannot train him not to bark...believe me...I have tried.

 

[kinntj]

No. If my cat had such severe behavioral issues I felt compelled to put it through such a painful procedure I would have it euthanized. I couldn't take the risk of having it attacked while so defenseless.

I'm against euthanizing an animal for behavioral issues, but it looks like you got some...issues that is. ewwww. What a way to make your point.

 

[Scurvy]

I think, from a bone amputation point of view, a better comparison would be tail docking.

That's a good point. I agree it's a better comparison. It still isn't perfect since cats rely on their claws for defense, but I don't think there really is anything completely comparable done to dogs.