Is it cruel to declaw your cat?

[tinkerbee]

We just had our kitten declawed last week. I was so upset. I did not want to do it but DF said yes or get rid of her she tears up every thing. Well I can't get rid of her she's my baby so I did it. It didn't seem to bother her a bit, just the glue that they used to close it up. But I still don't like it. She tries to climb on the chair(she use to hang on the back of my computer chair and hang there for minutes) and she can't seem to understand why she can't do it any more. Isn't it cruel? I think so.



Spring is on it's way !!!

 

[glo]

I had two cats and had them declawed when I had my oldest DD. I was terrified that they would accidently scratch her. I felt awful when they came home all bandaged up. I know thought that it was for the best.

Hugs, love your baby...she will get used to it, and atleast you still have her

 

[trayletha]

My cats are not declawed - but if the choice is claws or a home, I'd choose the home and a bet your cat would too.

 

[Dizzy-Disney4]

We had our cat declawed because it was do that our get rid of her. We tried a scratching post, caps on the nails (they would just fall off), but nothing worked. She was clawing up the hard wood trim in a house over 150 years old....that didn't belong to us. I'm sure we made the right choice. Your kitty will adjust.

 

[Buckalew]

My cat is declawed. It is the only way I would have a cat in my house. I was so chicken about doing it that I had it done and then went on vacation while she healed. My BIL is a vet so he took good care of her. She's my first cat. I sure love her more than I ever thought I would love a cat.

 

[helenabear]

We declawed our last one because she wouldn't let us trim her claws. THis is two adults holding her down too... even the vet couldn't do it. It was dangerous to her and to my other cat since even with scratch posts, she couldn't dull them down. So she was scratching everyone with her claws (most importantly including herself). We couldn't get soft paws on either so under the advisement of our vet, we declawed her. Truthfully NO, I do NOT see it as cruel. Both cats still scratch around and don't even notice anymore. So don't feel bad for it, it was better to do that than to have the kitty homeless {{{hugs}}}

 

[catsrule]

Better to have them declawed and be in a loving home. Don't worry about it, kitty will still love you!

 

[SeaSpray]

Originally posted by trayletha
My cats are not declawed - but if the choice is claws or a home, I'd choose the home and a bet your cat would too.

I agree with this! My cat is NOT declawed, and I'd never have one of my own cats declawed, but if it's a matter of keeping the cat and having it declawed, or having to get rid of it and not knowing where it ends up, then I'd have to vote for the declawing.

You sound like a very compassionate person, I'm sure your cat will be fine and will adjust to having no claws.

 

[Grog]

if it's a matter of keeping the cat and having it declawed, or having to get rid of it and not knowing where it ends up, then I'd have to vote for the declawing.

That's the way I feel. I don't like the idea but would do it as a last resort to keep my cats. Luckily they don't scratch the furniture, although they do both like to hang from my computer chair too The youngest (7 months) has yet to make a trip back to the vet for nail trimming but is almost due. The oldest (1½ years) goes about every three months and has no problem going to the vet (both of them were born there, so that might help)

 

[ltldeb]

Our cat Spanky is declawed. I wouldn't have agreed to getting Spanky if we hadn't had him declawed.

 

[DonnaS]

Like the others have said... as a last resort and after trying many things, I have little problem with it.

This is just my opinion, but I do have a problem with it who declaws a cat just in case (I'm not saying anyone here has done so) or as an easy way out.

Heck, we chose our most recent sofa style and fabric in order to minimize the attraction to the cats and it has worked. AND the furniture looks great.

Some representatives in my state have proposed a law outlawing cat declawing. I think this is not a good idea at all as it will result in people abandoning cats.

 

[jamsmom]

Ours are not declawed because we have akitty door that they go in and out of to potty. The youngest even brings in presents. BUT... one end of our couch is torn up

 

[tinkerbee]

Thank you all so much. I feel better about it now . She is such a wonderful fun loving cat. We have another cat we didn't declaw(she doesn't scratch) So I was worried about this one. I was surprised that when I picked her up that she wasn't wrapped up, just glue. She is so dear to my heart because of the way we got her. I was going to work and when I walked out my door there was a man two doors down(by the woods)looking at a box, well when he saw me he took off. So I drove by and looked in the box and found 5 two week old kittens. She was the only one to live and she also almost died but stuck it out and now she's my little "puffie" baby.

 

[Chattyaholic]

Aw, Tinkerbee, I can understand why your kitty is so special to you! How someone could abandon 2-week old kittens is impossible to understand, how cruel!! Don't fret over having her declawed, she will soon bounce back. Your story reminds me a little of how my daughter got her first cat. She had gone to the gas station and when she went in to pay she could hear meowing coming from under a van. The station attendant said the kitten had been there two days, and that he was feeding it but couldn't get near it. DD headed for home but after a mile turned around and went back to the station. She somehow managed to coax the kitten out from under the van, and she brought him home. He was so tiny! But now he's huge!!
She gave him a good home, and did have him declawed but I don't think he holds that against her. He's happy to have a nice home to live in!!

 

[Gail T AGAIN]

My cat is declawed. she has a great life, better then outdoor cats that have to defend themselves. I look at it this wa, guys get circumcised and they survived and sre still happy little campers. I don't have regrets makingmy cat a better cat for declawing her, that;s right, she is happy and I am happy she doesn't ruin my oak furniture at home.

 

[The Sweetness]

Unless your declawed kitty is being left outside without her claws to defend herself, its not cruel to have her declawed.

 

[tinkerbee]

She a total indoor kitty. But she sees other ones outdoors and just sits in the window wondering why she can't go outside too. I don't know how anyone could just leave them outside like that. I cried when I brought them in. I felt so horrible when one by one they would die(3 within a week) the 4th one died a week later. I just wish I would have got his plate #

 

[Serena]

I wouldn't like it either, but I did it with the one cat that I had to do it with.

I don't see how anyone could leave kittens like that either. That's so sad and horrible.
Thank you for rescuing that poor little kitten.

 

[cinlee3]

I had my cat declawed because she was ripping up my couch and the carpet in DDs room. We left the back claws and she could still climb a tree if she accidentally got outside. We also had her spayed. I hated to put her through it, but I don't regret it.