What do YOU think happens when a cat is declawed?

[DVCLiz]

Sorry, DVCLiz, didn't realize you were being fussed at. I call myself reading all the titles on this Board--I must have missed the thread you two were previously involved in.

Sorry about that!
Brandie

No worries, Brandie - I'm really fine with anyone who feels strongly about not declawing their cats. It's a personal choice and I know people will disagree. But I don't have the same beliefs so I'm not going to make the same choices, and that's the bottom line.

But I totally respect your right to feel the way you do, and to make the choices you do.

 

[kaw1218]

I have 5 cats. 4 are declawed. And as soon as I get back from Disney in a few weeks, I will be able to make an appointment to declaw and spay the kitten.

So obviously I have had my cats declawed, and I will have my cat declawed.

Does that make me a bad person? I don't know. But I like that better than the alternative. and that was leaving them in the unsuitable conditions were we got them from.

 

[kinntj]

Our one cat is partially declawed. Meaning, she has her front paws declawed and her back ones (used for jumping and defending herself) are still there. I only went to a reputable vet to have this done. No bleeding after and we had shredded paper litter (special stuff sold at pet stores)for her when came home for as long as recommended by the vet. She's a great cat and going on 11 years old.

We might not do it to our next cat as long as they don't mind staying in the basement (which is finished by the way) with the used furniture. If they want to stay upstairs with us, then we will have the front claws out.

 

[LadyShiva]

No worries, Brandie - I'm really fine with anyone who feels strongly about not declawing their cats. It's a personal choice and I know people will disagree. But I don't have the same beliefs so I'm not going to make the same choices, and that's the bottom line.

But I totally respect your right to feel the way you do, and to make the choices you do.

Thanks!

I've always been lucky with my cats. I put tea towels on my couch arms (which fell onto the cat when they were stretching) and that was pretty much all I needed to do. I usually taught my cats to stop doing something by just making the most annoying sound possible. That usually stopped the bad behavior.

As I said, I've always been lucky. My waterbed even survived multiple cats.

I love cats, I just have a hubby who is allergic to them. So I got a dog that is cat-like! Shibas do 4:30 crazies just like kitties.

Brandie

 

[MushyMushy]

Its like circumsing a baby boy some think it is horrible others think it is fine.

I thought of that connection too.

 

[Beth76]

My cat came to us at a year old. She was trained to scratch a post and she did very well with that. She was also very good at scratching people. We would pet her and she would scratch our arm. She scratched my face once too. Well she did that when I was pregnant and no way was I going to allow her to scratch my child. So we got her declawed. She had a hard time walking for a few days, but that's it. She's been fine ever since. She can even hunt mice still. And now when the kids play with her, she can bat at them and not hurt them.

And I'm aware that there are people who think animals are more important than children. But I'm not one of them.

 

[DMRick]

Sounds like your wife is a good vet!
Has she done the laser surgery yet? I'd actually like more info on that. Our resuce group does not advocate declawing..in fact people who adopt from us have to agree not to. But, I have heard the laser is much better, and am interested in her opinion for passing it on.

Quite frankly, that article is total BS.

My DW is a veterinarian. She has declawed many cats over the years. NEVER had a cat .........
And she does NOT "half pull, half cut" anything. She makes quality incisions and gently cuts the tendons and tissue.

And to the best of her knowledge, she's not had a cat spewing blood everywhere afterwards as the article implies..

 

[Yzerbear19]

You'll probably have some on here that will flame you but it won't be me. I have 15 cats and none are declawed. It takes time and effort to keep their claws clipped but I do it. I could never and would never mutilate an animal to make my life "easier".

Declawing is barbaric and, despite the rationalization some will come up with, I truly believe it should be illegal.

Excellent post!!! We have 4 cats and none of them are declawed. Its inhumane and barbaric. I rather be scratched then hurt my kitty in that manner. Its just cruel. You can teach a cat not to scratch, but it takes time and I think most people rather hurt their pet than take the time to teach them where to scratch and where not to scratch. Ours are good and haven't scratched the furniture up and will use their scratching post. Ours are such sweet kitties. Trimming their nails isn't always fun, but I rather trim them then declaw them.

Its like circumsing a baby boy some think it is horrible others think it is fine.

Its not even close to being the same thing. Declawing a cat is like amputating your fingers to the first knuckle. Would you like that? Probably not.

 

[LK03]

Nope, I'm a firm believer of not declawing a cat. I have two crazy ones. One tried to scratch my furniture but after many reptitions of squirt bottle, and moved to the scratch post and showed how to work it, never went for my furniture again.

I talked to my cat vet who only treats felines and she said she rarely does declaws and when she does will not do it to on an adult. Oh and after inquiring about hearing about a laser surgery said it's no better than in fact it takes the incisions a few days longer to heal

I clip the cats' nails every few weeks. They used to make a big ruckus but now they just put up for it for the 2 mins it takes

 

[SwedishMeatball]

Yikes, I knew there was a difference of opinion on this topic, but do those that are against it really feel those that choose it for their pets are heartless monsters??

 

[Miss Jasmine]

By the way, one subject "Near to my heart" is the thousands and thousands of cats that are euthanized every year because they can't find a home. If declawing makes a cat adoptable to a nice family, I think it is a crying shame that somebody would rather see a cat dead over being declawed.

Along these same lines...it irks me that cat rescues will turn people away who have declawed cats in the past. So cats can't find their forever homes because of these overzealous anti-declawers.

 

[6TimeMomma]

Along these same lines...it irks me that cat rescues will turn people away who have declawed cats in the past. So cats can't find their forever homes because of these overzealous anti-declawers.

I thought the same thing when I read a previous posters comments that you have to agree not to declaw in order to adopt from his rescue.

 

[PoohnPglet]

This was not posted to start a fight and I am not a troll. I have been here for quite a few years and have a few different topics under my belt. You all do not even know me - how would you know my motivations? I really care about the cats I come in contact with - both my own and the ones I rescue.

Yes - this was started as a result of another thread - but not to be directed at any one person. I really do think there are many people that think it is a simple clipping of the nail hence the post.

I truly do have a hard time believing that people that KNOW what the procedure entails still chose to do it willingly (without extenuating circumstances such as medical reasons or having exhausted all other means).

There are surgeons that do a good job of amputating human limbs too - that doesn't make it any less of an amputation. You wouldn't amputate your own limbs without a darn good reason would you? I just do not feel that my furniture it more important than any of my cats.

 

[Yzerbear19]

I thought the same thing when I read a previous posters comments that you have to agree not to declaw in order to adopt from his rescue.

I wonder if it has anything to do with the cats maybe being a bit older. It isn't recommended to get an adult cat declawed.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I wonder if it has anything to do with the cats maybe being a bit older. It isn't recommended to get an adult cat declawed.

No. There are rescue agencies that will turn down good homes just because the family has declawed a cat in the past. It doesn't matter the age of the cat that they are trying to adopt.

and Poohnpiglet, you are quite naive if you think your post is educating people. People are well aware of what the procedure really entails (minus your oversensationalized post on the subject ).

 

[DMRick]

I thought the same thing when I read a previous posters comments that you have to agree not to declaw in order to adopt from his rescue.

I'm a her
We do take in declawed cats, and often that is just what the person wants...a declawed cat. We keep a want book as well. Other wise we suggest our local shelter. They don't have the same rules, and they too need good homes. We're a rescue group, and the people who pay the bills (and we are not self supporting..it's very expensive to get 400 kittens spayed/neutered a year, keep the ferals in food, medicate, etc. Our adoption fee doesn't begin tocover the expenses) make the rules. They feel very strongly against declawing ( and I recognize it's their right, no matter how I feel), and so that is one of the rules of adopting. I'm not the founder of the group, but I believe in what they do, and spend a lot of my time and money with kittens that would be feral or dead, if we didn't rescue them. If it ever happened that we could not find excellant homes for our rescues because of the rule, then maybe it would be different...but for now, that is the boards decision. It all works out, because like I said, we have declawed rescue cats that need homes too.

 

[DVCLiz]

This was not posted to start a fight and I am not a troll. I have been here for quite a few years and have a few different topics under my belt. You all do not even know me - how would you know my motivations? I really care about the cats I come in contact with - both my own and the ones I rescue.

Yes - this was started as a result of another thread - but not to be directed at any one person. I really do think there are many people that think it is a simple clipping of the nail hence the post.

I truly do have a hard time believing that people that KNOW what the procedure entails still chose to do it willingly (without extenuating circumstances such as medical reasons or having exhausted all other means).

There are surgeons that do a good job of amputating human limbs too - that doesn't make it any less of an amputation. You wouldn't amputate your own limbs without a darn good reason would you? I just do not feel that my furniture it more important than any of my cats.

I don't really know what more you want me to say. If you want to have a "cat off", bring it on. I'm perfectly willing to let you have your own point of view, but I think your resources are flawed and I don't agree with your opinion. So be it.

I'm an excellent pet owner and I cherish and nurture my pets. But I'm not going to let animals tear up my furniture. I put that in the same category as a pet using the bathroom all over the house instead of a litter box, and I'm not willing to put up with that, either. I love my pets, but they are animals, and I am not going to have my furniture destroyed because of them.

 

[LadyShiva]

This was not posted to start a fight and I am not a troll. I have been here for quite a few years and have a few different topics under my belt. You all do not even know me - how would you know my motivations? I really care about the cats I come in contact with - both my own and the ones I rescue.

Yes - this was started as a result of another thread - but not to be directed at any one person. I really do think there are many people that think it is a simple clipping of the nail hence the post.

I truly do have a hard time believing that people that KNOW what the procedure entails still chose to do it willingly (without extenuating circumstances such as medical reasons or having exhausted all other means).

There are surgeons that do a good job of amputating human limbs too - that doesn't make it any less of an amputation. You wouldn't amputate your own limbs without a darn good reason would you? I just do not feel that my furniture it more important than any of my cats.

I'm glad you came back to the thread. You're right, we don't know you, even though you've been posting for several years. It's good that you explained that another thread made you think of starting this thread, versus wanting to start a fight.

What your last sentence said made an impact on me. If there was a fire in my house, I would first get my kid, then my husband, then my dog (though I would have been screaming at the hubby and the dog WHILE getting the kiddo). The couch would burn and I wouldn't think twice about it. On the other hand, kiddo isn't allowed to draw on the couch. But instead of causing her permanent damage (which is how I see declawing), we take away permanent markers and buy washable markers instead. I see my tea towels on the chair arms being that same type of compromise. No permanent damage, just annoys the tar out of a cat, which is what feline training is all about for me--annoy the tar out of them, and they'll stop doing it.

But I'm also the type of mom who isn't worried about my kid being scratched by a dog or cat. If there's no permanent injury, I don't worry. Yup, I signed up for Mean Mommy status when kiddo turned two, thank you very much!

Brandie

 

[6TimeMomma]

I'm a her

Sorry!!

I didn't mean to come off like I was critisizing you or your group. You do a good thing, it just seemed kind of sad that a good home could be turned down for that reason.

 

[LadyShiva]

I didn't mean to come off like I was critisizing you or your group. You do a good thing, it just seemed kind of sad that a good home could be turned down for that reason.

Hey you! *wave*

I think the philosphy is that if a household agrees with an elective surgery that can cause permanent damage or death of their cat, that isn't classified as a "good home."

Yes, chances are remote, blah blah blah... Still, we aren't arguing about changing hair color or how to trim their fur. There is anaesthesia (help me out with the spelling of that--I never get it right!) involved, which always brings a chance of death.

Brandie