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How do you guys feel about declawing
a cat? For it? againist it?
Found [57] Posts :: Page 1 of 3
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Posted: 9:19:21 PM 5/16/2005
I thinks it's selfish to put your furniture ahead of your cat. Don't get a cat if you KNOW what they will do. It's unnecessary.

My last cat was declawed, not because of scratching furniture but because my brother aggravated her and she smacked him, a 2-3 year old knows better. I wouldn't care if it was my kid, they asked for it.

This new cat I refuse to declaw when there are other options out there, like filing, clipping, soft paws, and feliaway spray. Kids mark on walls, and break stuff but I'm not going to cut their fingers off. Kids are much more trouble than cats, anyday! ha!

What if my cat got out? She needs a way to defend herself. I'm not going to be an idiot and let my dad choose that stupid procedure. He wants her declawed but I will cancel any appointments he makes to get her declawed. He doesn't understand anything my mom and I say. UGH! She's my moms cat, she gets to choose.
Posted: 9:26:46 PM 5/16/2005
well you asked.........i am for declawing. i have had 4 cats in my life so far. 3 declawed and 1 not. i will never own an undeclawed cat again.
Posted: 9:31:54 PM 5/16/2005
All of the above....
I'm for it, for cats that would destroy everything, because
otherwise they might be destroyed over it.
I'm against it because a cats not a cat, so much with out the claws. I love the cats flying through the house, clinging to the furniture, hanging upside down. I'm a tough girl and can and will handle a feisty kitten or cat.
(While I'm typing this our 2 kittens are ripping around the livingroom, attacking eachother and toys.Or I should say they are flipping out!)I love that velcro sound!
For the cat in general, I don't think it matters that much, They still go through the motions, pretending to claw the couch.
I myself have performed the declaw procedure, its really not that bad, most cats are very active the next day, mind you, they are usually feeling pretty funky, cause we have reeaaalllyyy coool druugs. Comfort is a big thing in our clinic.

***Edited By: sue on 5/16/2005 10:00:20 PM***
Reason: dmca
Posted: 9:33:01 PM 5/16/2005
Heff: I witnessed a declawing when I was in high school. It looked awful to my untrained eyes and I would never put a cat through that surgery.

When we had cats, my Dad built them a scratching post and they used it all the time. It kept them from clawing the furniture. He simply nailed two 2 by 4's together, to make a 4 X 4, then nailed that upright onto a plywood base. He used old carpeting from the house on the scratching post and wallah, a scratching post.

When the carpet got frayed, we'd just pull it off and nail a new section of carpet onto the post.

It was sturdier than the one I bought in later years from the store. Everytime my big cat would use the store-boughten post, he'd knock it over.

For a real treat, I'd rub catnip into the carpet and the cats would go crazy over it.

I'd vote for no on the de-clawing, but that is just my humble opinion.

Basset_Lover
Posted: 9:35:24 PM 5/16/2005
Mines declawed he was here 5 years and when my husband got his over priced couch he said the nails or the cat.I feel as long as the vet uses glue its ok, its the dry socket I have a problem with,I have had my cat for about 7 years not once has he got outside and their nails are for protection so im ok with it as long as its done properly.
Posted: 9:37:55 PM 5/16/2005
I believe you can train a cat with claws to scratch elsewhere, besides your furniture, however, as any animal...they are unpredictable and you could come home one day to a destroyed couch, carpet..etc.

I don't know what they do in the declawing procedure, I've heard it's pretty horrific, but IMO...if the cat has anasthesia, just as any animal would have, if they had surgery and the cat will be an inside cat..then I'm for declawing.

I know it serves no health benefits to them, but I also believe that if I spend $3,000 on a sofa, I'd like for it to stay nice for years to come.
Posted: 9:43:04 PM 5/16/2005
I think if it helps the cat get or keep a home its fine. We used to have our kittens done and they were just fine. Of course if your cat goes outside its a definate no. I hate hearing people say it makes the cat mean. I have never once seen that. It may be a pain for them but if its getting rid of claws or going to a shelter then it is better to get declawed.
Posted: 9:53:30 PM 5/16/2005
What about declawing only the front paws? That way the cat won't scratch the furniture but will have back claws for protection if needed outdoors.
Posted: 9:58:06 PM 5/16/2005
We never did the back ones. They still shouldn't be let out with just the back though,those are left just in case they sneak out.
Posted: 9:59:45 PM 5/16/2005
I didn't even know they did back claws...Is there really a reason at all to have the back claws done? Any cat that I have seen declawed, it's always just been front...It would surprise me actually, if all vets did back declawing.
Posted: 10:05:50 PM 5/16/2005
Indoor cat...go for it. Outdoor/farm cat(mine), no I would not. An indoor and outdoor cat...maybe. I'm not in the business of telling others what to do or push my beliefs on others, but nice furniture should have a chance to remain nice. And an outdoor cat deserves a fighting chance so to speak.

Could I be anymore wishy washy?? The referee says.. no way Jose. Just my two cents..please do not declaw the rear paws. Some vets do it, others do not. Just like ear cropping, and tail docking..lots of opinions and "controversy" involved, completely unrelated but yet a common thread. e
Posted: 10:10:26 PM 5/16/2005
I had our cat's all four feet declawed when he was a kitten. His name is Turbo and it fit him. He would claw anything and everything. He would hook on with his back claws too! He does fine. He never goes outside, and doesn't want to. He was the second cat I had all four feet done.
Our other cat, we inherited her from my BF grandparents, has her claws. She has never clawed anything except the cat pole. She would of been declawed too, but she doesn't need to.
Posted: 10:56:32 PM 5/16/2005
I don't see anything wrong with declawing. If a cat is destroying as house then it need to be done.

My dad has a cat that had both front AND back removed. The cat was using the BACK claws to rip things and as weapons once her front ones were removed.
Posted: 11:17:41 PM 5/16/2005
My cat has his front and back removed. It was done when I was younger and either the cat had the claws removed or the cat left (parents rules). I was so mad at my parents, but after and now (11 years later) I realize that it was a great move. The cat moved with me when I moved out and purchased a home. It is true with some cats that if you declaw the front and not the back (like a friend of mine did) they had the back still and the cat did start attacking with the back claws and clawing up furniture! Also my cat does not go outside. If people let their cat outside to roam around since we all know they can easily jump a fence and keeping them tied in the yard is just mean! Please remember to give them all their shots and be sure they are spayed or neutered. They also need to have frontline or whatever flea stuff you use. I know to many people that just let cats go out and think they don't need to have shots or anything like a dog since it is a cat. I would not let my cat out since you never know what can happen when you are not watching them. What mean children or adults could go and hurt them or get hit by a car. You can always buy those cat kennels and still let them enjoy the outdoors safely. I know it is not as good as the real thing, but atleast you know where they are and that they are not getting hurt. Sorry I love cats as much as dogs! Went off a little from the question sorry!

***Edited By: holidayzbliss on 5/16/2005 11:40:11 PM***
Reason: spelling
Posted: 11:35:59 PM 5/16/2005
I don't have cats- but the idea of removing a great deal of an animals TOES for human convenience disgusts me. It's amazing how often people will complain about cosmetic surgeries- ear cropping and tail docking- but I've never seen a dog defend itself with it's tail or walk on it's ears.

As a last resort? Maybe. But just because an owner is too lazy to work with their animal or explore other options? Ew.

I think it's a great stance to take for your cat, Heff. Millions of people have managed to figure out a way to make cat claws and furniture exist in harmony- putting toes before a coach sure makes sense to me. :)
Posted: 11:52:26 PM 5/16/2005
The only reason I can see for declawing is if all other alternatives have been tried and if its a matter of if we don't get it done then we're going to get rid of the cat. But personally I would never have it done to one of my own. I feel like its taking away what God gave them. Its mutalation for a selfish reason. I've seen success with the soft paws and would rather use that than mutalate my cats paws. That's what it is...I mean you wouldn't cut the first knuckle of your finger off why would you do that to your cat? Even though they do get tons of pain medicine and are under anesthesia its still got to be excruciatingly painful. My grandmother's cat would not put weight on his front paws for a month after his surgery. Its just my opinion, but would never tell anyone what they should or shouldn't do. The first vet I worked for wouldn't do them at all, but the other vet that I worked for did and when people would ask I would tell them the procedure, and that if they did decide to do it we would make sure the animal had plently of pain medicine after it. I don't try to convince them one way or the other, but in my opinion it is cruel. Whoever made the point about dogs not defending themselves with ears and tails made a great point!

***Edited By: gingerspice on 5/16/2005 11:54:55 PM***
Reason: edit
Posted: 1:04:35 AM 5/17/2005
I can't do it. Screw furniture. The pets are alive.

Removing their claws removes the first joint of their tie. Dogs and cats support their body weight on that first joint. Just as we sit here and type with our first joints. It'd not be fun to have those removed.

Posted: 10:37:11 AM 5/17/2005
I think it is incredibly cruel and inhumane. We don't even cut off murderers hands after they strangle somebody, but it's ok to remove a cats claws?? How would you feel if you had an itch and couldn't scratch it, because oh.. someone cut your fingernails off. Or someone was about to hurt you and you couldn't protect yourself because you have no claws. So on and so forth. Cats can be trained NOT to destroy furniture, they are incredibly smart animals.
Posted: 10:43:21 AM 5/17/2005
I have heard they now do a laser procedure that is more humane. But I would never do it myself but that is just me.
I will say my neighbors declawed their cat then stuck her outside, she had no way to defend herself. I was able to keep her b/c she was attacked by 2 dogs and in the process of getting her out of one of the dogs mouth she bit down on my hand giving me an infection and she had to be quarantined for 10 days and b/c the neighbor didn't want to deal they were just going to put her to sleep but I was able to convince them to let me have her. That is when I don't agree with it.
If you declaw your cat for the love of god keep them inside.
Posted: 10:47:07 AM 5/17/2005
I have a cat with his claws and he never scratches anything other than his cat tree. I had a cat before that I had declawed and she was fine. The surgery does sound awful and inhumane but what surgery doesn't? If a cat is destroying your house and won't be trained to stop I think it would be inhumane to give it to the shelter where somebody else adopts it and it destroys their house so back to the shelter it goes or worse suffers at the hands of some abusive person who is angry that the cat snagged their new couch. I say train the cat to use a scratching post to sharpen his claws and if and only if there is no hope I would say go ahead and declaw the cat because it would spare the cat from becoming homeless or abused.
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Found [57] Posts :: Page 1 of 3
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