Declawing: against or for?

[In_love_with_cats]

Hello everyone

I'm totally aganist declawing because it is abusive and causing unnecessary pain and suffering with no benefit to the cat. It is a seriou surgery and with a painful recovery afterwards; it is removal of the claws, the last bone of the cats claw has to be removed. Declawing is actually an amputation of the last joint of your cats "toes". Also, part of the digital pad is removed and incomplete removal of the nailbed. Removing the claws makes a cat feel defenseless. Declaing changes their behavior real fast and their personality changes all together. Some cats become nervous or aggressive, often resorting to their only means of defense, is their teeth. They become biter; using their teeth as a only defense against prey and they become depressed. I have tabby that is declawed on all four paws, he was like that when we adopted him. I am curious as to what other cat lovers think about declawing. Please take the poll, thanks.

[PayItForward]

I think the majority of people on this board are against Declawing but this debate is an old one, that has cropped up numerous times.

[nodgeness]

@ the risk of everyone getting mad @ me I'll admit that I'm not 100% against declawing. To me it depends on the reasons. I'm fully aware that it is a hard surgery for the cats (which I hate) but if it's the difference between being stuck @ a humane society in a cage or in a loving home declawed, I think i would opt for them to be declawed. I have 2 declawed cats (front paws only). When I had the first one declawed I really didn't know anything about it. Then a year later I got Bernie and I was more educated & had a harder time w/ the decision. When I saw my cat Squeak walking around w/ cuts from Bernie clawing her I went ahead & had him declawed when he was neutered. I can say both of my cats are spoiled rotten, don't bite and are happy. They are 100% indoor cats! My cats haven't changed in personality, they are both very loving cats. I'm sorry if this makes people mad it's just my opinion.

[moosmom]

Nodgeness,

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. As you can see, the majority is against it.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Originally posted by nodgeness
if it's the difference between being stuck @ a humane society in a cage or in a loving home declawed, I think i would opt for them to be declawed.

In general I am against it, but I have to agree with nodgeness in this respect. There are soooo many kitties in shelters, that if the only thing keeping them from being adopted, spoiled rotten and kept in a loving home for the rest of their lives is there claws....well.....why not? I know lots and lots of cats that are declawed - mostly just the fronts - and are completely happy and have had no emotional repercussions from the surgery. So what I would do is try and educate the new kitty owner as to ways to train the cat to a scratching post and such, and I would do my best to keep them from being declawed, if it's an either declaw or we don't take situation....

I know this may not be a popular opinion, but there has to be some give and take in the adoption process or the shelters are going to be even more over run than they are now.

What really bothers me is the people who just automatically assume - Well, I got a kitten, gotta get it declawed - and never even consider the alternative that bother me.

Oh, and declawing in the back is absolutely totally unnecessary under any circumstances.

[Uabassoon]

I'm against declawing cats. Esepcially now that their are alternatives such as soft claws. In my opinion if you don't want an animal that scratches don't get a cat. That's what they do. I feel the same about people that debark their dogs. If you don't want a pet that barks then don't get a dog. If you really want a cat that is declawed then just wait until one shows up at the shelter, that's what my sister did. Her roommate wouldn't let her get a cat unless it was declawed and my sister refused to get a cat and put it through that procedure. So she went to the shelter and put in a request form, everytime a declawed cat came in they were call her and she kept looking at cats until she fell in love with one declawed cat.

[PayItForward]

Please Note. These comments do not apply to anyone who adopted a declawed cat or had a cat declawed before they understood what that actually meant

Originally posted by Tubby & Peanut's Mom
.........that if the only thing keeping them from being adopted, spoiled rotten and kept in a loving home for the rest of their lives is there claws....well.....why not?

Cats which are declawed, have posture/back problems in later back, causing pain (As cats need their front claws to stretch properly and they walk differently creating strain on the back). Claws can grow back in a uncontrolled way, also causing more pain. Not taking into account the inital pain of surgery and have to walk on your knuckles for life.

The ONLY time a cat should have any surgery is if there is a benefit for the cat NOT the owner.

Declawing is cruel and unnecessary act, which should be illegal like it is in England.

People who want pets without claws should buy a goldfish. I would rather a cat spends more time in a shelter than have an unsuitable home. If the new owner can't be bothered training their cat, do they have time to ensure it's other needs are met.

I understand that many PT owners have had pets done in the past when it was the normal thing to do but today there is more education about Declawing, this should not happen in the present.

The operation involves cutting off your cats toes, this would be like remove our fingers at the first knuckle.

But well done to Uabassoon's sensible sister, adopting a cat which was given up for adoption and already declawed. Might be an alternative solution for the time being.

[BastetsMum]

It is illegal in Australia to have a cat declawed for non-surgical reasons. I only know of one declawed cat and she had malformed paws so the claws would grow inwards instead of normally. She was declawed to stop her pain and suffering.

I am against it for cosmetic reasons.

[nodgeness]

Pay it foward in response to this
People who want pets without claws should buy a goldfish. I would rather a cat spends more time in a shelter than have an unsuitable home. If the new owner can't be bothered training their cat, do they have time to ensure it's other needs are met.


That's saying my home is unsuitable for my cats which is an unfair statement. My cats are both very happy & not having claws hasn't changed there personalities, habbits or stretching ability. You'd rather a cat spend more time in a shelter & maybe have to be put down then for an owner who would love him/her & spoil it rotten but would have him/her declawed? My cats needs are more then met, believe me! I'm sorry but yes declawing a cat is painful but they still can have very happy lives! As I said in my early statement w/ my first cat I wasn't educated but w/ my 2nd I was. Yes it was a harder decision but now that it's done, I'm very happy w/ how both my kitties are happy.

[PayItForward]

Each to their own opinion, I stand by mine.

I aim to educate people including yourself, in the hope that future cats are spared unnecessary pain.

Teaching a cat to use a scratching pole take 5 minutes versus a lifetime of potential painful problems. Even inside cats need their claws to exercise & stretch correctly.

I find my cats love their cat tree (with rope scratching posts included)

I have explained the suffering which can result from this unnecessary operation, maybe you will try introducing a scratching pole before Declawing any future cats.

I know which option the cats would choose, their claws intact AND a loving home with a scratching pole.

[catlady1945]

The oldest of our four cats, Patty, is declawed. I am not in favor of declawing, but as far as behavioural problems go, I don't think declawing has anything to do with making a cat more aggresive. Patty is our most well-adjusted cat, and is strictly indoors. She doesn't know she has no claws and uses the scratching post - and one of the chairs, just as the other cats do.

[cubby31682]

My cat is also declawed. He doesn't know he is decalwed either. He still scratches the hamper and the bed at night. He has always been a biter even before he got declawed. If I had my own home and not in an apartment, I would not have got him declawed. His attitude hasn't changed at all. He still likes his lovings (only when he wants them) he gets all the toys he can play with and all the food he cares to eat. He is a very happy cat. I am not saying that I was right or wrong to get him declawed. But when you live in an apartment and it is part of the contract to have your cat declawed, I would rather have him declawed than to be put to death which would have happened to him. My cat isn't good with children, he likes to be left alone and he isn't very people friendly. I knew all this about him before I got him, knowing that he would have been declawed before I got him. I had it done early enough for it not to bother him as much as it would with an older cat. Cubby can still stretch out as far as he can. He still has his back claws and I would never have them removed unless I had no other choice such as if they started growing wrong or what ever else could happen. I didn't have it done to spare my furniture or anything else. And I do have a scratching tree which he will still use. No matter what, what is done is done. And I can't change what has been done. Like I said if I had a house of my own he wouldn't have been declawed.

Katie

[Uabassoon]

When a declawed cat "scratches" on something like furniture, it doesn't mean that they think they have claws. Cats do that to mark their scent on things, the same way they rub their face up against things to get their scent on it.

[NoahsMommy]

You REALLY need to check this website out: www.declawing.com

PayItForward...I agree 250% with what you've said.

I would NEVER, EVER, EVER, (um....a million times EVER) declaw a cat. I'd rather be declawed myself than inflict that sort of abuse onto a defenseless animal.

Now...after I've said all that, the reason I feel this way is because I'm educated on the effects of declawing.

Wolflady has an excellent story for why NOT to declaw. Karen, can you share Scooter's story here?

OK, one more thing. We have only one cat with razor claws that would hurt our furnature (if he tried, but is TRAINED not to). So, he has Soft Paws. More because he likes to sit on my lap in the restroom and I was getting too many cuts when he slid off.

Its just apart of responsible pet "ownership"....

OK...all done!

[todd]

Against