Declawing

[HowieDawn]

I know that I am going to hit a sore spot out there...but I would like both the positive and the negative feedback of those who choose to declaw and not to declaw their cats.

Thank you.

[carrie]

I think most people that visit this site know my views on the surgical mutilation of the pets we profess to love so I'll just say you would not find a vet in the UK willing to carry out this procedure.

[samualjcat]

Remember me telling you of Gizmo? My mom had her declawed so she wouldn't shred the furniture. Unfortunately, Giz loved to be outside so we then had to train her to a harness and leash. She still managed to get into some fights with local roamers and always came out on the losing end. As a result I swore I would never declaw any cat. My own 2 now, Missy and Sam, refuse to use a scratching post but love my old rattan chair from college. It's ugly as sin but I keep it just for them. It definitly saves the rest of my furniture.

[HowieDawn]

OK just to throw this out to ya... what's the difference between that and circumsision (sp?) they are both along the same lines.

[HowieDawn]

Ok Spencer... I read the sites you gave me. Here's the scoop. I currently have two cats and as you know just recently recieved a kitten. My First cat is a year and a half old. I rescued her and her brothers when someone dumped them off at my house. The vet estimated them around 4 or 5 weeks old. The kittens only had about 4 teeth each...they were very tiny. I ended up taking care of them and then giving them away. Lucy, I kept. I got her fixed and her front paws are declawed. I bought the newspaper litter and she never once had problems. I think that if this is done at an early age that it doesn't bother the cat as much. I am not going to sit here and say that it doesn't. Lucy did very well. She never limped once. She is completely an inside cat and on the rare occasion that she goes outside, she is on a leash and harness. In March of this year, my husband and I got another cat, Gina. Gina is a Himalayan. A very beautiful cat. Her previous owners said that they did not want her anymore because she stalks their macaw. (I have 6 birds) I found out that Gina has her front paws declawed. I received her when she was two years old. Neither of my cats EVER go outside. The only time they do is to go to the vet and then i put the leash and harness on them, just in case they get frightened and somehow manage to get away. Don't think that I am an awful person because I chose to declaw Lucy.

As I was reading the post about the lady that her mother's cats were clawing up her furniture, it reminds me of my cats. I am not sure that cats "claw" things to sharpen their claws. My cats still "claw" furniture. And their favorite place to do it is on a HUGE fish aquarium. Its weird. I read somewhere that it is an instinct and they do it to release bacteria that builds up in their paws.

-sorry for writting so much, i got carried away.-

[carrie]

Cats scratch posts and furniture to leave scent marks and to keep the muscles that operate the claws toned and excersised. It is instinctive and removing the claws does not remove the instinct.
If you are asking the difference between circumsision and declawing - one is done to humans usually on religious grounds and is a tradition then carried on through many generations. The circumsised of one generation circumsise the following one. It is a cultural choice. As far as we know cats do not have a religion that requires declawing and they certainly do not do it to their kittens.
If your are asking the difference regarding neutering - we have created the domestic cat and in such numbers that many have no home, insufficient food and medical care and it is up to us to rectify the situation. We could ban cat ownership and set up major programmes to get rid of the vast feral cat population until such time as strays are a thing of the past. Or we could neuter our animals to ensure that only kits with responsible, loving homes waiting for them are born. This would end the misery and suffering of millions of animals and save millions in animal control and rescue.

[Pam]

Spencer......Hard to believe you were once a cat hater!! Who would have thunk!! Isn't it funny how we change as life goes on. You are such an informed "cat advocate" and we here at the BB are happy you are. I had dogs all of my life and, quite honestly, wondered what people saw in cats. All that changed 7 years ago with the arrival of my first cat in my life, and I am making up for lost time, loving my two little guys like crazy!! They say confession is good for the soul, so I have to confess that both my sweeties are declawed. Coming from a "dog background" I guess I really wasn't informed and did what everyone else seemed to be doing. Please don't hate me. My little guys do still "scratch" but they are using their "imaginary" claws. I am glad they still have their instincts intact at least.

[HowieDawn]

Spencer, I know that you didn't "really" think that I was awful. No hard feelings.

I too used to not care for cats at all. Growing up we only had dogs, and my grandmother had a 19 year old cat. My love didn't grow for cats until I saw my poor little scrawny Lucy.

[crazykat]

For all the cat scratches (playing and kneading) Sprocket has given me I would NEVER want to declaw him. It is cruel . Besides if you let your cat go outside he will need those claws to survive!!!!

[Vixis]

I don't believe in removing claws from cats, I trim our cats claws once a month including our sheltie's. Here is a trick I learned, go out and buy a round Turbo Scratcher. Underneath the cardboard center, place catnip. Our 2 cats go nuts for it, they use it all the time. I usually rotate the center monthly and flip it over to the other side for even usage, this eliminates them from scratching anywhere else.

Originally posted by HowieDawn:
I know that I am going to hit a sore spot out there...but I would like both the positive and the negative feedback of those who choose to declaw and not to declaw their cats.

Thank you.

[lhg0962]

In fact, Spencer, you are absolutely right to be enraged. I hope someone finds that cat and gives it a proper home, preferably not where it came from! It is running away from something!

[Troy]

> Am I out of line to be upset with such repeat irresponsibility?

No you are not. What I can't understand is how these cats are escaping - unless there is a very good reason, something that is out of control of the owners.

[gini]

For what it is worth.........I have friends who have two males that they have declawed. What I have noticed is that while playing with them, if you scratch a spot they don't like, instead of swatting at you with their paws - THEY BITE!! AND HARD!!
A cat scratch can heal fairly rapidly, but a bite is another matter. Personally, I would never consider declawing my cats, but again, that is just my personal opinion. Patches is an older female, and stays in the backyard during the day for a short time. I can keep her claws trimmed. Rascal on the other hand was an outdoor cat until I adopted him. He loves to roam the neighborhood and I keep his claws long so that he can fully defend himself. I am working on getting him to stay home more.

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[HogWarts_Wizard]

Thinking about it....
You can replace furniture. But you can't replace the cats claws

I have 3 cats with claws and they don not touch any of the furniture... I keep scratching posts round the house.
When my cats were kittens they did try and scratch the couch but keeping a spray bottle full of water helped keep them from sredding it. I didn't have to do this for very long and cats are smart enough to know what not to scratch....

[HowieDawn]

Spencer the Lion, were you directing the last comment towards me. If you were, I must have said something wrong because this is what I wanted to hear from everyone. I want everyones honest opionion.