Declawing: against or for?

[carole]

I am in complete agreement with you there David, I know some people on PT who have had it done, would never do it again, if its merely done so they won't scratch your good furniture or wallpaper, then maybe one should not have a cat.

I take pride in my home, and there are things my darling Lexie has destroyed, like my sheer curtains, my wallpaper, the list goes on and she is the only cat I have ever had who is so destructive, and she has lovely big trees which she scratches her claws on, but I would never consider doing this to her in a million trillion years.. she is worth so much more to me than material replaceable things,of which she is neither.

And I am proud to say in New Zealand it's illegal or considered extremely inhumane and only performed under extreme circumstances.

I think if your material positions are that important to you, then a cat is not the pet for you, simple as that.

[davidpizzica]

Oh, Carole! I just wish it was illegal in the U.S.A.! I hate this pitiful excuse: "It will save my furniture!" Carole, I'll get off my soapbox now.

[cloverfdx]

I am totally against it, and thankfully it is illegal in Australia.

[carole]

David no need, I feel just as strongly as you do, and if I were you, I would start trying to get something done about changing the law over there, start a petition or something, and see if you can eventually get it made illegal.

It really amazes me a civilised country like the US can still think it is ok to carry out this barbaric procedure,tail docking is going to be illegal here too soon, we are behind in many things, but sure are ahead here for sure.

[lmgluvscats]

Over the past 27 years I have had 8 cats...all of them declawed on their front paws...and they were, and are, indoor/outdoor cats. They have lived long and healthy lives. At this time I have 1 cat that is 17 yrs and 2 brothers that are 12 yrs. Declawing did not change their personalities, and they had absolutely no difficulties from the surgery. They came home the day following surgery and went back to being their old selves...just as sweet and loving and playful as before.
I have 3 kittens of different ages also, besides the older ones. I will, of course, be getting them neutered.....and, as usual, the front feet declawed at the same time. My vet always uses stitches that are absorbed into the body, and when surgery is completed, you can't even tell anything has been done. There is no swelling, drainage, etc. They go back to their normal routine, and I need to do no home care.
Maybe it depends on the veterinarian, that does the procedure, as to how it affects the cat?
All I know is that my cats survived outside, and climbed trees, and defended themselves from other cats and dogs in the neighborhood,...... and still were my family's most precious household companions to sleep with, and cuddle with, and help with homework!!
They also lived to ripe old ages after giving us so very much happiness and enjoyment...and I dare anyone to say they were abused. I simply live and love cats too much.

[carole]

My only question to you would be why did you deem it necessary to de-claw your cats? if they were mean't to be declawed they would be born that way,its inhumane to my way of thinking, but I don't doubt your love for your cats just mis-understand your reasoning.

[lmgluvscats]

Why do I de-claw? To prevent another sofa and chair from being clawed to shreds, my drapes from being pulled full of holes, and my babies...later toddlers...and then small children being accidentally scratched from interaction with my favorite pets. I don't know how many times I was so thankful there were no claws when my babies were born and then began crawling and walking. I did not have to worry about an errant claw getting caught in their flesh as they played with each other. After all, the children had to be taught how to play with them properly, and I couldn't always be there. In fact, some of my family and friends thought I would simply be getting rid of my cats when our first baby was born!!!
My cats ran and chased each other as usual and played with the mobiles in the baby bed and later the pull toys...so there was constant interaction. I now have 3 grown daughters that love and adore cats and dogs as much as I do, and, OH MY, when they come back home and the cats hear their voices!! It would make you cry to see them come running, whether they are inside or outside, to see there old bedmates.
Even as I write, I have 2 purring kittens that can't get close enough. They want my hands and want to nuzzle my face. But even at this young age they have started causing damage...climbing drapes, kitchen curtains, etc. I had some clothes hanging to dry in the bedroom and they jumped up on them and pulled threads....oh the little dears. I'm glad some of you out there have taught yours different, but I have scolded, water sprayed, tried repellants...nothing worked. I guess that is one of the things I like about cats they are so darned independent. THEY do what they WANT to do like it or not and have a way of looking and acting to get away with it.

[carole]

Thank you for your explanation, although I can understand where you are coming from, I simply cannot condone the practice at all, it is still barbaric IMO and many others share my views.

My Lexie is a grown cat who has wrecked many of my things, the wallpaper and curtains,(and yes I do take pride in my home) and I am dis-heartened she has done this, and nothing seems to stop her either, but regardless I would NEVER EVER consider de-clawing, especially for those reasons.

However I am glad that your cats seemed to have gotten over the procedure as well as you say.

I guess I will respectfully and politely just have to agree to disgree with you on this one. cheers.

[Lilith Cherry]

Definitely against! I think it is cruel and unnecessary! Clip the claws short, use covers but don't mutilate a cat for your own ends!

[davidpizzica]

Declawing is unnessary and hurtful to the poor cat. He can't tell you that it would hurt, but it does. Also, to save your drapes and furniture is a very poor excuse to do it. They can be trained not to claw furniture and use a scratching post. I am so against declawing!!

[Randi]

I'm very much against declawing cats, the thought of doing so has never crossed my mind. It's not allowed in Denmark anyway. If it was, I don't think anyone would have it done.

I have lived with a cat now for about 8 years, and it has taken quite a long time to even be able to lift him - now I can clip his nails!

[leslie]

In my baby album (i am now well into my 40's) my favorite pics are of me as an infant and toddler with our 2 cats, Douglas and John, then later as a 4 year old till teenager, Scoopy and Zab-Zab. None of our cats ever damaged me with their claws! I love those black and white pics so much- me in the crib with one of the cats keeping me warm!

[angiebarney]

I am totally against mutilation of any animal for appearance or convenience sake, including the docking of dogs tails and sheep's tails, ear clipping and all the other dreadful things we animal lovers do for (read TO) our pets. It is illegal in Australia thank goodness, and I personally have never come acroos a de-clawed cat. I have met plenty of canines though who have been 'prettied up'! the only time an animal should be altered is when it is totally for the creatures benefit
By the way what on earth are 'softclaws'?

[PayItForward]

Originally posted by lmgluvscats
Why do I de-claw? To prevent another sofa and chair from being clawed to shreds, my drapes from being pulled full of holes, and my babies...later toddlers...and then small children being accidentally scratched from interaction with my favorite pets. I don't know how many times I was so thankful there were no claws when my babies were born and then began crawling and walking. I did not have to worry about an errant claw getting caught in their flesh as they played with each other. After all, the children had to be taught how to play with them properly, and I couldn't always be there. In fact, some of my family and friends thought I would simply be getting rid of my cats when our first baby was born!!!
My cats ran and chased each other as usual and played with the mobiles in the baby bed and later the pull toys...so there was constant interaction. I now have 3 grown daughters that love and adore cats and dogs as much as I do, and, OH MY, when they come back home and the cats hear their voices!! It would make you cry to see them come running, whether they are inside or outside, to see there old bedmates.
Even as I write, I have 2 purring kittens that can't get close enough. They want my hands and want to nuzzle my face. But even at this young age they have started causing damage...climbing drapes, kitchen curtains, etc. I had some clothes hanging to dry in the bedroom and they jumped up on them and pulled threads....oh the little dears. I'm glad some of you out there have taught yours different, but I have scolded, water sprayed, tried repellants...nothing worked. I guess that is one of the things I like about cats they are so darned independent. THEY do what they WANT to do like it or not and have a way of looking and acting to get away with it.

What wonderfully selfish excuses to declaw. It is a good job you could afford those operations, else you would have had to find five minutes a day to teach your cats to use a scratching post and you would have had to supervise your children when playing with the cats. *roll eyes*

Please note cats are VERY easily trained to use a post, if it is done properly. If you need help training a cat just post there is no reason to multilate it.

When I hear these very common excuses, I find that the training was never consistant the trainning post was usually a cheap unstable version and the biggest irony of them all.....Cats stop scratching when they get older WITHOUT declawing.

A year old cat is very good about using a post, even if your training was poor but that is too late as most owners have cut off their toes before this point and think the result was worth it.

There is NO advantage to the CAT in being declawed and hence this operation should never take place in healthy cats. People need to learn that 5 minutes of post training a day should be an automatic part of owning a cat, as daily walking is for dogs.

PS. I would not trust your children near a declawed cat, if provoked the cat will attack not using a quick swipe of front claws (which easily heals) but with the back claws and nasty bites a worse and more painful result.

[stephanie0122]

I am against declawing as a rule, although i was considering having ALL mine done about a year ago. We had just gotten new furniture that cost Sooooo much money and when i saw them scratching at it i was so mad. However i am a Veterinary Technician Student and i had learned at school how to properly cut a cats nails myself without hurting them. I tried this on my own cats and it auctully worked. I just cut off the very tip of the point (sharp part) once a week and they don't do any damage when they do scratch. You can even do their back ones!