Declawing

[inkspot14]

i declawed mine did you?

[lynnestankard]

NO I COULDN'T DECLAW ANY OF MY CATS - IN FACT THAT OPERATION IS ILLEGAL IN ENGLAND. TO REMOVE A CATS ONLY WAY OF PROTECTION IS TERRIBLE. IT LEAVES THEM OPEN TO ATTACK FROM ANY ANIMAL,
I BELIEVE THIS OPERATION IS VERY PAINFUL - GOING OFF POSTINGS FROM VARIOUS CAST LOVERS.
BE A CAT AN INDOOR OR OUTDOOR PET THEY DESERVE TO BE INTACT.

LYNNE

[NoahsMommy]

Originally posted by lynnestankard
NO I COULDN'T DECLAW ANY OF MY CATS - IN FACT THAT OPERATION IS ILLEGAL IN ENGLAND. TO REMOVE A CATS ONLY WAY OF PROTECTION IS TERRIBLE. IT LEAVES THEM OPEN TO ATTACK FROM ANY ANIMAL,
I BELIEVE THIS OPERATION IS VERY PAINFUL - GOING OFF POSTINGS FROM VARIOUS CAST LOVERS.
BE A CAT AN INDOOR OR OUTDOOR PET THEY DESERVE TO BE INTACT.

LYNNE

Very well put, I completely agree...

[Karen]

This is a very controversial subject, about which there has been a lot of debate here. See here (http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5649) for one, do a serach for declawing to find other threads on which this has been discussed.

[I_love_cats]

No way, I wouldn't declaw my cats. It's cruel and not right at all. I adopted a cat from the Humane Society and he had all four paws declawed and he broke his foot. Below is a picture of my 4 declawed paws boy.

[neko1]

All 4 of my cats are declawed (front feet). They never step foot outside. I have no problem with declawing the front feet. I really don't like when people come into the office and want their cats to have all 4 feet done though. One lady wanted her cat declawed on all 4 feet because she didn't want her waterbed to get a hole in it. Reasons like that are stupid.
My cats are all healthy and happy and have no problems with their feet. This is a personal decision and it doesn't bother me whether or not someone agrees or disagrees with it.

[boscibo]

Nope, I have never declawed my cats and I never would. My cats are strictly indoors only, but they still have all their claws. My furniture is not ripped up (except one really old couch) and they are good about using the cat trees with carpet for sharpening their claws.

I don't have a waterbed anymore, but I used to and never had a cat claw go through it. I did have a cat accidently knock a huge margarita glass down in between the mattress and the frame, but even broken glass didn't puncture the waterbed.


I have dogs too, and even though they get along w/ the cats, I feel better if the cats have some weaponry. :)

[Logan]

If you have already done it, I'm not sure why you are asking us to participate in a poll. But I voted "NO"!!! Absolutely not, for a multitude of reasons, I would never consider declawing a cat. I like my fingernails and wouldn't want someone removing them.......I think my cats feel the same way.

Logan

[Felicia's Mom]

The cats I have now are not declawed, but I have had some in the past. One was declawed when I got him, and I made the choice with the other two. After learning how bad it is, I won't have it done again. One cat was declawed on all four feet, and she seemed the be very clumsy (sp).

[boscibo]

I have a cat with all 4 claws and he is very clumsy too. He has fallen into an inground swimming pool (he got out really fast, soaking wet!) and rolled off the couch and landed on top of a sleeping dog more than once. He is definitely not a graceful cat!

[lynnestankard]

Welcome to Pet Talk Boscibo - and thanks for the laugh - I'm glad someone else has a clumsy cat!! I have three cats and one of them, Ketchum is such a klutz - the only cat I know that jiumps on the floor and appears to miss!!!:) :)

Lynne

[Cataholic]

Lynne- the cat that jumps and seems to miss the floor? ROTFL. I have one like that, too. I call him bumble butt! He is the biggest lover, but boy what a clutz! His tail knocks stuff down in it's wake, and he doesn't even know he does it! Or, doesn't care:confused: :confused:

[Barbara]

Here in Germany it is absolutely not usual to declaw cats -there is not even an own word for it. Of course my 2 indoor boys attack some of the furniture: one wooden doorframe (not all the others) and the sofa (because we weren't quick enough to train them not to), If a new piece of furniture comes in and we see they try then it is best to de-courage them (I use a small water pistol ;) ) and to offer other scratching possibilities -then it works well. One of the dozens of nicknames for Filou is Little Dragon Claw and he likes it.

[todd]

NO it is cruel.

[NoahsMommy]

Speaking of declawing....

I called the vet yesterday to make Basil's "fixing" appointment. And she asked, are you going to declaw too? WHAT???? Is that standard proceedure now??? Amazing...I almost want to find a new vet, what do you all think?

[AdoreMyDogs]

I would never, in a million years, declaw a cat. I find it legal (at least in the U.S.) animal abuse. The surgery is disgusting, as I have assisted with hundreds. They take so much of those little toes off it's disgusting. And I won't even go into the pain that those poor animals feel as they wake from the surgery.

My new little kitty was declawed in the front when I adopted him and his little front feet are not normal looking. He is also SO touchy about anyone touching his front feeties, as opposed to his back feeties, and I feel bad for him when he tries to scratch on his scratching pole and his feet mearly slide over the pole. I sense frustraton when he tries to scratch on his pole but is unable to. I always tell him that I completely sympothise with his loss of nails, and I would never do that to a kitty.

I vote NO.

[lynnestankard]

Here comes the Brit., again!! I can't understand your vet Kelly - fancy OFFERING to do this vile operation on sweet cutie pie Basil.
Once again I'm so relieved it's not done over here.

Lynne

[AmberLee]

In my heart-of-hearts I'm opposed to it, too. One thing that worries me a little is that my doctor is encouraging me strongly to have it done -- I have a couple health conditions that make healing a slower process than it should be and she feels the accidental scratches I get from Cass and Liv are too hard on me. (She's also suggested I not keep them but I told her that wasn't an option.) :eek: :mad:

A friend and former neighbor who had a worse case of this condition had his cat declawed and somehow the operation was botched. I don't want Livvy or Cassy to go through what their Princess did. [Note: for some reason Princess would scratch Bill while he was asleep and he'd wake up with some pretty nasty cuts. :eek: It seems odd to me... Anyway.] Princess' bones showed after the surgery and they raised a MASSIVE fuss with the vet to have it redone so that her paws healed. Yet another factor in my opposition to this procedure.

[Randi]

I would NEVER EVER consider declawing my cat/future cats!! I'm SO relieved it's forbitten in Denmark - not that I think anyone would have it done anyway. Just imagine if someone would pull all your nails out and you would have to live without your nails for the rest of your life!!! :(

If you're afraid your cat will ruin your furniture, don't get a cat!!

I say, a cat without claws is an invalid!!!

[Barbara]

On the following website you can find detailed information about what "Declawing" really means and how it affects the cat:

http://maxshouse.com/facts_about_declawing.htm

I think after reading that it's clear that a cat should never never be declawed.