What is your opinion on declawing?

I will be moving in July to wherever I get into grad school, so I've been looking around for pet-friendly rentals where I applied. In one town, I found a place that accepts cats and dogs, but the cats must be declawed. I've never seen this before- is it common?

I'm really hoping to be able to rent a house so we have some room and a yard, but I realize this might not be possible. I was just wondering what everyone here thought about declawing. I personally would never declaw my cat, so obviously I won't be living in those apartments.

I personally think declawing is cruel and unethical. UNLESS it is absolutely needed, or there is NO other choice, I am completely against it. We have apartments here that have that policy. If I couldnt find another place to live that didnt have this policy, I would rather have my cats declawed than give them up. I learned alot in college about declawing - the PROS and CONS of it. Sometimes there is no other option and it has to be done.

I am considering getting Amadeus' dewclaws removed, because he will NOT let anybody clip his claws. The vet cant even clip them. They had to put him under anesthetic just to clip them!

:eek:

I am totally, completely against it, and I think the US should follow suit with a lot of countries that have outlawed it. If there is a health reason, that's a different story.

I can definitely see why a one-time operation to have the dewclaws removed would be a better alternative to anesthetizing a kitty every time the dewclaws needed trimming!!

There are many, many threads on this very topic, we don't really need to all post again!

Here is a good long one.

I personally think that it should only be done for a medical reason or as an ABSOLUTE LAST resort. Cats can be trained to use scratching posts AND you can trim their nails yourself, so there is really no reason to have them declawed in the first place.

I am against it. I'd rather replace my furniture/carpet than declaw my cats.

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Originally Posted by Karen

There are many, many threads on this very topic, we don't really need to all post again!

Here is a good long one.

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Sorry I am not trying to start an argument, I had just not realized that there were apartments that would require cats to be declawed. It's kind of scary considering I won't have a lot of options on where to live. I also was not aware of past debates on this board.

I just want to say that I considered having Malfi declawed for medical reasons. He has an autoimmune disease that makes his claw beds become infected. It is terrible to see him with all infected claws, but still I decided against declawing him.
Even though it would be done for medical reasons you still get all the behavioral side effects. Mainly biting. Many cats react to the lack of claws be defending themselves with their teeth. Spraying and urination can be other issues.
I'm fighting Malfi's disease with his steroid drug, and so far no infections in the claw beds.

I certainly wouldn't declaw a healthy cat. I have foster cat Nocci here, she's a long time declaw, and guess what? She bites. It will take some time for her to be adopted.

Yes, this is a sensitive topic around here.

I just want to say that the landlord has no clue about cats. Ask him if he asks renters to keep their children inside plastic bubbles.... because in my experience kids (toddlers through teens) are far more destructive than any clawed cat. We got rid of our ugly old couch, not because Harry shredded it to the point where there was no fabric on one arm, but because the kids managed to spill pizza, cool-aid and cola on it a hundred times, They ruined the seat and back from flopping on it. I could have simply re-upholstered it to hide Harry's work, but I couldn't repair what damage the kids did. I won't go into what the kids have done to doors, walls, windows, carpet.... my cats have nothing on the kids.

I use to work as a Vet PA and I am totally against declawing they actually break the cat's toes to get the claws out and even tho they are asleep it is painfull

rennie

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Originally Posted by catnapper

Yes, this is a sensitive topic around here.

I just want to say that the landlord has no clue about cats. Ask him if he asks renters to keep their children inside plastic bubbles.... because in my experience kids (toddlers through teens) are far more destructive than any clawed cat. We got rid of our ugly old couch, not because Harry shredded it to the point where there was no fabric on one arm, but because the kids managed to spill pizza, cool-aid and cola on it a hundred times, They ruined the seat and back from flopping on it. I could have simply re-upholstered it to hide Harry's work, but I couldn't repair what damage the kids did. I won't go into what the kids have done to doors, walls, windows, carpet.... my cats have nothing on the kids.

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I agree that most kids are more destructive than cats clawing. My husband is too! lol :rolleyes: He's very tall and not careful- he broke our couch by flopping down and now we have a large sink-hole on one side of it (the pets all like laying in it though).

I know that feeling my cat goes outside and we have antiques he use to try and scratch them a squirt bottle worked wonders when he was just a yr old now he is 3 and no problems..

rennie

im with evryone else. unless fr medical reasons it eeds to be done, i would say no!!!!! no way.

I agree on the kids vs cats. My daughter is two and can be very destructive if shes bored. She will colour on the walls, dump all the cat food into the toilet... I dont let her eat on the furniture unless its a small, non messy snack. My cats have the parts of the chair scratched up, but eh, it is so much more comfy! My house is their house, whats mine is theres - excluding my food! I really hope you can find a place to rent that doesnt have this policy. Most of these policies are made because of a few bad tenants who let their cats scratch up carpet. I can see where they're coming from. If I was a homeowner and rented my house to people, my only rule would be that the animals MUST be spayed/neutered. I cant stand the smell of spray and it is very hard to get out of carpet.

:p

As with every other form of "plastic surgery" for pets I am 100% against it, unless if for medical purposes. There was a cat named Hootie who lived at the vet I used to work at and he was declawed because he had a skin disease. One good scratching and he would be bleeding profusely. His skin was too thin to handle it.

Since you don't have a cat currently you can always adopt a cat that is already declawed. My sister lived in a place that would only allow declawed cats and she found it cruel but really wanted a cat. So she just kept going to the shelter until she found one that fit the criteria.

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Originally Posted by Uabassoon

Since you don't have a cat currently you can always adopt a cat that is already declawed. My sister lived in a place that would only allow declawed cats and she found it cruel but really wanted a cat. So she just kept going to the shelter until she found one that fit the criteria.

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She does have a cat - Seine ;)

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She does have a cat - Seine

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Eekk! Sorry about that! I didn't realize you had a kitten! Now I must go and hunt for pictures :D

I see the problems taht the Found Cats that were declawed when they came here are having with grooming,and I have never declawed any New Cat since.
Even when Pouncierge thought that my foot was a Giant Mousie.

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Originally Posted by Uabassoon

Since you don't have a cat currently you can always adopt a cat that is already declawed. My sister lived in a place that would only allow declawed cats and she found it cruel but really wanted a cat. So she just kept going to the shelter until she found one that fit the criteria.

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I probably wouldn't have wanted to adopt a cat without claws (if possible) just because of my 2 dogs, and Marta has a very strong herding instinct, so I needed a cat who could whap her in the face if necessary. However, they are getting along quite well since Seine showed them who's boss....
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...i/IMG_1282.jpg

I am against it! I think a lot of people are...AND no matter what it shouldn't be done! :mad:

Its actually against the law in san francisco. I went through a lot of couches with my rb gigi but I never declawed her, I discussed it with my vet and she was thankfully against it and discouraged me. I could not guarantee 100 percent that she would not sneak outside and I was afraid she would get hurt.

There are some places here that require cats to be declawed. I would never and I continued to look.

If you really have your heart set on a place, find out if they would consider Soft Paws as a substitute to declawing. :)

I find people are really ignorant about this! They think just because they declawed the cat, it won't scratch the baby. But, they get really upset when the cat then bites the baby!! Our Boo came to us declawed because she " fought with the other cats in the house(!)." She then became a biter, and the people got rid of her!
People think just because the kitten scratches a piece of furniture once that the kitten must be declawed!!! HELLo!!!kittens, I have found easily learn about scratching posts!!
I fostered a kitten who used the scratching post ALL the time!! I took photos and video to prove this. The very first thing the woman's mother said was " when are you getting the cat declawed?" I went thru the roof. I told her I would make an appointment for her(the mother)the same day the kitten was going to be declawed, at her doctor, so she could have the top knuckle on each of her fingers removed, so SHE would have an idea what pain that kitten was in!!! The kitten(now a 3yr old moosey girl)has every claw!!!
Would the landlord allow the cat to have the Soft Claws????

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Originally Posted by ramanth

There are some places here that require cats to be declawed. I would never and I continued to look.

If you really have your heart set on a place, find out if they would consider Soft Paws as a substitute to declawing. :)

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That's a good idea. I don't think I'll have to move into a place that requires declawing (I'm hoping there are some other options, I haven't looked that thoughrally yet because I don't know exactly where I'll be moving), but if it came down to it, I could ask them about soft claws.

I don't believe in declawing. And I have the ruined furniture to prove it.

Just my .02 cents.

:)

I just wanted to add I'm not trying to start a controversy about declawing vs not, I'm just wondering if renters requiring cats to be declawed is common. I'm personally against declawing, and it seems like most people are here, too.

Does anyone know any good websites for apartments (or preferably rental houses) that take pets?

So far I've been just looking at apartments.com, and browsing local papers online, and they seem pretty slim...I've been lucky enough to rent a house here since my landlord likes pets, but I most likely will only be able to visit the town once before moving in (the closest school I'm applying to is 300 miles away, the others are 800+).