Barclay and declawing

**catlady1945** · 10-01-2005, 08:34 AM

Keep trying alternatives to de-clawing. Hope they work out. Can you close off the rooms with the expensive furniture? Just FYI, de-clawing does not lead to other behavioural problems.

**CalliesMom** · 10-01-2005, 09:22 AM

I hope all these tips works. I know firsthand about issues you may have with declawing your cats. Yes all of mine are declawed. Would I ever do it again knowing what I know now? NO!

My roommate was allergic at the time so my parents took in Shadow and Whisper (no Callie yet). She refused to take them unless they were declawed and I could find no one else to foster them for 8 months. They were over a year old. I have never noticed behavioral changes necessarily associated with the declaw but Whisper attacks Shadow at least daily (not to the severity he did in Alabama-now he just chases her and we yell at him). He never did any of that when he lived in his old home (pre-declaw).

Callie definitely changed after the declaw. In my own ignorance, I had her declawed at about six/seven months of age. A kitty who was originally my "love bug" turned into a "pet me only once a day" kitty. She was never quite the same behaviorally after the declaw. Doesn't like her front feet touched.

I will never know if it causes them pain to walk on their feet. We don't have the urinary issues you may encounter if you declaw; as some cats will start spraying. It is just a horrible, horrible procedure and if I was a vet, I would never do the surgery. It's just $$$ to them and then we, the owners, have to deal with the consequences.

Don't think I am chastizing you in anyway. I know you love Barclay and that is evident in your attempt to find alternatives. ((HUGS)) and I hope everything works out.

**PJ's Mom** · 10-01-2005, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by CalliesMom

Don't think I am chastizing you in anyway.

I know you're not and I appreciate your honesty.

Hubby and I had another fight about it last night. He wants to buy new furniture but refuses until Barclay has been declawed.

I looked up some of the horror stories of declawing online and showed him . of course his answer was to blow it off saying those cases were isolated incidents.

For now, Barclay is behaving himself since I had his nails cut.

**Uabassoon** · 10-01-2005, 04:00 PM

I wish I could offer some advice but it seems like you've already been given plenty. I just wanted to offer a *hug* and let you know that I really hope everything works out.

**jenluckenbach** · 10-01-2005, 06:29 PM

Just FYI, de-clawing does not lead to other behavioural problems.

A more accurate way to say this would be:
" Behavioral problems do not always follow de-clawing."

The fact is that there is potential for behavioral changes.

And there is medical risk (just like there are risks any time there is sedation and surgery).

I refer to it as Russian Roulette. You could get lucky.....you could get unlucky. The unfortunate part is that if you ae unlucky, there is no way to reverse the damage.

**krazyaboutkatz** · 10-01-2005, 07:16 PM

I sure hope that everything will work out and that Barclay won't have to be declawed.

I was also going to suggest that you buy some kind of a couch cover so that if he still tries to scratch the couch, he'll be scratching the cover instead. I bought one for my couch and it's been working out great.

Mine isn't the best looking but I've seen some that are quite pretty. Good luck.

**Cataholic** · 10-01-2005, 07:33 PM

I am a much reformed (and forever guilty) declawer. I would never consider doing it again. No excuses. And, sadly, that is what it seems like the 'reasons' always are-excuses.

I had a St. Bernard once upon a time. Binx had more hair than he knew what to do with, and plenty of slobber that made its way everywhere. I mean everywhere. Ceiling, walls, pictures, television screens, furniture, my bed, my pants, my cats. I wouldn't dream of de-tonguing him, or dehairing him, because of it. It is part of pet ownership.

It isn't the cat that needs to be altered, but, the minds of the people sharing their lives with them. You get scratches on couches? So what. I have a child that will do more damage to my couch in two years then the cats could ever dream of. Scratches on walls? I imagine Jonah will find a pencil, pen, marker, eye crayon, whatever, and mark my walls up good. Kids do that. Red cool-aid? Grape juice? Ever see the damage a dirty diaper can do? I have a shirt that I still can't get the stain out of.

My point is, adjust the thinking to "well, we share our lives with cats, and there is going to be some damage done. Let's just try to limit it, or deflect it, and not make it the cat's problem".

Think about it...America is one of the last places that permits declawing. Other countries have banned it, considering it inhumane.

(and lest anyone tell me I don't 'know' what she is talking about...I did have a new couch in April 2004. I can't remember what I paid for it...about 1200 or 1800???, but, it does have scratches up both sides. Did it bother me? Sure, but, not to the point I would do something to the cats....)

**slleipnir** · 10-01-2005, 11:42 PM

I would rather not have a cat declawed again. That is why I adopted Tango at 2 yrs old, cause he was already declawed. I wouldn't call it educated, but I was made to feel that I shouldn't own cats/I'm a horrible person/whatever cause I mentioned getting a cat declawed. Although I wouldn't go do it for the hell of it, if you have tried everything you can, and it's get rid of him or declaw, I would go for the declaw and I wouldn't hold it against you. I think it may be just as stressful to rehome the cat/chase him/her having a crappy home. Goodluck.