Declawing Cats

A friend invited me around to her place yesterday afternoon to see her new kitten. Although I don't have a cat of my own, I just love kitties. All was going well until she told me of her intention to have the kitten declawed when it was old enough to do so.

Stony silence.........

I voiced my opposition to what I think is a cruel and barbaric practice. Her only defense was "Well what about my leather sofa? I paid a fortune for it and don't want it ruined!" All I could do was shake my head in disbelief and then told her that perhaps getting a kitten wasn't such a hot idea if she was willing to mutilate the poor animal because it was worth less than a piece of furniture. I guess I'm not the most diplomatic guy at times. Oh well.......

It didn't end well. I left her place kind of pissed off and don't know if I should call her tonight to apologise or stick to my guns.

My question for all you wise Lounge Lizards:

Is it okay to declaw cats? Am I wrong on this?

Q

Fuck the furniture. Declawing a cat is mutilation. Period.

I had a cat declawed back in the mid-80's and I felt horrible about it, even though she lived to a ripe old age of 18, I'll never forgive myself for having my best friend declawed.

(Sigh....I still miss Mariko, although my new siamese DeDe seems to be trying to emulate her)

and I haven't had a chance to read all the replies yet, but I felt I have to comment on your words about Mariko. Whatever faults you may, or not, have, your thoughts show you have a good heart. A good heart makes a good man in my book.

to you, :toast:

incredibly traumatized (escaped, got loose, some of them without even the defense of the rear claws)

One of our adopted was so mentally crippled we ended up, after tying for years, of putting him down...it was awful

Cats are not meant to be de-clawed - I agree with you that if you value your furniture more than you care about mutilating animal for what amounts to cosmetic purposes ( we are not talking about spaying or neutering), then you should buy a fish.

When I first got her as a small kitten, I'd hold her and sometimes she'd scratch me.

But scratches fade and disappear.

And I had...at the time...some pretty nice furniture. Well, Chess loved to sharpen her claws on the furniture.

I had her declawed the same time I had her fixed.

Declawing her was a horrible, horrible mistake. If I wanted to protect the furniture so much (and ironically I don't even have the same furniture now), I could have just bought a scratching post for her. Jesus.

damaging them. The vet RECOMMENDED we get him declawed.

Now that I know what is involved, I feel horrible.

He's since passed and he lived a very good life, but still. If we ever had another cat, I wouldn't do it.

I have 6 with claws, and they don't claw the furniture.
Two older ones are declawed (they came to us that way) and the one who gained weight is slowing being crippled by the retraction of the tendons.. She still plays, but you can tell her feet hurt her :(


When they are kittens, you just get a spray bottle of water and set it to stream.. every time the act like they are gonna claw a corner, you squirt 'em and say NO!..

Cats are smart.. they get it :)


I hope your friend goes online and does some reading..

Some vets REFUSE to declaw, and it't actually illegal some places

We were able to break some pretty stubborn furniture scratchers by getting the right scratching post.

It's just not necessary to declaw.

:hi:

Absolutely NO!

Declawing a cat (or kitten) is amputating the front paws' fingers(?) just below the first knuckle. I understand that it is very painful (for the cat or kitten) and takes a long time to heal. Also, for many cats, it gives them a permanent bad attitude (because of the trauma associated with the procedure).

Just take the cat to a vet regularly and have its claws trimmed back.

Also invest in a good, solid scratching post (one that won't move around or topple over when the cat is using it). Preferably one on an incline because cats like to stretch when they're scratching. Make a tea from catnip and put the extract in a spray bottle. Spray the scratching post regularly. The cat will ignore everything else.

The only reason why cats like to scratch your furniture is simply because it won't move when he feels like stretching himself and scratch something.

http://www.softclaws.com/

Edit: Here's a photo from the website of a kitty wearing Soft Claws.

I'm going to e-mail that link to her right now.

Q

Be sure to tell her that she will be surprised at how easy it is to apply them. My son holds the cat, and I trim the nails and apply the caps. It takes all of fifteen minutes to do.

Offer to help her do it.

You can buy Soft Claws locally at Petco or PetSmart.

Our 18 lb boycat is the first non-declawed cat we've had. He is just OK as far as the furniture, as he claws every upholstered piece, except the most expensive one. :)

He also jumps on my chest and kneads...with a fair amount of claw-action. Yeow!

We'll have to check out that product....Thanks for posting. :hi:

if you have a PetSmart or PetCo nearby. They sell them in the store.

And you're welcome! :D

Sabrina :loveya:


And Sashka :loveya:


We don't need to use them anymore since we got a scratching post that they really like.

dealing with claws is part of cat ownership. i keep my kitties claws trimmed. there is one chair in my house that has been scratched, but i accept that as part of cat ownership, and should have been better about keeping up with trimming her nails.

to match her bad mama.

It's disgusting, and wrong. Good for you.

Declawing is NOT okay. It is barbaric. Please do not apologize. If anything I would send her some graphic information on it with a note telling her "This is why I was so adamant..." or something like that. Good luck.

By the time a cat has been spayed/neutered, she/he has lost enough standard equipment already. So I don't own any leather furniture, BFD. I'd rather have the cats as intended: pointy.

BTW, the operation consists of removing the end knuckle on a cat's paws, IIRC. Eek. :scared:

and climb, but the furniture has a chance

they did fine IIRC

a few face fulls of water when doing the unwanted activity has always stopped my cats :shrug:

:)

a cat who loves water is a horse of an entirely different color isn't it??

:hug:

This practice is very barbaric and cruel, IMHO.

I have two cats and have never had a problem with them scratching furntiure. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I do think that with proper training (especially in their younger, formative years) and with the presence of alternative, acceptable items to scratch (scratching posts, corrugated boxes with catnip, you know, items that can be easily purchased at any pet store), then there shouldn't be a problem. Having a cat does not mean having clawed up furniture, one does not necessarily have to lead to the other.

Thank you for standing your ground. I think you're absolutely right on this.

You should ask your friend if she would enjoy having the last digit of each of her fingers cut off. That's what declawing does.

:rant:

It's awful. And I won't post pictures ...

I hope she has a fine plastic cover for her leather sofa, because sitting in it ... you know, it might ruin it over the years.

I got a WHITE camel back sofa with two BLACK cats a couple years ago. What was I thinking! One didn't like the long journey to the litter box in the basement and she let me know in the worst way possible. Now I need it reupholstered. I shrugged it off they're just being cats and it's just a couch.

Reggie walks with a painful hobble, cannot jump onto the cat food counter to eat, can't chase string, must bite to defend himself. It is a travesty -- his former owner declawed him because she had white furniture in a white condo -- some people are ignorant -- and mean -- and shelfish.

It's like CONS and the Democrats, the pro-declaw and the anti-declaw crowds are every bit as nasty as the pro-choice vs. pro-lifers! Never see eye to eye.

It's torture and it's cruel and it's nasty and horrible and okay, you want to think of a living being as less important than your stupid furniture, let me cut your fingers off and see how you like it.

Seriously, can you get the cat away from her and find him/her a good loving home?

(Sorry - I do try my best to be a pacifist and forgiving and all that, but I will defend cats the way a bear will defend her cubs - the closest I came to punching someone was after I saw a guy kick a cat down a stairwell.)

Perhaps I should just offer to take the kitten from her. Problem is, I travel a great deal with my job so it would mean a lot of kennel time for any animal I shared my life with. Believe me.....if I had a career that didn't require so much time away from home, I'd probably have 3 or 4 cats. Cats with claws.

Q

:hug:

Typical reply: "HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE YOUR FINGERS CUT OFF AT THE FIRST KNUCKLE?!?!?!?!!!!"

He has yet to ruin any furniture (though he does seem to leave stacks and stacks of hair on the loveseat).

Get her a squirt gun and some sticky strips to dissuade the cat from clawing or even getting on her precious couch. If that fails remove a few of her fingers at the first knuckle for a graphic demonstration. Finally, remove her from your address book.

way to train cats. I have an older cat that I did not train that way and she is the only one who does the claw sharpening on furniture. The other two, trained with water, do not. It's as simple as that. The squirt guns do work and it doesn't hurt them. Declawing is something i did only once...ever. I wouldn't do it again. It leaves them defenseless if they ever are in a situation where they are outside...and that does happen sometimes.

Very inhumane practice.

It's thoughtless and barbaric. If she can't spend
enough time with the cats to TEACH them what not
to sharpen their claws on, maybe she shouldn't
have cats in the first place.

I had 2 kittens and brand-new couches. Got them soft paws, taught them not to scratch on the couches...

A year later, the cats have graduated out of the soft claws (a process which only took about 6 months), and the couches are scratch-free.

And yes, declawing is barbaric.

I've never heard of that. I remember a while back in the early 90's, I saw some press on type nails that were dulled for cats, but I've never heard of soft paws.

at PetCo, and presumably PetSmart.

They're surprisingly easy to apply. One of my cats is scared of his own shadow, hates to be held, etc. It was a bit of a chore, but I could even get them on him.

There is a reason cats have claws and it's because they need to defend themselves and they need to climb. Maybe if you have an inside cat and you can be sure it will stay inside, it would be ok but I really don't think so. You can train a cat to not claw the furniture. Up here, declawing my cats would be a death sentence for them.

omfg! as for your friend try some gentle education. A few years ago de-clawing wasn't considered with the horror that it now is. The Humane Society 10 years ago was ok with de-clawing, now they won't approve the adoption if you intend to de-claw. Kitty training works. good luck! :hi:

If you've ever cut yourself and had to rip off a piece of hanging skin, multiply that sound by about 100 and add some crunchiness like stepping on gravel and that is the sound you hear as the blade (they used to use nail trimmers when I was working for vets) rips through the tissue that composes the nail bed. It's gross and disgusting. On the other hand, the cat will ruin the leather sofa; a cat belonging to my ex ruined hers. It think it's great people here have suggested an alternative, the 'soft nails' thing sounds like a winner. My Dad just moved some of his outdoor cats indoors and was having problems with them and actually moved a post from the porch outside that they used to scratch on to the living room inside and they took right too it. These cats of his seem to have very large claws, larger than a whole lot of domestic cats. But they are now using that post almost exclusively.

came to a friend's house. The cat was just skin and bones. She had been declawed and had no way of defending herself or getting something to eat in the wild.

The cat probably just got away from someone's house. That can happen very easily.

She is OK now and will soon have a permanent home.

cats can live 20 years or more and too many eventually face a totally unnecessary and cruel death like this one almost did. Thanks to you and your friend, the poor girl's gonna be ok.

Here's to you :toast:

It turns out this cat is a real sweetheart. The planned adoption efforts have been cancelled as my friend can not part with her. Her two Australian Sheepherding dogs like her too!!

The happy ending - (sometimes I think cats adopt the people.)

:bounce:

I have to disagree with "sometimes I think cats adopt the people" ... but only because of the "sometimes." I'm looking for the sign in my yard that says, "All pets welcome!" so I can take it down. The house is getting a little crowded with all the pets who have adopted us! :rofl:

I can't say I'm really too surprised at the outcome though. If it's at all possible, that's usually how it works out with good-hearted people.

I won't restate what's been stated already. It's not okay to declaw a cat.

Has DU turned a corner? Is "declawing cats" the ONE thing that 95% of us can agree upon? Oh, the horror!

My sofa is one giant size scratching post and I'm fine with that

I wouldn't want someone torturing me by chopping off my fingers at the top knuckle so why would I do the same thing to my cats?

I don't live in a museum, after all.

the cat found and open window and jumped. because he didnt have a good grip he killed himself. its not a big height for any normal cat to have jumped but because he lost balance his lungs got crushed.

Yes, declawing may be a ridiculous practice...but if it comes down to a cat being adopted and subsequently declawed or a cat not being adopted and spending a good portion of its life in a shelter or dead I'd go for the former. I don't know why you would do that to an animal you love as oppose to clipping or getting those new little nail cover-things....but if it means another animal out of the shelter and in a loving home, not to mention room for the next cat to be given a second chance, than I don't see it as all that problematic....

this is exactly how I see it.

It's a VERY small sacrifice for the cat and a VERY high payoff.

Declawed adult cats almost always get adopted faster from shelters. I'm not a big fan of declawing because there ARE viable alternatives, but I am not rabidly opposed to the point where I debate stealing another persons animals to "save" it. I have assisted in many declaws (none of the vets I ever worked with would do the nail trimmer method, they called it lazy and barbaric) and have seen fantastic results, especially if the vet is a GOOD surgeon and up on new methodologies. There is a lot of knee-jerk myths that surround declawing (the cat goes crazy, they bite more, etc etc). You know "Well, my friend was telling me about her friend who had it done and the cat exploded because it didn't have it's claws!!"

I have been around and cared for literally hundreds of cats, both declawed and normal, and have noticed not one differece other than the regular personality variations. I had a cat as a kid who had all of his claws, but he preferred to bite everyone, rarely ever swiped or scratched, but he sure would bite the shit out of people. I've seen many declawed cats make excellent time climbing trees, killing stuff, etc etc.

A person who declaws their cat is not automatically the more evil reincarnation of Hitler, but treating them as such is often a way that funding for shelters etc gets lost because animal people are the ones who donate, and if some of them are alienated, that donation is lost. I had one BIG donor tell me about a woman who had the gall to go on a 10 minute tirade against declawing and how she was a terrible person for doing it and then go on to ask if she wanted to repeat her donation of the previous drive!!! Neddless to say, she started donating to the shelter I worked at exclusively. Telling someone they are shit is not a good way to garner help from them. Shades of grey people, shades of grey!

The last clinic I worked in actually started carrying soft-paws and trying to convince people away from surgery, but they would still do the surgery. Hey, soft-paws are a continuous revenue stream, and charging $5 a cat to apply them for those that couldn't or wouldn't themselves didn't hurt either. We got a lot better response from people who were approached in a positive manner than we would have if we'd attacked them as many people seem to want to do. A lot of it is education, many pet owners are unaware of the alternatives, and unaware how easy they are. One thing with the soft paws is there are multiple ways that they can appeal to a consumer, from the "My shit won't get shredded" to the "I get to have pretty pink "nails" on my kitty, *SQUEEE*!!" and people need to be approached in the way that will be more suited to them.

remember it. I just don't see why it's such a big deal, they are under, they don't feel a thing, and sorry, but cats naturally scratch. A water gun wouldn't do a darn thing with my cat, he loves the water. I just wouldn't be happy coming home and having my things torn up because a cat is a cat. Those little nail covers are worthless, they fall off all the time and the cats lick them off. My friend used them on his cats and he finally gave up. Now his cats have scratched holes in his carpet and he rents, SO, guess who had to pay a 500 dollar DEPOSIT AND won't get his deposit back. That's why renters charge so much for cats, because they ruin things.
Then maybe we should just say cats shouldn't be domesticated at all? What's CRUEL to animals is neglect and frustration taken out on them being animals. My boy is a happy cat and I'm a happy pet owner because he's declawed AND fixed.

See my response to you below.

why they get sent home with pain killers if it's true that "they don't feel a thing." Also, cats tend to be very stoic, so they can be in a tremendous amount of pain and not let on.

It's true that some cats are good at taking the Soft Paws off. So, you and your friend should invest in a good scratching post. There's one at www.topcatproducts.com that all six of my kitties find irresistible. Sure, it's expensive. But we don't get pets so we can take the easy way out.

We're renting, too, and fully expect to get our deposit back. Don't blame it on the cats when the owners don't provide the things they need.

I completely agree that your cat is happier because he's fixed. But the declaw was unnecessary. If you had been made to sign a no-declaw contract when you got your kitty, you might have tried harder to find a more appropriate solution. There's nothing you can do about it now, but please don't defend the practice or say it's no big deal. I doubt you would feel that way if someone had cut off your fingertips when you were a baby.

Not the back, but the front, so they wouldn't continue to tear the stereo to pieces.

:)

Cutting off a cat's claws is the same as cutting off the top joints of your finger tips.

:)

I had nothing to do with it, being not even 5.

:D

and showed to kitties how to use them when they tried to scratch furniture. They love them and use them all the time. They almost never scratch the furniture and all it takes is a NO and they run to their scratch pads.

We had our first cat de-clawed but it was because we had an infant nd I was concerned he might swipe at her and hurt her. He became a biter, although he left the kids alone. I felt badly that I had de clawed him, and did not de-claw the cats we have now.

and surgically, and neither was a goddamn bit of fun afterward.

Redstone

Furthermore, even if the owner thinks "soft paws" are too expensive or too much of a pain to put on: newsflash, you can trim your kitty's claws! It lasts about two weeks, and you can use a people nailclipper, and it takes about five minutes. Just don't cut the quick and they usually don't mind it.

people's shoulders and the clipped claws let her get a grip on your shirt without shredding it (and your skin).

Redstone

My mom has been pushing for declawing (she won't get rid of them, because my 10-year-old sister is VERY attached to them)...but money has been an issue, and I've been opposing it (it's not only expensive, but I think it's inhumane)...these soft claws look like a great alternative.
I told mom about them, and we might give them a try.

http://www.topcatproducts.com/

No kidding, it solved our problem. And keep the kitty's claws trimmed. The soft paws are cute, but you have to check every day to make sure they're on. Some cats are good at taking them off.

http://www.naturalscratch.com/

I have one of these on each floor of my house, and my cats never even think of scratching furniture.

And a great price! :thumbsup: :applause:

We've had so many bad ones that I was shocked to find one they would use.

When we moved here, the traffic is bad, so he's indoors. When he went outdoors, he liked to scratch the support posts under my deck, which were made of cedar. So, I specifically looked for a cedar scratching post. It's tall enough that they can really stretch when using it.

They both love it!! (My third cat was declawed before I adopted her. But even she stretches up and acts like she's scratching it!)

The cat tree we used to have had a bare cedar post and they liked that. The posts we have now are somehow impregnated with catnip, which they REALLY like! OK, so my cats are drug addicts ... :rofl:

I have five cats and they are not de-clawed. A true cat person loves cats for themselves and I don't pick furniture over my beloved cats. I got them trained on wooded scratching post and also they love to use turbo where there's ball in it with scratching stuff.

Did you know that it's against law to declaw cats in other countries? Not sure why they're more advanced than United States!

Even my spouse (who adores our kitties, but is more practical than I) thinks declawing is cruel. We have clawposts all around the house, and we trim our kitties' nails regularly. (I love watching my ex-Marine trimming claws, saying "and now we'll do the left footie...".)

It's only furniture. I'd rather have a new Mac GS5.

" and now we'll do the left footie" I think it is so great when big tough guys get all mushie for critters and babies. My kitties have all their toes. I would never declaw a cat.

and that's why I wuv him! One of our 4 cats was older when we adopted her and had already been declawed by a previous owner. We've had her for several years, and she still walks as though her feet hurt her - like you or I would if we had blisters on our feet. Naw - I'll never mutilate an animal to protect furniture I don't care about anyway. My kitties have given me more joy than anything (possibly excepting Big Ole Softie Marine, but it's a tough call!).

and unintentionally started one of the biggest flamewars on this board several years ago. I had just spent several hundred dollars to recover a sofa, and she was still intent on destroying it.

I have no regrets. She's fine, and she can no longer scratch the living crap out of it.

Cruel, barbaric ... you fill in the words.

Tell your cat to get one of these scratching posts. It's the best one you can find ANYWHERE. It's well worth the price. Mine used to scratch my sofa all the time, but now they use their post. We tried others, but they didn't work.
http://www.topcatproducts.com/

Another option is Soft Paws. They may still try to scratch with them on, but it won't do any damage.
http://www.softpaws.com/

I've tried both, and getting that great scratching post did the trick (I have 6 indoor kitties).

I would apologize for upsetting her, but stand firm about your position. I'm actually surprised that there are still veterinarians who will do the surgery. But as a last resort, send her this link:
http://community-2.webtv.net/zuzu22/STOPDECLAWCOM/

same opinion AirmensMom, but you put your feelings here a little stronger than what I did.

And . . . wishing you a

:hi: :loveya: :hug:

:hi: :loveya: :hug:

I feel VERY strongly about it. When we got our Abys, we had to sign a contract saying we would never do it ... not a problem for us. And the pet books will all tell you that if your things are more important than your pets, you shouldn't have pets. :shrug:

Wishing you one o' those, too! :loveya:

with you. Cats are definitely trainable. But be careful they tend to train us too, and we seem to be trainable also.

And proud of it. :rofl:

They get only the best of everything. :loveya:

completely trained too! But we get so much back in return.

Gotta head out for work now. Wishing you a great day.

opinion here, but I never de-clawed my cats. I just don't think it's right.

:loveya:

There are so many great products out there now to prevent cats from destroying the furniture. Our die-hard sofa diggers love their scratching post -- but we had to get the right one. They won't go near the one we got from Petsmart.

Hisssss

the one has completely destroyed the door trim around most of my doors. I am thinking of buying him some soft paws, hope that solves the problem, because the husband threatens to have him declawed all the time, but I intercept. I have watched the declawed one try to jump on the top of furniture and fall off things because she can't get a grip.
Carly

She either wants one or she does not. She should not have a fraction of a cat.

Claw marks give furniture character. I mean if she's willing to have a box of shit in the house, clawed furniture is no big deal. Besides, she can buy a scratching post and train kitty to use that.

years and years ago (pre-children) my husband and I got a kitten from a shelter and we had it declawed (Scrappycat). Worst thing we could have ever done. One paw never healed right and ended up infected. The vet had to amputate the lower part of her paw. I'll never forget how that cat moaned in pain when she walked, and I will NEVER do that to another cat as long as I live. After her amputation she healed up and was with us for a long time before she died, but I will never forgive myself for letting my furniture and carpets take more importance than a pet.

probably know my answer. :hi:

If you had been less confrontational and condescending, I bet your friend would have listened better, and you could have told her about the alternatives. Throwing around words like barbaric, cruel, and mutilate" were bound to put your friend on the defensive, at which point you were not likely going to be able to convince her of anything.

I think you should call her and apologize, saying that you feel strongly, and then explain that there ARE good alternatives that you think she'd really like, it'll help mend the rift and possibly convince her to look at/use the alternatives.

back when she could fit in a latte mug. We never got around to stopping her, so by now she's done a real number on it. Feh. I think we picked up that table at a garage sale anyways. I'm kind of casual about these things. There are advantages to not having a lot of money to spend on fine furniture.

It is a horrible thing.

I don't think I could be friends with someone who was willing to do that for the sake of a piece of furniture. And a lot of vets won't do it anymore, so good luck to her finding a vet that will (and then...does she really want to have THAT vet taking care of her animals?)

Talk to her about it again. Ask her if she's heard of this product: http://www.softpaws.com/

We use them on our cat who has allergies - he used to scratch his head bloody with his hind feet until we discovered this fabulous product. Many people use them on their cats' front feet to prevent destruction of their furniture. They are quite easy to put on - just prepare them ahead of time, wrap the cat in a towel and stick them on. It takes 5 minutes and they stay on for several months at a time. Much cheaper and easier than declawing, if you ask me, not to mention more humane. If your friend doesn't care about "humane", point out to her that a year's supply is only $25 as opposed to many hundreds (?) for declawing, also they come in cute decorative colors so you can customize your cat's toenails.

We also buy these cardboard scratcher things for our kitties: http://www.petco.com/Shop/petco_Product_R_3197_PC_productlist_Nav_208_N_23+146_sku_538302_familyID_5858.aspx

Believe it or not, they actually prefer them to furniture - we've never had a single furniture scratching problem since we started bringing them home. They love these things so much they actually have territorial disputes over them sometimes. And it's funny to see them get all excited when they see a new one in the bag!

I wouldn't DREAM of doing that to them.

It's called a squirt bottle and it works.

This kitten was absolutely destroying our rental house, furniture, rugs, woodwork, everything. Scratching posts and toys didn't help. I had her declawed.

When she came home and emerged from the carrier, wobbling from the anesthesia and with her little paws bleeding, I cried and cried. I vowed that I would NEVER do that to an animal ever again. And I never have. That was over a decade ago.

I am lucky in that Prince Charming isn't much of a scratcher, but if he was, I would use Soft Paws.

It's like amputating the fingers at each first knuckle. Not to mention, if a cat gets loose (like they often love to do, sometimes), that's one less defense mechanism that a cat may have.

It should only be done as an absolute last line of defense, if a cat is just completely destructive beyond hope (and even then I have my qualms). Most times, though, a cat can be trained to scratch in proper places with a little persistence.

And show how their claws have not caused you any problems.

I would never declaw my cats.

our new cat is not. To keep the cat from ruining the "good" furniture, I built a big cat tree with carpet and sisal spots on it for him to scratch, and he loves it. Totally ignores the couch, etc. now. Cost me maybe $30 in materials (if that) and was done in an afternoon. I used a 4"x4"x6' post, some plywood for the base and perches, some sisal and some carpet to cover the plywood and a bit on the sides for him to tear up.

my big boy declawed and fixed all in one shot. He never missed them and he is still alive because I too have leather sofa's. He would not survive in my household if he had claws, sorry, 5k couches and a clawed cat don't mix well. My best friend just got a little kitty that hasn't been declawed yet and her new couch, new leather dining room chairs, are ALL ruined!
It's like piercing ears or getting circumcised, whoopdidoo, just get it done when they are young and will never remember it.

and two great scratching posts. Our kitties have never even thought about scratching on the leather. Most problems come from not providing an appropriate scratching post (the cheap ones from Petsmart are useless).

There are many rescue organizations and breeders that will not let you adopt a cat unless you sign a contract stating you will never declaw.

I hope your kitty never gets outside.

They cut off the first knuckle of the "finger" in addition to the nail. It's pretty brutal.

remember it. I actually had a friend who's son was born with six fingers, an extra pinkie, they removed it when he was under one year old. I know he had pain, but the pain doesn't last forever. My cat is loving, healthy, happy, and I don't remember him taking pain killers after the surgery. He seemed rather unaffected by the whole thing. I think it's really a bit overacting in my opinion. But to each their own I guess.

There's a lot of wisdom on this thread and you're ignoring every bit of it. Not every cat comes out of it OK, and every one of them does come out of it mutilated. It's unnecessary amputation and I just can't understand anyone defending it. You can't do anything about the kitty you have now, but I really hope you'll think again before you do it to another kitty.

Here are a few select anecdotes from this site: http://declaw.lisaviolet.com/declawstory.html

Stanley's Story: When he was about 9 years old, he started having heart attacks! Between the vet, homeopathy and changing him to raw food, he lived another 6 or so months. Then his lungs began to fill up... congestive heart failure. The vet said it was CAUSED BY HIS HAVING BEEN DECLAWED...... BECAUSE the muscles that run across his chest, from his right paw to his left one ALSO stimulate the heart muscle when a cat kneads his scratching post, a tree, etc. Without claws, he will still knead, but there are no claws to snag on the tree and give that "pull" or resistance that is needed to fully exercise the heart muscle.

Smokey's Story Smokey came back from surgery and did 3 and 1/2 foot leaps into the air, shaking her paws the whole way. She was in so much pain, she was oblivious to the world around her, only calming down if held in my lap with me talking to her constantly. Blood was literally splattered over the four walls in my room. Both cats have forgiven me for the torture, but neither is as friendly to strangers as they once were (they now run and hide), ThornArrow no longer does her leaps or plays with cars on linoleum, and I have seen Smokey to be limping or just sitting holding one paw up - as though it hurts, a lot.

Brenna's Story The doc promised faster healing with this new laser declawing. Well, that wasn't the case because it actually took Brenna longer to heal and she kept picking at her pads, which turned out to be infected. After she finally did heal, she began walking on her heels instead of her toes like cats do. Now she walks funny and only for short periods of time due to pain.

Pepper's Story I watched with my mouth wide open and tears in my eyes because this poor kitten meowed slightly with each amputation!! I yelled at the doctor saying, ' Oh my god, he's not fully under anesthesia, he can still feel it' The doctor's inhumane response was, ' I can't wait, I'm behind schedule' He wrapped up this poor kittens paws and laid him aside to perform yet another mutilation. When I left for the day, I sat in my car hysterically crying knowing that Pepper was just declawed by that 'butcher' two days prior. And yes, Pepper never used the litter box after that and I thought it was because I got another cat and she didn't like to share the box.

Gravity's Story I've noticed that Gravity has nightmares he actually acts out! He'll meow SO loud while he's still asleep that I get scared he's hurt himself on something and I go running to check on him. What I find him doing in his sleep is extraordinarily disturbing. He will be licking his front paws, or chewing on his toes, and he doesn't stop until I pick him up and start coddeling him. His front legs also twitch a lot like his paws tickle or itch- or maybe still hurt! And if anyone touches his de-toed paws- that person better watch out for those teeth! He will bite and draw blood.

Wump's Story But one day he got out. My mother watched helplessly as he was killed by a pack of stray dogs. Womp had run to a tree and was trying to climb it, but couldn't save himself without his claws. Mom never had another cat declawed. Because of that tragedy, I would not have either, but I didn't know what cats go through when they are declawed.

Pogo's Story He was doing good, 'til about 3 weeks or so after his "declawing". He started walking like on eggshells. When he had to stand for a long period of time he would stand like a kangaroo.... When he would eat he would lay down on all fours and put his head in the bowl. I felt so bad for him and what I did to him....In the end the vet said "nothing could be done" He said we could give his some Prednisone 5mg "probably will not do anything" It's sad.......Pogo used to run around crazy and wild.....Pogo now just lays down everywhere.....so we don't get to see him often

And on and on and on. There are at least 100 stories on this site alone. I'm so glad your kitties didn't have problems. Maybe you were one of the lucky ones.

This post might get pulled for me saying this, and normally I'm not this inflammatory on DU, but...I guess we all know now what your price is for being willing to torture a defenseless animal, putting it through pain and suffering possibly for the rest of its life (and cats can live more than 15 years) - it's about a houseful of $5000 dollar couches, right?

By the way, I bought an $800 couch a few years ago. It still looks as perfect as the day we brought it home, despite having two kitties with their claws intact. They have scratchy boxes, and we invested a little time in training. And if that failed, we'd put on Soft Paws, which would be another 15 minutes of work every three months. Whoopideedo.

(Who the hell buys $5000 couches anyway????)

On Edit: Sorry, Mods. I hate to post things that will invariably start a flame war, but the post I replied to was sickening. I actually thought about it for an hour and then decided to reply anyway. I didn't want any other kitten owners to think that it wasn't a big deal to put the health of one's furniture over the health of an animal, and I thought this poster really deserved a smack-down.

but I have to say declawing in NOT like piercing ears, or getting circumcised. It's an amputation of the digits of the paw. Same as the fingers on your hand.

I have a 17yr old cat I took in when my friend's father died. She's fortunate, very fortunate, that my dog and the other cats pay little attention to her. Is she happy? yes, I think she is. Would she be happier, healthier, stronger, and more active with her claws? Most definitely. Handicapped people are perfectly capable of having happy lives. But I bet you couldn't find a single one that wouldn't erase that handicap in a heartbeat.

A declawed cat may forget what it had and not know what it's missing, but we know. It's life can never be as good as it could have been.

If a $5,000 or $5,000,000 couch and an unmutilated cat don't mix, I would suggest a suitable scratching post, another couch, or not getting a cat. If I couldn't bear the thought of having a shoe, handbag, or book chewed on, I wouldn't get a puppy either.

If someone wants a cat without claws, then they don't really want a cat, they want something else. They shouldn't have a cat.

Cats need their claws not only for protection, but for exercise. Scratching is an integral part of being a cat. To me, declawing a cat for the sake of precious furniture is just as endearing to me as someone removing the fingers of a child to keep her from getting into the cookie jar or something else just as unbearable.

For the past 20 years or more I've kept a sacrificial stuffed chair that the cats use almost exclusively for scratching. They seem to take to it as naturally as they do a litter box. Occasionally they try it somewhere else but it hasn't been a problem.

If the owner dies the cat would be at great risk if the new owner didn't understand or provide the special care a declawed cat would require. If the cat became lost for any length of time, it would be doomed to a lingering death by starvation or attack by another predator. It couldn't even flee up a tree. It wouldn't be nearly as fast and agile as it should be. No claws for grip and atrophied muscles for power. It's just at a severe disadvantage. Even in confined indoor environment the declawed cat will never be as happy or as healthy as it could have been.

Declawing is nothing less than intentional mutilation of an animal. Nothing less.

If I was a Vet, I would refuse to do the procedure and try as hard as I could to talk the owner out of having it done somewhere else.

"If someone wants a cat without claws, then they don't really want a cat, they want something else."



:applause: :yourock:

And if you read some of the posts in this thread, you find that sometimes what they really want is $5000 leather couches. I'd personally rather have a healthy, happy animal.

On Edit: I'm also someone who couldn't handle the destruction of a puppy or the work it would take to keep a full-grown dog happy and healthy. You know what? I recognize my limits and personal preferences and have made the conscious choice not to have a dog. An example: My neighbors downstairs have a big yellow lab that they leave in a small, dark apartment 23.5 hours a day. They don't even open the windows for him. The dog is completely neurotic and barks all day long at anything larger than a stray leaf on the sidewalk. I feel sorry for him. And that's why I'm not getting a dog - I can't give a big yellow Lab the lifestyle it deserves any better than my neighbors can. Animals are not decorations, or something that can be forced into a lifestyle they aren't meant to lead. If you care a lot about having expensive furniture and aren't willing to explore alternatives like scratch boxes or SoftPaws, don't get a damn cat. It's that simple.

And I'm pretty shocked that there are still people around who think it's OK to mutilate animals.

We had some pretty bad luck with scratching posts until we bought the first TopCat one. It's trial and error sometimes, but you have to be willing to try different things. The Soft Paws worked for Sabrina, but Sashka hated getting them put on. We keep their claws trimmed regularly and got a second TopCat scratching post, and they leave the furniture alone.

Too many people get pets and are surprised by the amount of care they require ... including having to clean up and fix things around the house.

If only people would take a little time, just a little, to really educate themselves when thinking of getting a pet a lot of problems wouldn't exist. Same with kids, it seems too many have children without giving enough serious thought into whether or not they're really prepared for children yet.

There's a solution for ignorance. For the selfish and hard-hearted, I don't know what to do about them.

And everyone raced to the pet stores to get a cute little Dalmation puppy? There was a big problem with that because people didn't bother to learn anything ahead of time. The result was a lot of unwanted Dalmations in the shelters. I guess they were surprised that their untrained dogs didn't act like the ones in the movie. :shrug:

The rescue group I'm involved with is pretty fussy about who can adopt their pets. The selfish and hard-hearted need not apply. Their position on declawing is very clear.

Good thing the decision wasn't mine to make.

Along the same line, where I live the summers can get pretty damn steamy, yet I see people simply must get a Siberian Husky pup because they have pretty blue eyes. Or St. Bernards and Mastiffs when dogs like that are really suited to a different climate. These people are buying personal accessories. Decorations.

Clods!

You have a completely sensible, intelligent, and considerate, approach to the whole situation.

People like yourself with a heart for animals get a big gold star in their copybook from me. To me, it says a lot about a person. A real whole lot!

Good for you! :thumbsup:

I am the same as you. I would desperately love to have a dog (I pine for one, actually), but I know damned well that, living alone in a studio apartment and working 9-10 hours a day, I CANNOT have a dog. It wouldn't be fair to me and it damned sure wouldn't be fair to the poor dog. Dogs are pack animals, they want to be with their families. Just like cats come with claws. If you don't like the inherent traits of an animal, don't get that animal.

yourself, and others here, who feel the same way.

You most definitely rock too! :toast:

It's disturbing to hear the unthinking and blase attitude many have concerning this practice.

that the majority of posts are against declawing. It's amputation!!! Who does that voluntarily? I can see no way to defend the practice.

Good for you for speaking up! :toast:

:hug:

:hi: :loveya: :hug:

How's that Wiley ... Excellent ... Boy cat named Ginger? ( I think I at least got the last part right. :blush:) :loveya:

Ginger's fine, claws and all. ;) And I just signed a progressive petition against dancing bears in some countries, 'cause they declaw them and rip their teeth out. Or so ...



:loveya:

:loveya:

Satchmo and his "sibs" are all fine (claws and all). We have a new one, Sheba. She's a flame point Siamese. I'll have to get a picture to post. Note to self ... do not go to Petsmart for kitty litter on a Saturday unless you intend to add a new pet to the household. :rofl:

Do you have a link to that petition? I'd like to sing it, too. :bounce:

And we have cat food named Sheba. ;)

I'll eagerly wait for pictures. :)

And for the petition - uh oh. I remember we had one years ago, but I just put it in here for some rhetorical reasons. :evilgrin: Who wouldn't sign it? Like, clubbing of baby seals is bad, but if I see an insect, I'll smash it. I just showed my Buddhism, didn't I?

But it didn't fit her, so I changed it. She looks more like a Sheba to me. :loveya:

Finally, I can get photobucket to work. Here she is. Sorry it took so long.

Thank you for posting the picture. How are the other cats adapting?

Satchmo plays with her ... I don't know the name of the game, but he sits on the ottoman, she sits under the chair, and they bat at each other in the space between the ottoman and chair. Satchmo even let her give him a bath, which he has never let the others try (even his mother!) in 9 years! Sylvester is completely in love with her and sleeps next to her every chance he gets. The girls like her just fine and will sleep on the bed with her. I've seen Sabrina sleeping quite close to her. The others at least don't hiss at her, which is a big improvement over what they think of Sylvester.

She's really a cutie, and a great addition to the family. I had NO intention of getting another one, but we went shopping for kitty litter at Petsmart on a Saturday and there she was. It was a sign! :rofl:

When I first got Goldmine, I was still living with my parents who had two dogs. They forced me to have him declawed so he wouldn't hurt the dogs while playing with them. By the time I got Raphael, I had my own place. The latter kitty boy scratches my furniture a lot, but I just don't care. He will NEVER be declawed!

I love my cats, and I'm fine with my $60 Salvation Army couch, too.

it limits your furniture choices, but that may be the price of having a cat.

I had a cat that I had declawed and of course then he had to be a housecat. He got out and ran off, came back 3 days later with a broken tail, and had a neurogenic bladder because of it. I tried to keep him alive for 3 weeks, squeezing his bladder manually for him 3 times a day and giving him his meds. During the third week it became obvious that he wasn't getting better and his gag reflex was working well when I'd walk into the room with his meds.

So I put him to sleep. My feeling is that if he hadn't been declawed he might have been able to climb a tree if he was being chased by dogs or something, I'll never know how he came to be injured, probably hit by a car. My guilty imagination about it told me that he was chased by dogs into the street and if he'd had claws he could have climbed a tree.

I've had one cat since then and he wasn't declawed. He tore up a lot of things (turkey) he finally chewed into an electric cord behind our entertainment center while we were gone and it killed him.

I've not had a cat since, but will again some day.

:shrug:

we adopted her from a shelter

4 x 4 deck post about 48" long, attached to a 1/2" plywood base for stability. My girls seem to prefer making toothpicks out of the wood than using the carpeted scratching posts. They seldom have tried to claw any furniture. And if they did, I'd probably let them anyway. Really, what's more important?!?!?

Declawing a cat is a horrific ordeal for any cat--declawing a cat is equivalent to someone removing the ENTIRE top third of a human finger--up to the first joint.

They almost make the soft paws product which can be applied at the vet's office, which keep the little one from declawing--the nail is cut to a proper point, and the small plastic pieces are then put on. No declawing necessary, serves the function, is totally humane and even costs less.

Another thing to point out is that declawed cats tend to bite people instead as a way to compensate for being declawed.

I know I'm only joining many other voices in respect to this issue, but so many of us shudder when we hear the word "declaw."

like to do it. One of my other sisters adopted a cat from the humane society who'd already been declawed through a laser procedure, which apparently is less painful to the cat. Here's a link with some info on declawing and alternatives: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_declawing_and_its_alternatives.html

I think declawing is awful, barbaric, and should NOT be done. If you care more about a piece of furniture than a living creature, don't get a cat or a dog or anything that isn't captive in an aquarium.

You were right to point out to your friend that it is a nasty procedure. Don't feel bad. Sometimes people get very defensive if they're told their beliefs/desires are cruel, but open-minded individuals usually come around to choosing the humane alternative, once they know a good and effective alternative exists.

They know if they don't do it, the people will either have it done somewhere else, or give it to a shelter where it will most likely be killed. In a case like that it seems they have no choice. They have to mutilate an animal to save it's life. Sad.

You're right about open-minded people coming around once they know the facts and consequences. I imagine many years ago, if I had a cat, I might have thought that wasn't a bad idea. I know better now. Several posters in this thread have told of how they learned the lesson the hard way.

Just on thing on the laser alternative. I'm not so concerned about the initial and temporary pain. It's that the cat is permanently handicapped and damaged. It's life is degraded and can never be as good as it should have been.

but a cat won't use a post unless it is COMPLETELY STATIONARY. If it wobbles at all, the cats fear that it will fall on them (which it could). Also, it must be taller than them when they "stand up" to scratch...otherwise they can't really get a good grip and stretch out of it, which is part of what they're after. This is why they so often opt for furniture...it is tall and heavy and doesn't budge when they claw at it (much like a tree).

I find that if you get a cat a very heavy and large scratching post that won't budge, the cat will use it instead of any furniture (though you must coax them to use it at first).

There is absolutely no reason to declaw. Please give your friend this information...it will help her make a more informed decision.

After reading your post, it seems like common sense.

In 1980 we had a cat that picked on a certain ugly stuffed chair. We decided to let him have it. All parties happy.

I've kept that "sacrificial" chair for the past 27 years. It's been pretty well beat to hell by several cats, but I think it's got another 27 years left. That warhorse has served us all well.

Now I know exactly why it worked. It's very heavy and does not move. It's sturdy like a tree. It was just luck that chair came on the scene, otherwise I might have spent many frustrating years wondering why those flimsy scratching posts didn't work.

Most excellent tip there, amitten, I hope lots and lots of people see it.