Hi All!

Okay, many people have their pet cats declawed. I'm not one of them. Other than having them spayed or neutered, check-ups, shots and occasionally having to give them some sort of medications, that's about as far as I go with the vet stuff.

I prefer to let the cats be as they are concerning their claws. I can also understand why the front paws might need to declawed and leaving the back ones as is.

What are your thoughts and feelings on declawing cats, please?

Please also take some time to vote on the poll! :) I've also made it so that people can vote for more than one option. I hope that it works that way!

Thanks!

Hunter was not declawed. I never declawed my animals. It was never an issue though.

If it's an issue for the pet owner then why not?

What I don't like is getting their tails docked.. for some reason, it seems cruel to me.. and they look so "uncute". I know that's not a word...

You really jumped on this one fast, mudweiser! Much appreciated!

The tail thing? Hmmm, I hadn't considered that... I agree that deforming them in some way isn't advisable or good but that it's up to the pet owner.

I see no reason to dock a tail. What would be the purpose anyway, other than for cosmetic reasons?

Thanks!

All my cats have been declawed. Mainly because I got all of them before I was out on my own and it was the 'rule'.

They are fine. Would I get a cat declawed now that I'm out on my own? I'm not sure. I don't think it would be fair that one has claws while the others don't, especially if they get into tiffs. Maybe I'll just wait until the two I have die of old age.

I know that many people get their cats declawed. They see it as a harmless procedure, that will save their furniture. Some people look at it like getting an animals nails clipped.

For some people this may be the case. Not for me. I am dead set against cats being declawed, I myself own two cats and both of them still have their nails.

I disagree with declawing cats for two reasons, first off they are unable to defend themselves.
Secondly, while doing a co-op class at the local vets, I was able to witness many surgeries and things. One of them was while the vets declawed a cat. I've never seen anything more gruesome or cruel. The vet himself told me that he hated doing this and that it was unethical. He actually had to take plier-like tools and pull the nails out and proceed to pull the bone out so they wouldn't grow back. It was horrible and not only did he say that the cat would be in a world of pain when they woke up but he also said that doing this can cause the cat pain for the rest of their life.

I understand how people who have not seen this procedure being done may think that it is not cruel or that it is normal, but if people were to actually research this procedure it may save many cats from unnecessary pain.

I am another in the no to de-clawing camp. If your furniture is that important, don't get a cat. However, I have found if your kitty can go outside, he would prefer to use a tree or fence post rather than furniture.

I also think docking tails and ears is unnecessary. Seems to me if they were born like that, that is the way they should be.

Maybe I'm just a weenie. I couldn't bear to have my daughter's ears pierced as a baby, either.

Oops, I am the only one who voted for declawing :o

I am not a big cat lover, I am very allergic to them and the ones I have had encounters with have scratched me rather badly, so I say if you aren't going to socialise your darn cat properly or have a touchy/timid cat/breed get it declawed for the safety of your guests!!

Edit - We remove dew claws from dogs.. same thing just on a larger scale.

Hi, shazamataz!

What are "dew claws", please?

Thanks!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rex123

I know that many people get their cats declawed. They see it as a harmless procedure, that will save their furniture. Some people look at it like getting an animals nails clipped.

For some people this may be the case. Not for me. I am dead set against cats being declawed, I myself own two cats and both of them still have their nails.

I disagree with declawing cats for two reasons, first off they are unable to defend themselves.
Secondly, while doing a co-op class at the local vets, I was able to witness many surgeries and things. One of them was while the vets declawed a cat. I've never seen anything more gruesome or cruel. The vet himself told me that he hated doing this and that it was unethical. He actually had to take plier-like tools and pull the nails out and procede to pull the bone out so they wouldn't grow back. It was horrible and not only did he say that the cat would be in a world of pain when they woke up but he also said that doing this can cause the cat pain for the rest of their life.

I understand how people who have not seen this procedure being done may think that it is not cruel or that it is normal, but if people were to actually research this procedure it may save many cats from unnecessary pain.

---

:o How LONG ago was that? Ugh, that method is disgusting and no ethical vets do it nowadays.
While we do it at our clinic and I've been the monitor for countless, we only do it via laser dissection - the difference between doing it that way and the old way? Night and day.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sariss

:o How LONG ago was that? Ugh, that method is disgusting and no ethical vets do it nowadays.
While we do it at our clinic and I've been the monitor for countless, we only do it via laser dissection - the difference between doing it that way and the old way? Night and day.

---

Last March. I'm glad to hear that there is another way. Hopefully most vets use this other techinique that you speak of. I couldn't imagine, letting someone(even a veteranarian) rip my cats claws out.

I've always had my cats' front claws removed.

ALL of my cats have been humane society rescues. And until this year, I've lived in apartments, not houses. Please tell me where you can find an apartment that allows you to have cats with claws.

Maybe I'm just justifying it, but I've saved my cats from DEATH by rescuing them. I think giving up their claws in return is a fair exchange. I've never cared about my furniture or whatever--but I HAVE cared about damages to an apartment.

My cats are also indoors only--they only need to worry about defending themselves from each other and from us--so there's your defense problem thrown out the window.

I refuse to feel guilty for having front claws removed, and will not go to a vet that refuses to consider the circumstances involved before deciding that he/she will not declaw my pet. I also can't imagine that any one of you would say putting an animal down is better than declawing one. Most people who live in apartments (and by the way, that rule was the same in apartments in FOUR states: you can ONLY have a cat if it does not have claws) have the choice of NO pet or a declawed pet. Do you really want to prohibit a large group of people from being animal rescuers?

I'd like to add, by the way, that my cats have better living standards than most peoples' CHILDREN.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Synnen

I've always had my cats' front claws removed.

ALL of my cats have been humane society rescues. and until this year, I've lived in apartments, not houses. Please tell me where you can find an apartment that allows you to have cats with claws.

Maybe I'm just justifying it, but I've saved my cats from DEATH by rescuing them. I think giving up their claws in return is a fair exchange. I've never cared about my furniture or whatever--but I HAVE cared about damages to an apartment.

My cats are also indoors only--they only need to worry about defending themselves from each other and from us--so there's your defense problem thrown out the window.

I refuse to feel guilty for having front claws removed, and will not go to a vet that refuses to consider the circumstances involved before deciding that he/she will not declaw my pet. I also can't imagine that any one of you would say putting an animal down is better than declawing one. Most people who live in apartments (and by the way, that rule was the same in apartments in FOUR states: you can ONLY have a cat if it does not have claws) have the choice of NO pet or a declawed pet. Do you really want to prohibit a large group of people from being animal rescuers?

I'd like to add, by the way, that my cats have better living standards than most peoples' CHILDREN.

---

I can see your point and I'm glad and appreciative of you rescuing and adopting your cats. I see what your speaking about the apartments though. But I'm sure if you saw what I did that day, you may rethink declawing too.

But like Sariss said there is another technique of doing this, that I'm hoping most of the vets do now.

Me and my mum wouldn't like to be declawed, so we figure our animals wouldn't like it either. Plus if an animal sneaks outside, though they are indoor cats, we want them to be able to defend themselves

I would never declaw a cat. If you're worried about your furniture or carpet, then you teach them to scratch somewhere else.

Edith has all her claws. I don't know who raised her as a kitten, but they created a very sweet, well-mannered cat that doesn't scratch anything. She has never once gone after my furniture, and my couch and loveseat have wicker arms. She doesn't scratch the carpet or doorways. She doesn't even scratch skin when she sits on my lap and kneads.

Now, when the kittens get bigger, I'm sure I'll have to teach them where they can and cannot scratch. That's why I'm working on making a scratching post now. Since they won't see mommy scratching the furniture or carpet, I don't think I'll have too much trouble with them trying it.

Even if they do go after my furniture, it's just furniture. My cats are worth more to me than any furniture ever will be. Now, will I be upset if I find them scratching something they shouldn't be? Yes. But, instead of getting them declawed, I'll just take the time and effort to teach them where they CAN scratch.

It's one thing when you have kittens that you can train.

But adopting an older cat is something different entirely.

Again--I could care less about my furniture. When it's the carpet or walls or trim of an apartment, though--I care a bit more. And frankly, I can see WHY landlords don't allow cats with claws--I've seen some pretty frightful damage done.

My cats are spoiled rotten, and have never seemed to miss their claws. One cat was acquired as a 3 year old, and one as a kitten that was part of a rescue of a litter of ferals whose mother was assumed to have been killed--they estimated her age at 15 weeks when I got her.

I doubt that I would go out of my way to have a cat declawed now that I am in a house, but I am frankly baffled by those that are on the side of "never ever declaw your cat". I'm not trying to be difficult or argumentative--I simply don't comprehend.

(I'd like to point out at this point that my cat is making typing hard. She's crawling all over me and the keyboard, rubbing and licking and purring like mad. Yay for touchtype ability)

I just honestly wonder if apartment dwellers should be excluded as cat owners by those standards, because I'm positive I've NEVER seen an apartment for rent that allows cats to have their claws, especially in larger cities. So... if declawing is so horrible then should those people just not have cats? And if that's the case--can you imagine how many cats would flood the shelters? I know of 5 people alone at work who lost their houses this year and had to move into apartments--and 2 of them had to re-home their pets because of apartment rules. Luckily, I work in a place where people are willing to do that sort of thing, but I've worked other places where those animals would have had to go to the shelter. And frankly--the economy being what it is, aren't the shelters getting a LOT of new arrivals anyway?

I'm just honestly baffled. I've always seen declawing as the concession that I (and the cat) had to make in order for the cat to own me while I was living in apartments.

I live in an apartment and didn't have to declaw edith in order to keep her. I've known several other people who lived in apartments, or rented houses, and didn't have to declaw their cats. Maybe it's an Ohio thing.

I can understand a landlord saying no pets. I just can't understand a landlord telling you that you HAVE to get your cat declawed.

Having spent a couple years living in a trailer with nine cats (only one of which was declawed), I am perfectly aware of the damage cats can do to a residence. There wasn't a doorway that wasn't scratched at least a little. They confined most of their damage to one of the couches, though.

I have had to provide veterinary PROOF in my last four apartments that my cats were declawed.

I have yet to have found an apartment building that allows them. Maybe with a private rental with a landlord that is renting out part of a house, sure. But not in a building, not ever.

I've had to turn down apartments that were amazing because they wanted my cats to have all four feet declawed, and I've only ever done the front claws.

Go to apartments.com and see how few apartments allow cats to begin with, then see how many of those have the words "with restrictions" attached. That "with restrictions" usually means "no claws".

We had a much older cat before our current two. He had all of his claws, because we got him when he was too old to make that adjustment, so we wouldn't declaw him. It was freaking IMPOSSIBLE to find an apartment that would let us have him. I was seriously at the point once where we were asking around to re-home him, because we HAD to move, but couldn't find a place to live that would allow him to be there with his claws. Finally found a place that would let us have him if we did SoftPaws--and let me tell you, there is NO torture in the world like trying to put SoftPaws on a 20lb male cat who had a LOT of previous experience in fights. Even that place, though, changed their rules when our lease was up and we were re-newing. We chose not to re-sign the lease, went month to month for a couple of months while we scrambled to find someplace else--and during this time, we were subject to random inspections by the management to make sure he wasn't in the apartment. He had to stay with a friend of ours, he hated it, we hated it, and our friend hated it by the end. We ended up lying on our next lease and stated we didn't have any pets and kept praying we'd never get called on it.

Clough, you've opened up a cat of worms. Declawing is such a terribly opinionate, hot topic.

I prefer not to have my cats declawed, unless there's really some good reason I need to do it. One of mine is declawed and the other is not. Out of all the cats I've ever had, two have been declawed.

Mostly addressing others' comments:
I've heard there's a world of difference with the vet and how it's done. Sariss has in the past provided some interesting information that actually supports some of my opinions. I've seen it done as well, so you can't assume that anyone who sees it will be totally against it. What I saw was not gruesome (or any more so than ripping a gut open for a spay, but stuff like that doesn't bother me to begin with), and none of them had issues when they woke up, they didn't end up with personality problems, etc. Neither of the two I had done are the worse for wear because of it, they didn't have issues, and no personality issues. The idiotic brat cat was like that already. But reading about it, you'd think 95% of declawed cats end up psycho or something, but that isn't what I saw. From what I can tell, the method and probably a little bit of perfectionism on the part of the vet will make a difference here. Yanking bones like that? I saw this many, many years ago and I don't recall seeing any such thing like that!

Since I've got one declawed and one not, obviously they can cohabitate that way and it's fair. Declawed cats CAN defend themselves and I hate hearing that all the time. However, Wondergirl at some point in time said many are declawed on all four paws and I am absolutely, totally against that and am surprised people do it. Whatever the reasoning for declawing, the back claws don't need to go. If they have those, they can still climb stuff and still defend themselves. I've watched them do it often.

I absolutely see the point of declawing the cat versus letting the cat run stray or get killed at a shelter. There's definitely a line to be crossed when PTS'ing humanely is better than a certain living situation. However, under most circumstances, including having less than preferred food, not being able to pay for medical care as they age, declawing, etc, etc, being in a loving home is going to be preferable.

And yes, most apartments want cats declawed. There are exceptions. The house I was recently renting was an exception, and I was in an apartment years ago that was an exception, but they came down on the move-out charges big time due to damage. I got hit bad due to some scratching up of carpet by my bedroom door. I'm in my own house now, and really, I don't want my good carpet all scratched up either. The first time I had a cat declawed was because I was moving in with a roommate who insisted upon it, and I was in a situation where I couldn't easily change the living arrangements. I'm happy to have my own house now and my newest cat isn't really much of a scratcher.

But in the end, I prefer not having it done, which is how I voted, cause even though I'm certainly not dead set against it, I just prefer not

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by morgaine300

Clough, you've opened up a cat of worms. Declawing is such a terribly opinionate, hot topic.

---

Sure, but it's interesting and informative. The information shared here could help others to make a decision about whether to declaw or not.

I wonder what the next can of worms it is that I can open up... ;)

Thanks!

Given some of the <cough> opinionated people around here, I doubt it would take much. LOL.