[Clough]

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

That's true! :p

[shazamataz]

Hi Clough, I'm a little late answering your question but a Dew Claw is a single nail on the inside of the dogs front 'wrist' They can also appear on the hind legs.
They can very easily get caught on things and ripped out so are often removed.

[Clough]

Thank you for your explanation and visual example, shazamataz!

[Pat1066]

I don't think declawing is any "crueler" than spaying or neutering. It is something that makes life a little nicer for the owner, and doesn't bother the cats at all IF THEY ARE INDOOR CATS!!! If they go outside, of course it would be cruel and not in their best interests to declaw them. The one thing to remember is that when you declaw a cat, you are saying "I will take care of you for the rest of your life." If you cannot make this commitment, then shame on you if you declaw the cat.

[Lucky098]

I think it should come down to the quality of life the animal will have.

If it comes down to declawing a cat vs putting it down... I think the cat wouldn't mind giving up its claws rather than its life.

A lot of people are against declawing. I think its OK if the procudure is done right and that cat is going to remain an indoor cat. Cats that are forced to live in the great outdoors, need their claws for protection, to find food and to escape.

I also think it should depend on the owner. If the owner knows how to handle an indoor cat with claws, then there really is no need to declaw. However, the people who have picture perfect looking homes with furniture that costs equal to my car... then to avoid re-homing an animal, the claws an go.

[Catcrazee]

Surprisingly, studies have found that introducing a clawed cat into a declawed environment poses no threat to the declawed cats.
Cats do not need declawing, it's a issue in the owner's brain more than anywhere else, the cat was born with those claws for a few good reasons, and whether it's an indoor or outdoor cat makes no difference to why they have them for movement, grooming, muscle stretching, to just name a few, things they cannot do half as well without claws... not to mention trying to fend off a aggressive dog.
Unlike spaying and neutering, declawing does not prevent pyrometra or cancer that can kill yoour cat from age nine. If it saves a life of a cat owned by someone to declaw, consider this - they were ready to kill that cat, is that a good and responsible owner, when you bear in mind the fact that one in three declawed cats are handed in to shelters and face death, remembering that tens of thousands of cats in the US are declawed.

I think a cat would far rather be rehomed than declawed - it's logical when you look at the studies done and results found:
Cat Blog: Before you declaw....
And Cat Blog: The Actual Facts about Declawing
The blogger explains it far better than I can in this space.

I hope the senate will pass the new law for landlords as fast as the assembly passed it. Landlords do not realise that if the declaw goes wrong, the cat does far more damage and is far more costly - this is why education is key.

[Sariss]

bear in mind the fact that one in three declawed cats are handed in to shelters and face death, remembering that tens of thousands of cats in the US are declawed.

Having worked in both a high volume animal shelter and an animal hospital with many declawed patients, I find this very hard to believe.

[Clough]

Just a note here...

The poll will close on June 1, 2010.

[Synnen]

Surprisingly, studies have found that introducing a clawed cat into a declawed environment poses no threat to the declawed cats.
Cats do not need declawing, it's a issue in the owner's brain more than anywhere else, the cat was born with those claws for a few good reasons, and wether it's an indoor or outdoor cat makes no difference to why they have them for movement, grooming, muscle stretching, to just name a few, things they cannot do half as well without claws...not to mention trying to fend off a aggressive dog.
Unlike spaying and neutering, declawing does not prevent pyrometra or cancer that can kill yoour cat from age nine. If it saves a life of a cat owned by someone to declaw, consider this - they were ready to kill that cat, is that a good and responsible owner, when you bear in mind the fact that one in three declawed cats are handed in to shelters and face death, remembering that tens of thousands of cats in the US are declawed.

I think a cat would far rather be rehomed than declawed - it's logical when you look at the studies done and results found:
Cat Blog: Before you declaw....
and Cat Blog: The Actual Facts about Declawing
The blogger explains it far better than I can in this space.

I hope the senate will pass the new law for landlords as fast as the assembly passed it. Landlords do not realise that if the declaw goes wrong, the cat does far more damage and is far more costly - this is why education is key.

Once again--the problem is that the OWNER is not acting responsibly with those cats that are turned into shelters. The problem is NOT that those owners had the cats declawed.

I've had declawed cats for 15 years now. They're perfectly healthy, happy, spoiled rotten cats that don't get to go outside. If they DO happen to get out (it's happened before), they do have collars with tags (I don't believe in chipping), and they DO have back claws.

Now that I am no longer in an apartment, I doubt I will declaw cats in the future. However--I had the choice of having declawed cats or not having cats while in an apartment. I chose to rescue my cats at the price of having to declaw them.

Regardless what "facts" you throw out there, there are perfectly legitimate reasons for de-clawing. For example, my cats have lived 10 and 8 years longer than they would have if they had not been declawed---because they would have died in the shelter I rescued them from.

Once again--the PROBLEM isn't declawing. The PROBLEM is that there are too many irresponsible pet owners out there who turn cats into shelters to begin with.