is it cruel to declaw cats?

[motely36]

not really sure if i should or not.

[flvegan]

1. Yes. Very.

Akin to chopping off your first knuckle.

[redqueen]

2. This is a joke, right?

If not...

:popcorn:

[motely36]

4. Not really a joke.

My partner wants to, I don't.

Just curious what people think. I really not trying to start a flame war.

:hi:

[redqueen]

7. They cut the last knuckle of your cats digits off.

I think it's cruel.

[ET Awful]

3. Yes, it's cruel.

It can also result in long term problems with the cat such as litterbox issues and biting.

[motely36]

6. ok...thanks for the information

So, how do you stop them from scratching furniture?

[ET Awful]

11. Numerous ways.

First is provide an acceptable alternative such as a quality scratching post.

Then, provide deterrent (sticky paws worked for my two).

[motely36]

13. what is sticky paws?

Is it something you put on the cats paw or on the furniture?

[ET Awful]

27. On the furniture

It's a slightly sticky double sided tape that you put on the spots they like to scratch.

THey hate scratching sticky stuff, so they leave it alone.

[BrklynLiberal]

5. Would you consider it cruel to remove the first joint of each of your

fingers? That is what it is like.

Many vets won't do it..and it is illegal in some places.
The following is a partial list of countries in which declawing cats is either illegal or considered extremely inhumane and only performed under extreme medical circumstances:
England - Scotland - Wales - Northern Ireland - Germany - Austria - Switzerland - Norway - Sweden - Netherlands - Denmark - Finland - Brazil - Australia - New Zealand

Many shelters will not let you adopt if you say you are doing it.

[motely36]

9. Wow...I didn't realize that.

Thanks. :)

[Mizmoon]

8. I've seen happy declawed housecats

but I wouldn't do it myself. I figure you have to accept them for what they are.

I've heard those claw caps actually work pretty well. Keeping them well trimmed works. I am lucky in that mine mostly use the scratching post.

Are yours going after the furniture?

[motely36]

12. not a lot...

my partners cat was declawed when I met him.
I just was trying to get some opinions.

[Fenris]

10. I regret that we had it done.

My parents have a lot of, well, expensive things, and Max was really tearing into them. This was back when I was in highschool. They brought him in to get the double job: neutering (or is it spaying?) and declawing. That was years ago. He still won't let anyone touch his claws. At the time it didn't seem like there was much of a choice. We bought a trimmer but since none of us particularly liked him biting and clawing us while we did it, it seemed like a logical step to just have him declawed.

[Kali]

14. removes more than the claw

risk of infection etc. And you can NEVER let the cat outdoors - no protection or escape mechanism left for the thing. On the otherhand looking at my beautiful 50's vinyl kitchen chairs and the corners of all matresses, backs of upholtered chairs,......

Why do they make scratching posts/furniture out of carpeting? - naugahyde is so much more satisfying!

[Placebo]

15. My cat is declawed...

She doesn't act any different, I don't come into class the next day with big red scratches on my arms or legs (like the rest of my cat-owning friends) and the furniture and drapes are all intact! Oh yeah, and I can pick her up and hold her like a wee baby because she can't do anything about it. :P (She'd let me do it anyway, but you get the idea)

Personally, I don't agree with it, and wouldn't do it in the future unless I absolutely had to...but vets offer it, so it can't be the WORST thing you could do to your kitty, and it must be pretty popular and routine.

[zippy890]

16. I was wondering that too

My mother is elderly, and her skin is very thin and when her cat just brushes his claws against her skin, the blood doesn't stop flowing. At one point she had an open wound from a cat scratch for 3 months and had to have a visiting nurse come every day.

She asked her vet about declawing the cat, the vet told her ' The cat's paws are sore for a few days but they heal fine'

My mother loves her cat and doesn't want to have it done, but I'm afraid she's going to have to get rid of the cat.

(We've tried many things - I bring the cat to get the claws clipped once a month to the vet -- which the cat hates, and is traumatic for it)

Thanks for any ideas!


:hi:

[mike_c]

17. it is mutilation-- VERY CRUEL-- Google "declaw cats"...

...for good descriptions of why. Cat declawing is TERRIBLE. It's actually much worse than having your fingers cut off would be for you, since cats rely on stretching their claws for other aspects of general muscle tone, comfort, etc.

[ahem]

18. Consider using Soft Paws.

http://www.softpaws.com/

Three of my cats use them and have had no problem with them.

And, yes, I believe declawing is cruel.


(edited to correct URL)

[barb162]

21. do they try pulling them off?

does it scare them? All 4 of mine have claws which we trim

[ahem]

24. One of my cats tried to chew them off at first

but she always chewed at her claws before the Soft Paws. (BTW, she never pulled one off, and they're not toxic and just pass through if swallowed.)

My other cats just acted like nothing happened.

None of them were scared by them, but they didn't like the first couple of applications because I had the vet do it, and they really stress at the vet's office. Now I put them on myself, here at home. It's a challenge since my cats are super wiggly, but I manage just fine.

[BrklynLiberal]

19. link to sticky paws...

http://www.thecatconnection.com/page/TCC/PROD/BHVR-DETR/STICKYPAWS

[BrklynLiberal]

20. Facts about declawing

Very complete and detailed description of the surgery and results...

http://maxshouse.com/Truth%20About%20Declawing.htm

Intro:
The Cat’s Claws
Unlike most mammals who walk on the soles of the paws or feet, cats are digitigrade, which means they walk on their toes. Their back, shoulder, paw and leg joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves are naturally designed to support and distribute the cat's weight across its toes as it walks, runs and climbs. A cat's claws are used for balance, for exercising, and for stretching the muscles in their legs, back, shoulders, and paws. They stretch these muscles by digging their claws into a surface and pulling back against their own clawhold - similar to isometric exercising for humans. This is the only way a cat can exercise, stretch and tone the muscles of its back and shoulders. The toes help the foot meet the ground at a precise angle to keep the leg, shoulder and back muscles and joints in proper alignment. Removal of the last digits of the toes drastically alters the conformation of their feet and causes the feet to meet the ground at an unnatural angle that can cause back pain similar to that in humans caused by wearing improper shoes.
<snip>
Many vets and clinic staff deliberately misinform and mislead clients into believing that declawing removes only the claws in the hopes that clients are left with the impression that the procedure is a "minor" surgery comparable to spay/neuter procedures and certainly doesn't involve amputation (partial or complete) of the terminal-toe bone, ligaments and tendons. Some vets rationalize the above description by saying that since the claw and the third phalanx (terminal toe bone) are so firmly connected, they simply use the expression "the claw" to make it simpler for clients to "understand". Other vets are somewhat more honest and state that if they used the word "amputation", most clients would not have the surgery performed! Onychectomy in the clinical definition involves either the partial or total amputation of the terminal bone. That is the only method. What differs from vet to vet is the type of cutting tool used (guillotine-type cutter, scalpel or laser).

more at the above addy. Worth reading if you are considering declawing.

[barb162]

22. YES

[Imalittleteapot]

23. Imagine having your finger and toe nails removed. n/t

[caty]

25. It's one of those

"caught between a rock and a hard spot" kind of things. De clawing is painful for the cat for a while. But, a lot of people wouldn't own a cat if they couldn't de claw it--because of the damage to furniture and drapes, etc.

[Dukkha]

26. If you're that anal retentive about curtains and furniture

and you can't handle playful scratching on yourself, then you're not suitable to be a cat owner. With proper training your cat can be disciplined to leave your precious couch alone and does not have to be mutilated and have it's only defense taken away from it.

[MissMarple]

34. Not all cats are that easy, and declawed they fight and climb just fine.

Sometimes to keep the cat, one must have it declawed, and just the front claws, not the back ones.

[Catchawave]

28. YES it's cruel...

...like cutting the first digit off your fingers :crazy:

[miss_kitty]

29. Is it too late for this?

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

[khashka]

30. Don't it's evil

They just don't cut out the claws.... They amputate to the first knuckle.
So here's an idea - buy some nail scissors and an emery board. Sure It takes time - but what matters more taking a little time or cutting your cars fingers off?

Khash.

[Arugula Latte]

31. Get scratch boxes.

They're made from corrugated cardboard and you sprinkle them with catnip. I recommend the extra wide kind. One of my kitties practically lives on hers (I actually taped two extra-wides together). She cannot get enough of it, and she never scratches furniture. After the boxes wear down, just replace 'em.

Please DO NOT declaw under any circumstances!!!

[xultar]

32. How would you like your fingers amputated @ the first knuckle?

[newsguyatl]

33. absolutely it is

if one even thinks of maiming his or her cat in such a way, that person needs to find it a new home.

[bridgit]

35. oh hell yes...

x(

[soothsayer]

36. Yes, it's cruel. NO, you should not inflict this on your cat

[LynneSin]

37. Ask yourself this - Would you like each of your fingers chopped off at ...

...the knuckle?

If you say yes and you are willing to do that to yourself then go ahead and declaw your cat.

However, if you're repulsed at the thought of living with 10 stumpy fingers then imagine how the cat feels!

[Heidi]

38. It's not declawing. It's amputation.

Please don't do it. Feline digital amputation is actually illegal in many countries.

[Tari]

39. DON'T do it. Many years ago, I subjected my cat, Kamir,

to this. I was ignorant. It was gruesome, cruel. Her personality changed completely; went from cuddly & loving to withdrawn, skiddish, distrustful. I still feel guilty about what I did to her & it was over 20 years ago.

[Deep13]

40. cats are meant to be cats

They are not a grab bag to take the parts you like, but not other parts (sterilization excluded). If you have delicate furniture, kitties are not for you. Also, it is fun to watch cats got after scratching posts or other cat accessories.

[Bassic]

41. It is extremely cruel

[LynneSin]

42. Declawing - Cruel, clipping your cats - tonight is a better option

There are other options to keep your cat from clawing your stuff to shreads other than declawing.

I clip my cats toenails on a regular basis and I use some training devices to keep mainly Evita from clawing my sofa. But trust me, the nail clipping is your best option. Cats will hate it but in the long run everyone is happy and your cats aren't deformed.

THe first few times I had my cat's claws clipped I would take them to pet smart where for $8 they'd clip the claws and clean out their ears. But they also showed me how to clip toenails and for $10 I bought a pair of catclaw clippers and now I can do it myself.

Best advice is this - when you clip your cat's claws - have a big giant fluffy towel and wrap him/her in it pulling the one leg out you you're working on. Believe me, it's better for both of you when he/she can't squirm away or claw the bejesus out of you with the remaining 3 legs.

Afterwards - give him/her a few treats and snuggle!

[Lisa0825]

43. Here's some info for you...

Educate; Don't Amputate.