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Is it true that in America some cats are de-clawed?
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The "declawing talk" is basically what I do all day as an adoption counselor at an animal shelter. It is such a struggle, we are obviously against it and will do everything to talk people out of it but unfortunately a lot of people grew up with the idea and believe it is the thing to do. We will absolutely not allow it on cats over one year. Being an open admissions shelter (meaning we do not turn any animal down, at any time, for any reason) we are so crowded that we do send animals home knowing they will be declawed. They are normally perfect homes in every other way, but they often adopt intact kittens (too young for our vets to alter) and they fall for the "combo deal" gimmick. I try to talk people into waiting a while when they adopt a kitten to try to train it, but when they see how much "money they can save" by doing it with the spay/neuter, they normally do.
It can be so frustrating... but I hate to admit it, I was one of those people when I adopted Pepper... Although no one even tried to talk me out of declawing Pepper. She was my first cat and everyone (my family) told me that you declaw cats, thats just what you do. I regret that decision daily and I often share our story to new adopters. I even carry around a little diagram about what declawing actually is and a list of countries it is illegal in.
Pepper - I was so interested in what your human person was saying, and from other stuff I have read on this thread I can see now that people do not realise they are being cruel........and it does sound as if a lot of effort is being put into stopping this barbarous practice......but, oooohhhhh it does hurt me to even think of it...........
many pussy-cat kisses (and many pussy cat scratches (but only gentle ones))........
Pepper had some interesting points! I agree, lots of people here in the USA have the mentality declawing is just what you do when you have cats. And since it's not that much more $ to get the "combo deal" people are even less likely to spend their $ and buy a good scratching post since it will likely cost more to buy a post than to just add a declaw to the neuter/spay! Not to mention that most people just don't want to take a little time and effort to train a cat to use an acceptible scratching surface and insist they use it!
While there are a few vets that refuse to do declaws and provide education and alternatives, many people are not receptive. Most vets just ask "and do you want him/her declawed too?"
My older brothers are declawed (before Mom know better) and Mom regrets that decision. Soft Paws work great! Sure it took a little time and effort to find out I like the cardboard scratchers and insist I use them, but it was worth it.
Also, just an FYI the Cat Fancier's Association frowns on declawing and declawed cats are not allowed to shown, declawed cat = disqualification at a cat show.
Declawing is horrid! I had to sign a paper when I purchased my Ragdoll that I would never do this. People who have their pets declawed find out that the bite is worse, and they certainly deserve whatever happens! Good grief, it only costs $10 to take kitty to the vet once a month to have the nails trimmed if you can't do it yourself!
Whoever owned my cat before me, had all four feet declawed. My cat has no traction whatsoever and has issues with kitty litter because her feet are so sensitive. She's adjusting pretty well to life as it happened to her before she was a year old. She's almost 5 now and has some pretty darned strong toes!
my mom grew up in a home where it was believed that declawing was cruel and unnecessary so she has always been against declawing but she has also come to realize in some cases it is done for a reason like keeping a cat in the home my daddy got really frustrated with my sister April who is a big ditz and no matter what mom tried April just did not get it and continued to destroy the sofa so my dad told mom April had to go which mom would not allow so she did the deed and cried when she picked April up she was very upset about doing it because she works at a vets and has seen the prosedure done although the vets office where she works tries to discourage declawing tries very hard to educate people about declawing
Yes, it is with great sadness that it is a legal practice here in the states....I am and always have been against this practice. The thing is that in order for some people to rent a place to live and be allowed to have a cat they are forced to declaw them....it makes me sick..especially for the older folks who must rent but want to have or keep their precious pets...it is INHUMAN. On the other hand those that are not in that situation (and there are many that I know of) declaw their cats as if it is a normal thing like neutering or giving them their annual shots.....WHY do they do that....they say because my cat/cats are indoor and I don't want my furniture ruined.....my response...then don't get a cat. For me....my cats are more precious then furniture...of which I can replace or restore at anytime....I can't replace my cats! I refuse to mutilate/harm my cats. There are things called scratching posts, clippers for nails and so forth in lieu of declawing. This whole subject as you can see just makes me both angry and sad. I have tried to tell people that are thinking about this procedure that it is akin to amputating your own fingers....they just don't get it and don't believe me. Well, that is my statement for the day. Sorry to sound harsh but I think it is sooo wrong.
It's so sad. My little sisters grandmother wanted to adopt Oliver from us because he's still looking for a home on the condition that he was going to get de-clawed. She already has an older female cat that is about seven who is a de-clawed indoor/outdoor cat with horrible teeth and ear mites. I QUICKLY said no thanks. I mean I did consider other factors like her age and income and it just was a horrible match. (She's had to borrow ear mite medication from me that I, the seventeen year old,bought because she refused to take the poor thing to the vet.) I am totally against de-clawing. Cats have claws and if someone can't deal with it they need to not get a cat.
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