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Is it true that in America some cats are de-clawed?
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I havent read every single post, but my take on the subject is, everyone has different reasons and will do what they must - but never furget - It IS amputation - not just claw removal, it is an Amputation of the first knuckle!!!!! Think about it - would you want that done to you?
We have a mixture - 2 who came declawed and 2 who did not.
However, Mama has trained me and Murray to let her clip the sharp points off our claws when they get too long and then we're not dangerous to anybody or anything. And it doesn't hurt at all.
If clipping hadn't worked, she was going to try Soft Paws, but never has had to!
When I found Frank, he was living in a garage. Being neutered and declawed, I figured someone must have dumped him when he started exhibiting behaviors like peeing everywhere. Eventually he got over some of it and he learned to enjoy scratching on the scratching post even though he had no front claws. But I do think some of his personality problems were caused by the declawing.
I am totally against declawing and was appalled when I learned what it is, many years ago. I have never had any of my cats declawed, except Frank who came to me that way.
I have had some furniture devastation, but I would rather have cats that fabulous furniture. I discovered that covering the overstuffed furniture has stopped the scratching completely. I provide several scratching posts for them. I clip their claws regularly. They also must be clipped regularly because I take them to visit where I work...a health care facility, and they can't be allowed to have long nails when visiting the elderly with fragile skin. (Also I don't like them scratching me!)
I haven't ever used soft paws for two reasons, I don't like the idea of having to put them on every six weeks and I don't like the idea of putting glue on my cats' nails. (allergies, harsh chemicals can't be good for them) I don't put fake nails on myself for the same reason! But if it works, and if people want to go to the extra expense, that's good.
I just don't "get" people who can't clip their cat's nails or get someone else to do it. I have clipped nails on cats who didn't want it done, but you just learn how to comfort the cat and maybe at first you can only do one or two at a time, but eventually the cat figures out that you aren't out to hurt them!
I also don't "get" people who cut off other parts of their pets like docking tails and ears on dogs...bizarre! I know that all the purebred cats that I have had...had a required signed agreement that the cats would not be declawed. But I freaked when my vet, who I have gone to for over 25 years, asked if I wanted my newest kitten, a purebred Siamese, Patrick, to be declawed. No way!
I also agree that some breeders are breeding cats (and I have heard dogs too) for looks only, and not for the health of the pet. I think the Persians used to be very beautiful cats, and now with their smashed in noses and jaws, they are a mess. I have a long lean, wedge head Siamese (who I think is exquisitely beautiful) but she has developed IBD and I wonder if she has the severe allergies because of her breeding. These extreme types and other breeds with mutations are being bred because they are the ones that the judges favor to win ribbons at the shows.
I have personally tried to persuade people that declawing is an awful solution to a problem that can be managed in other ways, but many of them just give the reasons mentioned before..."well, at least it gives a cat a home." Ok, I guess I can concede that, but I still don't like it.
Another thing, I don't think some people give the kitten a chance before they haul it off to the vet for declawing. You have to show the kitten what you want it to do...to not scratch in a certain place...how does he know? He's just a baby! You have to show him! We have tried bitter apple and it works, but has to be reapplied regularly. I think covering my overstuffed furniture has absolutely stopped all scratching (although they do scratch on the rug, with absolutely NO bad consequences...you can't see that they have scratched it.) They have never scratched any of the wood furniture. I realize that all cats are different and all situations different, but this has worked for all 4 of the cats I have tried it on.
Well, I better quit now...I am getting too worked up about this!
My mom took my sister Sally in to the vet when she was a kitten and the vet offered to do the combo- spay and declaw. Sally was mom's first cat and she didn't know any better-she was going to have it done. Thankfully, when mom brought Sally in for the surgery, a different vet was on duty and she told mom declawing was like amputating her own fingers. Mom was horrified! So Sally got spayed but kept her claws. And I have mine too!
I am really gentle with them most of the time. When I groom my doggie sister Sophie, I hold my paws up in the air rather than touch her with them!
If anyone would like to read a good article about declawing, there is a site called maxshouse.com which lays it all out. Mummy didn't know anything about declawing before she read this, as it isn't done in Australia. She was sickened after she read this article and would never ever consider doing this to one of us. We have a Funky Hollow to scratch on which is really cool, and yeah, we do still scratch the furniture. Big deal. If she was really stressed about it there are ways of dealing with it.
Anyway, what does Mummy love more, us or the chairs?
Us!!!
My mummy was absolutely appalled to find out her little sister got her indoor/outdoor cat declawed. She wishes more people were like the many wonderful Catster mums who understand that kittehs are more important than furniture!
Purrs,
Charity
Honestly, it is not necessary anymore. They make cat scissors to nip down the long claws. My cat's previous owner had her declawed and still dumped her at the ASPCA. However, I had the benefit of knowing that simple cat scissors are out there and the back and front claws can be easily cut. But it does take two people if your cat doesn't like it. There is another little trick too. If you stick your finger just near the ear, where she can feel it's there, she won't move. Works every time, so you don't have a struggle. Do not cut down to the pink part of the toenail. Only cut off the white. You will have to do this about once a month, and everything will be fine.
My mama used to work at a vet and she saw very little adverse reactions (peeing and pain) from declawed cats. But she was never OK with it!
It just seemed that cats come with claws, so if you want a declawed animal, then you Don't want a cat!
She even knew a lady who had agression issues with her declawed cat and asked the Dr if he would remove her fangs!!!!!! Of course the Dr said that was totally unethical and she should give the cat up.
On the other side, she knew a client that had 8 indoor cats that she said she had personaly trained not to claw furniture and people, and that people who declawed were just lazy pet owners! (Mama really liked her!)
Mama used to try to say that it was better to have declawed cats than in the shelter, but later she learned that the shelters are full of declawed cats.
AND what is with 4 paw declawing??? Are you serious???
Her mama got brought home a kitten that had been declawed, and she bit like crazy!
I agree with the kitty that said his mama ruins the furniture way more than he does! MOL! That is true in this house too.
I had no idea so many cats are still being declawed. My meowmie does not like it one bit. She always thought it cruel and unusual and an unnecessary form of punishment. Then she read about what it actually entails and it makes her sick. Me too. A human friends of mom's who had multiple cats always said you either have cats or you have furniture. Make a choice. I was a wild kitten and not good with my claws and for weeks meowmie's legs were all scratched up. The top of her scalp had scratches too because I would try to hop around on her head when I first lived with her. But I did grow up and learn to use them better. Now I'm only bad with them when I can't get meowmie's attention after I've tried several times. After all I am a cat! It would be better if I could run around outside and scratch up a storm, but there are too many cars and strangers where we live. Other cats in our area can't go out because there are coyotes that come from time to time and eat cats. So in this messed up world a bright spot is that the local animal hospital run by the MSPCA has a no declawing policy and meowmie will not take us to any vet that does declawing. If you are against declawing please do not go to any vet that will, unless you have absolutely no choice. Let's vote with our paws and keep claws safe.
As a UK cat, I can't believe any country would allow the amputation of a cats knuckles.
This has been illegal here for years.
I'm an indoor cat and mum clips my claws regularly.
If you want a cat, I think you have to accept us with all of our parts , not amputate parts of us.
We have a great ability to hide pain, it is an instinctual thing, if we showed pain in the wild, we would be regarded as easy prey.
Do not be fooled if you declaw us and we do not seem in pain, we will hide it.
Please don't put us through this form of torture
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