Declawing a cat...

[~love_that_cat~]

Originally Posted by bab-ush-niik

That's always a possibility. I think you probably should not adopt another cat right now because the new one might also have problems with babies, and it will probably be too much change for Mishka. If you already know that she's good with toddlers, she will probably be fine. Another cat my jar her around because it upsets the nature of the pet heirarchy. My cats were always ok with new people in the household and even new dogs, but adding cats to the household always sent everything crazy. Adding a cat also might make Mishka become more aggressive to you. My cats were always more on edge for the first couple months that a new cat was in the house.

Thank you for your information! Maybe you are right and we should wait.. Oppsie, Mishka is HE...

but it is ok, I won't tell him, you thought he is she..

 

[miyas_mom]

I am happy ou decided against it too, Keith!

I had considered declawing at one point until I found out that it was more than simply removing nails. When I compared it to removing the first joint of my own fingers, I felt a lot differently. I would only declaw if it was medically necessary (infection, etc.). Also, one has to consider the possibility of the cat running away. How will he/she defend him/herself?

We don't have very many problems with Miya scratching where she isn't supposed to. She occasionally scratches the carpet on one particular area or my old chair instead of her scratching post, but I have taken a lot of time to train her not to scratch where she isn't supposed to.

 

[tnr1]

Originally Posted by churchi4cubs

Hi Keith,

First off, my name is Keith as well.

I'm new here and I hope to not get flamed. I love my kitties to death and they are both declawed.

I had the same questions you had and struggled over the decision. I finally decided to declaw my cats after I met a vet that had her indoor cat declawed. She had declawed it for the same reasons I wanted mine declawed. After talking to her and it being ok with a vet, I decided to go through with it.

After bringing them home, I felt so terrible because their little paws had blood on them. I don't know if I would do it again.

Their lives do not seem to have been impacted negatively at all since being declawed.

I completely understand those that don't declaw and those that do. I think it is a personal decision of an owner. I'd rather see a cat declawed than see one euthanised.

Keith...not to go against the advice of a vet...but I have only seen a select few who turn down declaws...most have no issue with it....some even offer specials with spays/neuters. I think this is an area where rescuers and vets sometimes disagree.

I have seen plenty of declawed cats that have been turned into the shelter....declawing does not necessarily spare a cat from being euthanized. I've also seen declawed (intact) cats at our spay/neuter clinic for ferals. Imagine being outdoors without your claws.

Declawing is an elective surgery that does not benefit the cat in most instances. Could you live without your first joint?? Yes. Would you prefer to have the first joint of your fingers if there were alternatives that allowed you to keep them?? I suspect the answer would be yes.

Katie

 

[natalie_ca]

Originally Posted by keith5

she is clawing the heck out of me, my guests, and now my carpet, etc. If I play with her (even with toys) I eventually get scratched, and even if Im just laying on the couch she will come up and scratch my arm somtimes. She rarely bites.

It's time to get her spayed soon, and I've had 3 vets now tell me I should get her declawed.

Buy a scratch post that isn't made out of fabric or carpet. Better yet get a tall, thick old tree stump that has bark on it. Cats love to scratch tree bark. Make sure it's tall so she can stand up and stretch if she wants to.

Take kitty over there and stand her up and use her front legs to show her how to scratch. Do that several times a day, especially when you see her trying to scratch something else. Tell her "NO!" and pick her up and take her to the scratch post.

Also, clip her nails just above the pink quick.

As for my thoughts on declawing....

Once I found out that it involved amputating part of their toes, I said forget it. Declawing is no different than if someone took a pair of cutters and chopped your fingers off at the first knuckle past your finger nails.

Cats need their claws. It's their only line of defense. Removing them is doomng the cat to death if that cat ever got outside and needed to fend off a predator like another cat or dog. It wouldn't even be able to climb a tree for safety.

Both of my cats have their claws. I cut them and neither of them have ever scratched my furniture. Occasionally I get a scratch from their hind nails. I could cut those too, but it's not bothering me. I figure a few scratches is par for the course when you have a cat as a pet.

 

[jen]

Hey uh why was an old thread replied to? This thread died in like Feb

 

[abigail]

some people thnk that they can have a cat as a pet because they are low maintenance and then they mutilate them when they discover that their idea of low maintenance is making their cat rely on behaviors they, as people, find problematic. Cats need attention and structure and regularity and positive reinforcement to use their wonderful instincts in the appropriate way. My cat has scratching surfaces in every room she frequents and where she likes to nap she has LARGE ones because cats love to stretch and scratch when waking up. Being able to scratch is also an important tension relase and by declawing you are taking that away from a cat , possibly opening the door to some maladaptive tension release behaviors.

sooooooooooo... I would have to say that declawing is never for the cat's benefit and clipping claws or soft paws will prevent all the human issues people have with scratching and let a cat retain their physical integrity.

 

[krazycatlover]

I am new here as well and I do not wish to create a negative environment either by saying this.

Though I don't agree with declawing I do believe it is a choice of the owner.
There is so much info on declawing a cat and the effect however there is no real scientific proof that it effects cats as negatively as many people say. Though you never really know what the cat is really thinking.
However it is a painful surgery and does take cat time to adjust. It's kinda like cutting off the tips of your fingers, if you can imagine that. You need to remember that the cat will never be able to defend itself again in the same way so you would need to be sure it never got.

There are many options that you have other then declawing.
You can trim their nails. I am sure that your vet will show you how to do this the first few times.
You can also use caps for their nails. This is a great options because they still have their nails but you will not get scratched up when they are playing.

What my boyfriend did with our cats was whenever they scratched us he would stick their nails in their own skin enough for them to realize it hurt.
I have three cats and this worked for all of them. In fact I had a friend that wanted to declaw her cat because of the cat clawing her all of the time. I ended up taking the cat for awhile and we used this same method on the cat and when she took it back the cat didn't scratch her anymore.
I did not want to do this at first but it ended up working and I feel it is better then declawing. The girl didn't have to declaw her cat either.

Though I do not agree with declawing I do still respect people for at least having a cat and taking care of it.
Though it is better not to declaw a cat at all It is better to have a cat adopted into a good home and declawed then to have it euthanized.

I would urge you to try other things before you decide to declaw. IF you do declaw please do the research on which method is a little safer and less painful. I have read a little on laser declawing which does not cause nearly as much bleeding heels much quicker and isn't as painful. If you do uses this method or any please make sure your vet is experienced and has done it for awhile if done wrong it can cause many problems.

 

[gloriajh]

Experience with 2 cats that have been declawed. Front leg claws only!

They did not experience any walking problems.
They did not suffer a painful recovery at home.
They did not have problems with using the litter box.

#1 cat died after 18 years +/- he didn't have any arthritic problems before he died.

#2 cat who is two years old now, has not suffered from any of the things that have been described that "all" declawed cats suffer from, and I don't believe that he is the exception.

This vet did provide a patch for pain after the surgery, they were not pushing the declawing, the vet wanted to describe the surgery to me - I had already heard and seen photos - but she couldn't change my mind - I have been badly scratched, and I don't take the pain like some appear to be able to endure. I also have problems seeing claws in order to clip them.

So, when I read the posts that say ALL cats suffer from this or that because of declawing, I do know better. There are a few others that know better, too, but they are afraid to speak up to set the record straight. We all have different abilities to deal with our cats, I know my limitations, and in the end, I'll be the one who has to deal with any issues, and provide the best care that I am able to give. Those care decisions are very carefully considered.

That's my experience thus far.
Gloria