No declawing! :)

pollyanna

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I took Pollýanna to the vet today for her yearly checkup and vaccine shots.

I was chatting with the vet, and wondering about declawing in Iceland (I realized I didn´t even have a word for it in Icelandic), since I had never heard of a declawed cat in Iceland. She told me that it was banned by law here, never would be allowed! It´s also banned in the whole Scandinavia.
I was just happy to hear it, just wanted to share!

She also told me that a friend of hers had lived with a family in the US once, that not only had had their cat declawed, but also some teeth removed to make it totally harmless!

Those kind of people should have small harmless fish in a small tank!
 

mom of 10 cats

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I agree. For a country so involved in Human Rights, we need to think of our beloved pets' rights too. No declawing, no debarking, no ear cropping or tail docking.
 

sockiesmom

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Originally posted by Mom of 10 Cats
I agree. For a country so involved in Human Rights, we need to think of our beloved pets' rights too. No declawing, no debarking, no ear cropping or tail docking.
I agree. (Canada should do it too...)

I mean, had my parents and I known what the sugery entailed, we NEVER would have had it done to poor Socks. Our vet just said "Oh, it's routine, and it's cheaper if you get it done during the spay. If you don't get it done now, I guarantee you'll get it done the first time she scratches your furniture".
If only we'd known. If they can't make it illegal, I think the vets should provide pamphlets and at least let people know what goes on. (But I don't understand how declawing can be legally justified. Where does "routine" stop and "animal cruelty" begin?)
 

cilla

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I found this on the web




Declaw Surgery - What It Really Is

Many veterinarians always counsel the client in alternatives to declaw surgery, while others refuse to declaw cats except in cases of medical necessity. Still others have no ethical considerations and routinely perform declaw surgery.

Declawing (onychectomy) involves the surgical removal of the claw, including the germinal (epithelium) cells responsible for its growth, and part or all of the third phalanx (terminal bone) of the toe. Amputation of the third phalanx of the cat's toe is similar to the amputation of the end of our own fingers at the last knuckle, leaving a stump.

The cat's claw extended and amputated:

The nerves, ligaments and tendons are cut, and part or all of the entire third phalanx (terminal bone) of the toe is amputated.


In traditional declaw surgery the vet extends the toe and cuts the nerves, ligaments and tendons, using a guillotine-type nail trimmer (or a scalpel), severing part or all of the third phalanx or terminal toe bone. An improper incision or cut may cause claw regrowth and/or cause damage to the pad which may result in lameness. Additional surgery may be necessary to correct the mistakes of the original surgery and to relieve symptoms. General post-operative complications of declaw surgery also include, but are not limited to, pain, hemorrhage, swelling, and/or infection.

Improperly done, declaw surgery can cause damage to the radial nerve, lameness, paralysis, and bone chips which retard healing and cause recurrent infections. Amputation of a leg as a result of infection or complications can also occur. Declawed cats can also suffer chronic back and joint pain as shoulder, leg and back muscles weaken following the loss of part of the toes. Anesthetics administered for surgery present their own risks, and are a very important factor when unnecessary surgeries are considered.

With traditional declaw methods, there is an unavoidable amount of tearing, crushing, and bruising that leads to postoperative pain and swelling . Traditional declaw surgery requires suturing and tight bandaging to prevent hemorrhaging after the procedure. In many veterinary hospitals and clinics, strong opiates are administered for pain post-operatively. Many veterinarians feel that cats do not suffer pain and do not routinely administer pain medications for surgeries including declaw surgery, unless the client requests pain medications for these procedures. Often there is an extra charge for pain medications administered post-surgically, whether routinely administered by the veterinarian or administered at the clients request.

Because declaw surgery causes significant pain and involves many risks the decision to declaw should never be made for owner convenience. The loss of part of the cat's toes and his claws can be physically traumatic and psychologically demoralizing for your cherished family pet. Declawing a cat for owner convenience is never ethically justifiable.

Please remember that removing the claws by any means will deprive your cat of many anatomically necessary uses and behaviours for his claws, and perhaps even more importantly, he will forever lose his first line of defense! A declawed cat must forever be an indoor cat.

Remember: Knowledge is power. Understanding the situation is half the battle. Below are some valuable lessons.

Lesson 1: Scratching is a natural behaviour for cats.

This isn't exactly a revelation, since you probably have the evidence everywhere, in the tattered corners of your sofa, the shredded drapes, your frayed nerves. Though Kitty's natural propensity for scratching my not be big news, it is a fact that you'll need to take into account if you're to make any headway in winning the battle to keep her from scratching in places you consider undesirable.

Lesson 2: You can't keep your cat from scratching.

What you can do is stop her from scratching those items you value and want to keep in their relatively pristine state. Bear in mind Mark Twain's advice, which applies universally: Never try to teach a pig to sing; it frustrates you and annoys the pig. Translate this bit of wisdom to your dealings with cats and you'll avoid a good deal of futility and frustration.

You can't make a cat do anything she doesn't want to do. Get clear on that. And getting her to stop something she enjoys is just about as difficult. Therefore you have to think smart and re-channel her desires.

A word about punishment: Don't do it!

Cats don't understand physical punishment. In addition to it being wrong to hit your cat, punishment simply doesn't work and is likely to make your situation worse. Clever though Kitty is about many things, she won't understand that you're punishing her for scratching the couch. She will only compute that sometimes when you catch her she is treated badly. This may make her insecure and stimulate her to scratch more or develop other undesirable behaviour problems.

Eventually you will break the trust and security that is the basis for your cat's relationship with you, and you will find it very difficult to catch her for any reason at all.

Cats have excellent memories and hold serious grudges.

Fortunately, there is a simple alternative available for you and your cat. It consists of a good, sturdy scratching post covered with strong material and lined with catnip. You can make one yourself or it can be purchased. With close attention and a lot of encouragement, your cat can be perfectly happy scratching on his own furniture rather than yours.

The following is a list of countries in which declawing cats is either illegal or considered extremely inhumane.

England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland Germany
Austria Switzerland Norway Sweden Netherlands
Denmark Finland Brazil Australia New Zealand
Poland
 

ldg

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There's actually numerous threads on TCS about declawing, but one of the most educational, with discussion and many links is located here: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23493

Pollyanna, I so look forward to the day when the U.S. is as well-educated as the other 22 countries around the world that consider declawing abuse and we make it illegal! The American Veterinary Association actually recommends that all vets educate people to alternatives first and consider declawing only for medical reasons. Unfortunately, this just doesn't seem to happen very often.
 

dawnofsierra

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Originally Posted by Pollyanna

not only had had their cat declawed, but also some teeth removed to make it totally harmless!

Those kind of people should have small harmless fish in a small tank!
It's unbelievable that someone would do this to a sweet kitty! Not only should these people have A fish tank, they should be forced to live in that small tank-with sharks! Of course, not before having each of their limbs removed.

On the other hand, it's so great to learn that 22 countries recognize declawing for the torture that it is and have therefore made it illegal!
 

sensgirl

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I really wish declawing was illegal in Canada too. Good for those places where it is.

Too many people think it's just normal to do. When I got Sparta (my first cat) I was planning on doing it. The interviewer asked me if I'd try alternatives and I said I would but didn't understand why. Then, when I was making her spay appointment, I told the receptionist/vet tech that I'd like to declaw her as well (I didn't really try alternatives... I just didn't know what to do) and she really urged me to educate myself on declawing and really was against it. So I researched it and now I know I will never declaw my cats. Also, I just remembered, when I got her my boyfriend told people at work about her and they told him that we should get her declawed.


Oh and I guess I'll share this story too.
I was talking with someone yesterday who got his two cats from a rescue (Yay for that!). The rescue asked if him and his wife were planning on getting the cats declawed. They said maybe so the rescue put a no-declaw clause in their adoption contract. And...they've followed it! Yay again! Isn't that great?

Anyway this post is now forever long! I'm glad that declawing is illegal in some places and I hope it'll be illegal here too. And spay/neuter should be mandatory (if an animal visits a vet and is old enough and in good health but not s/n then the vet should just do it with/without permission of the owner). Now that's wishful thinking eh?!
 

spotz

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Originally Posted by Cilla

I found this on the web




Declaw Surgery - What It Really Is

Many veterinarians always counsel the client in alternatives to declaw surgery, while others refuse to declaw cats except in cases of medical necessity. Still others have no ethical considerations and routinely perform declaw surgery.

Declawing (onychectomy) involves the surgical removal of the claw, including the germinal (epithelium) cells responsible for its growth, and part or all of the third phalanx (terminal bone) of the toe. Amputation of the third phalanx of the cat's toe is similar to the amputation of the end of our own fingers at the last knuckle, leaving a stump.

The cat's claw extended and amputated:

The nerves, ligaments and tendons are cut, and part or all of the entire third phalanx (terminal bone) of the toe is amputated.


In traditional declaw surgery the vet extends the toe and cuts the nerves, ligaments and tendons, using a guillotine-type nail trimmer (or a scalpel), severing part or all of the third phalanx or terminal toe bone. An improper incision or cut may cause claw regrowth and/or cause damage to the pad which may result in lameness. Additional surgery may be necessary to correct the mistakes of the original surgery and to relieve symptoms. General post-operative complications of declaw surgery also include, but are not limited to, pain, hemorrhage, swelling, and/or infection.

Improperly done, declaw surgery can cause damage to the radial nerve, lameness, paralysis, and bone chips which retard healing and cause recurrent infections. Amputation of a leg as a result of infection or complications can also occur. Declawed cats can also suffer chronic back and joint pain as shoulder, leg and back muscles weaken following the loss of part of the toes. Anesthetics administered for surgery present their own risks, and are a very important factor when unnecessary surgeries are considered.

With traditional declaw methods, there is an unavoidable amount of tearing, crushing, and bruising that leads to postoperative pain and swelling . Traditional declaw surgery requires suturing and tight bandaging to prevent hemorrhaging after the procedure. In many veterinary hospitals and clinics, strong opiates are administered for pain post-operatively. Many veterinarians feel that cats do not suffer pain and do not routinely administer pain medications for surgeries including declaw surgery, unless the client requests pain medications for these procedures. Often there is an extra charge for pain medications administered post-surgically, whether routinely administered by the veterinarian or administered at the clients request.

Because declaw surgery causes significant pain and involves many risks the decision to declaw should never be made for owner convenience. The loss of part of the cat's toes and his claws can be physically traumatic and psychologically demoralizing for your cherished family pet. Declawing a cat for owner convenience is never ethically justifiable.

Please remember that removing the claws by any means will deprive your cat of many anatomically necessary uses and behaviours for his claws, and perhaps even more importantly, he will forever lose his first line of defense! A declawed cat must forever be an indoor cat.

Remember: Knowledge is power. Understanding the situation is half the battle. Below are some valuable lessons.

Lesson 1: Scratching is a natural behaviour for cats.

This isn't exactly a revelation, since you probably have the evidence everywhere, in the tattered corners of your sofa, the shredded drapes, your frayed nerves. Though Kitty's natural propensity for scratching my not be big news, it is a fact that you'll need to take into account if you're to make any headway in winning the battle to keep her from scratching in places you consider undesirable.

Lesson 2: You can't keep your cat from scratching.

What you can do is stop her from scratching those items you value and want to keep in their relatively pristine state. Bear in mind Mark Twain's advice, which applies universally: Never try to teach a pig to sing; it frustrates you and annoys the pig. Translate this bit of wisdom to your dealings with cats and you'll avoid a good deal of futility and frustration.

You can't make a cat do anything she doesn't want to do. Get clear on that. And getting her to stop something she enjoys is just about as difficult. Therefore you have to think smart and re-channel her desires.

A word about punishment: Don't do it!

Cats don't understand physical punishment. In addition to it being wrong to hit your cat, punishment simply doesn't work and is likely to make your situation worse. Clever though Kitty is about many things, she won't understand that you're punishing her for scratching the couch. She will only compute that sometimes when you catch her she is treated badly. This may make her insecure and stimulate her to scratch more or develop other undesirable behaviour problems.

Eventually you will break the trust and security that is the basis for your cat's relationship with you, and you will find it very difficult to catch her for any reason at all.

Cats have excellent memories and hold serious grudges.

Fortunately, there is a simple alternative available for you and your cat. It consists of a good, sturdy scratching post covered with strong material and lined with catnip. You can make one yourself or it can be purchased. With close attention and a lot of encouragement, your cat can be perfectly happy scratching on his own furniture rather than yours.

The following is a list of countries in which declawing cats is either illegal or considered extremely inhumane.

England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland Germany
Austria Switzerland Norway Sweden Netherlands
Denmark Finland Brazil Australia New Zealand
Poland
Traditional surgery is should definately be banned, I agree, too many people totally *&$k a cat up doing it traditionally. However that said, there is one method which works EXTREMELY well, and at that point Anesthesia is the biggest long term risk for the cat. I can't remember the proper medical name for the surgery right now, however I've heard it informally refferred to as a Total Disarticulation of the P3 Phalange. Only the best feline vets follow this method, and there are literally only a handful in the country. It takes longer, and does a better job.

Spotz
 

creepyowl

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Originally Posted by sockiesmom

I agree. (Canada should do it too...)

I mean, had my parents and I known what the sugery entailed, we NEVER would have had it done to poor Socks. Our vet just said "Oh, it's routine, and it's cheaper if you get it done during the spay. If you don't get it done now, I guarantee you'll get it done the first time she scratches your furniture".
If only we'd known. If they can't make it illegal, I think the vets should provide pamphlets and at least let people know what goes on. (But I don't understand how declawing can be legally justified. Where does "routine" stop and "animal cruelty" begin?)
I agree. My vet told me of the option when I took Em in for his first check up, but he didn't recommend it. He said training and other options (soft paws) is what he would use. But since it is legal in Canada he does have that option for those who want it.

I wish I could get the point across to this one woman I work with, Ann. She just had her second kitten declawed.......I went into the whole thing about the evils of it ..... she claims its better for the cat??? ::censor::censor::censor::
 

spotz

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Originally Posted by Creepyowl

I agree. My vet told me of the option when I took Em in for his first check up, but he didn't recommend it. He said training and other options (soft paws) is what he would use. But since it is legal in Canada he does have that option for those who want it.

I wish I could get the point across to this one woman I work with, Ann. She just had her second kitten declawed.......I went into the whole thing about the evils of it ..... she claims its better for the cat??? ::censor::censor::censor::
I have actually seen rare cases where the declaw was beneficial to the cat.

I do not believe in declawing as a practice for most cats; however I do believe that there is a proper method [see previous terse post] and that the procedure should not be banned. However that said, I would like to see it made Vet's discretion, and a certification for vets for this procedure be instituted, as well as basic requirements to be met before a declaw is warranted (ties to vet's discretion).

Back to the beneficial statement, cause I know y'all are wondering...lets take a immuno-deficient person, say one with HIV/AIDS, someone who is in a position to provide a level of care for the animal still, however that the risk of being scratched/cut by claws presents a medical threat. If the cat is properly declawed, then this threat is minimized, and the owner can spend more time interacting and devoting attention to the kitty, than if they constantly had to worry about avoiding being cut/scratched.

Again, an exceptional circumstance, however if the surgery is done in a competent fashion by a competent vet, then there is minimal short term and practically no long term harm to the cat.

Basically what I am saying here is that I totally agree that Declawing is a way to common practice, that the standard method of declawing is barbaric and prone to both long and short term complications. Education is probably the most important factor. There are plenty of alternatives to declawing, most very simple and extremely effective, however there are also times that a declaw surgery is warranted. Admittedly very few scenarios can/should warrant a declaw.

But outright banning declawing is not the right solution, in fact it would create a worse problem than it would solve. History has proven itself time and again, literally every single time that something has been banned; the ban has created worse problems. Prohibition is the first one that comes to mind, there's plenty more though. Bans do not promote equality, and they do not promote freedom of choice, so in the long term virtually every single ban will fail.

Spotz
 
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