Proposed Law To Prohibit De-clawing

maggiedemi

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Oh, I hope they pass it in NY! That way landlords couldn't insist on it, if they still do.
 

IndyJones

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I don't think outlawing it is the answer. People will just resort to doing it themselves or going to some black market underground type place. Not going to watch this become a dramafest just giving my 2 cents
 

maggiedemi

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I think it works somewhat. It seems to be becoming less popular to declaw cats. At least if it was outlawed, then landlords couldn't insist that you get your cat declawed. I think that's the reason a lot of people did it.
 

abyeb

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I think it works somewhat. It seems to be becoming less popular to declaw cats. At least if it was outlawed, then landlords couldn't insist that you get your cat declawed. I think that's the reason a lot of people did it.
Another reason that people declaw cats is that their vet encourages it, often giving false information in the process. The reason that some vets are so desperate to perform the declaw is that it's a money maker. If declawing was illegal, this wouldn't be the case.
 

Willowy

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I think the way to control it would be to penalize vets who do it. Whether that's with a law or just the vet associations taking a stand, either way. I actually kind of think the vet associations would be the more effective way of addressing it---breaking laws seems to be the American pastime ;).
 

IndyJones

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So you think botched declaws done by black market surgeons or owners who don't have a clue how to preform surgery is a better alternative to a professional one?

It's botched declaws that cause the problems with pain.

The fact is people will find ways around it and none of them are to the cats benefit.
 

Willowy

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I'm not sure how people could do it themselves. You cut a cat's claw too short once and you figure out how that would go. And I'd like to think that most people who de-claw their cats are not evil, just misinformed, and wouldn't be OK with duct taping their cat's feet down and hacking at their paws while the cat screams and bleeds everywhere. The bleeding during a de-claw is considerable, and most people don't have access to the necessary supplies to stop the bleeding, so very few cats would survive. Thugs and rednecks do cut their dogs' ears off like that but most thugs and rednecks aren't too worried about their couches, and ears don't bleed like feet. Plus, de-clawing is expensive and I would think anyone who was really capable of doing that would do it even if it's legal, just to save money.

As for black-market vets, well, with as many botched de-claws as I've seen, I don't think it could get any worse, honestly. It seems most vets aren't very good at it anyway. I'd also guess that most people wouldn't know how to find a black-market vet.
 

IndyJones

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I actually have seen people who rip the dewclaws off puppies who are days old without anesthetics can't imagine these same people having trouble lobing a cats claw off with guillotine clippers without anesthetic either.
 

Willowy

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Those people say that neonates can't feel pain :/. That's an accepted practice in the dog world, unfortunately, also docking neonates' tails without anesthetic. Vets do it too. While I disagree with it, I've known people who did it, and I don't think they're evil. They wouldn't tape a cat down and go for all 10 claws while the cat screams. Plus the bleeding issue. At that age, dewclaws are barely attached, and the blood vessels in the tail are small, so the bleeding is minimal. Removing the first digit of the foot of a non-neonate cat is a whole different ballgame and the place would look like a slaughterhouse from all the blood.

And note: removing dewclaws and docking tails on neonate puppies is fully legal in the US, and people still do it themselves to save money. And vets could use lidocaine when they do it, but most don't.
 
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Clancy's Mom

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I actually have seen people who rip the dewclaws off puppies who are days old without anesthetics can't imagine these same people having trouble lobing a cats claw off with guillotine clippers without anesthetic either.
Oh. My. God. :censored:
 

Willowy

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Oh. My. God. :censored:
Anyone in the US who owns/knows a dog who has a docked tail or who has had his/her dewclaws removed ought to know how it was done. Of course, I've had Poodle and Yorkie owners argue with me that their dog isn't docked but has a naturally short tail ;). So I guess we can't expect the average dog owner to be educated about that kind of thing. But yeah, that's how it's done, that's the standard.

I'd like it if those procedures were illegal, too, but I don't think they affect the dogs' daily lives as much as de-clawing cats affects their daily lives.
 

IndyJones

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IDK I was forced to have Kabby declaws but he doesn't even know his claws are gone. He even climbs the furniture. I still thinks it depends on many factors how it turns out. Vet, age of cat, temperament, genetics. Not saying it's justified just saying what I've experienced.

I'm not saying it's ok but if certain conditions are met it is not as traumatic. I'm just stating what I have experienced.
 

Willowy

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He knows. He's not stupid. Some cats adapt better than others. But as much as I see my cats hanging off the cat tree or scooping toys up with their claws, I do think it hampers their daily activities. Rather like missing a leg---some cats adapt perfectly, "they don't even know it's missing". But it does keep them from doing some things, and I'm not going to tell people it's OK to have their cat's leg amputated to keep him off the kitchen counters.
 

Antonio65

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Over here declawing in cats, tail docking and ear cutting or shaping in dogs is illegal. As a matter of fact any kind of mutilation on pets not justified by a health issue is illegal in this country.
 
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