Declawing

[ruthyb]

My cats do go to claw my new sofa but I just raise my voice and say NO and clap my hands, they stop, cats are very easily trained to the word NO. I could never declaw a cat, they were born with claws like someone else said would you cut your human childs fingers off? No you wouldn't, the pan that they must go through is beyond me. I am glad that it is illegal here.x

 

[gailc]

I too have to concur with everyone's opinion.  If you are worried about the furniture being damaged a few things to remember.  If you want leather furniture by a piece that the leather has aniline dye.  The dye has penetrated the leather and isn't on the surface.  Also for cloth furniture don't consider anything with an open weave fabric.  Microfiber or even outdoor furniture favric caanot be pulled by a cat's claw.  Take coarse wire brush and test on a piece of fabric.  If it is damaged with  this brush a pet's claws will damage it as well.  The sticky tape does wonders.  I hope well all can persuade you not to have this invasive procedure done.

 

[cheshirecat]

IMO If you care about these cats you have two options

1.  Rehome the cats

2.  Dump the boyfriend

Personally I would choose number 2

 

[mani]

 

Just what I was thinking!

 

[feralvr]

I have 3 indoor only cats and I don't make the kind of $ that would allow me to replace furniture or other material things due to a pet clawing them up. My husband and I were dead set on declawing after a few weeks of frustration after feeling like we had exhausted all other resources of training. Until that is, I looked into what it does to the poor little things. I can't imagine the pain they must go through and the confusion afterwards. Since we had not had them very long, my husband was having a hard time connecting to the emotion I already had surrounding it. Thank goodness he listened and we got scratching posts, scratching boards and anything we could find to give them another outlet. It took some time and for us to be stern every now and then but the little ones got it and now we are down to their two favorite posts they can scratch and they haven't touched the furniture since. After time passed, my husband realized what we almost did to them and would never dream of that thought again. Just make sure your boyfriend understands that being a pet owner is about being responsible and doing the right things for the pet as well. Don't take the easy route out. You'll be far happier in the long run and so will your cats. Hope my story helps a bit. 

Love this story :heart3:. And Welcome to TCS :lovegrin:. I do think that most people just do not understand exactly what is involved in declawing a cat. That is the problem and I just wish vets would explain all the gory details and the long term mental and physical suffering that the cat will endure from it. I think many people would then forego the whole idea about declawing.

 

[orientalslave]

I live in the UK and routine declawing is illegal here.

To be honest I think I'd get rid of the boyfriend rather than the cat's claws.

 

[mcdanielnc89]

I will say this and this is all. I don't appreciate being told to choose between my kitties and my boyfriend. I was simply asking for feedback on what opinions were on doing the procedure, not being told what to do. sorry I had a question and wasn't sure for an answer. I will be finding a friendlier forum to browse around for my kitties. The first person to reply even asked to keep it civil.

Thanks and May God bless!

 

[ruthyb]

I'm sorry that you feel that way but we on here feel strongly about declawing, it is an unnecessary procedure and it being illegal in my country makes me think that it is very wrong. Things aren't against the law for no reason.I just hope that you do not put your kitty through all that pain, if you do then I hope all goes well and no complications which often arise with declawing.x

 

[arlyn]

I feel so bad for your kitties.

They look to you to care for them, to protect them, and keep them safe.

How confusing it will be for them to be in pain for no other reason than being born with a defense mechanism.

How will they ever understand.

 

[natalie_ca]

You have been given some excellent information above.

I will add that I had Chynna from 1993 until 2010 and she never once scratched my furniture.  I provided her with alternative scratch spots using folded up cardboard boxes tucked behind the bookcase.

When Abby came to us she was 4 months old.  She saw Chynna scratching the boxes and started to do the same. She's never scratched my furniture either.

I adopted kittens in January last year and I bought them a cat tree. It has the rope-like posts and carpeted perches. I also invested in some of those compressed cardboard scratch boxes for cats.  They scratch those and have left my furniture alone.

My love seat was bought in 1996. Other than cat hair you would never know that I have cats. Not a single thread is pulled.

So I don't see a reason to declaw a cat, because they can be taught to not scratch furniture.

My sister-in-law had her boy Fred declawed. She lives in a house and he has accidentally gotten out. The neighbours have a big dog that does not like cats, and Fred has used up several of his lives running for his life when their dog gets out and he has slipped outside. My sister-in-law regrets having had him declawed because he can't defend himself or climb out of harms way.  She also adopted another cat a year or so ago. A little girl.  Chloe hasn't scratched any furniture because she has taught her not to by saying a firm "No!" when she sees her put a paw up like she is going to, and she also shakes a chip can with some coins inside when she does it. Chloe will lay on the couch but she hasn't tried to scratch at it in many months.  She also has compressed cardboard scratch boxes which she uses.

 

[mcdanielnc89]

I appreciate all the information i have recieved, but when i was told TWICE now that i need to choose between one or the other. that has realy upset me to no end and as I said, I will be finding another forum to attend to to get information from. I understand you all are against declawing. I was simply just asking. I didn't need to be told to choose between one or the other.

 

[mrblanche]

The company we worked at some years ago required cats carried in the trucks (we were truck drivers) be declawed.  We gave them the information on Softpaws, and they agreed to let us try them.  We never had any problem with damage, but, again, we're talking about trucks.  Of course, they had fabric walls, fabric seats, carpets, etc.

Much of the first world today regards declawing as cruel, and all the countries of the EU have banned it.  In fact, one of the more recent additions had to change its laws on declawing before it was  permitted to join the EU.  More and more cities and states are going in that direction, too, and I would say 20 years from now, it will be an unheard-of operation.

However, I also would rather have a cat declawed than euthanized.  We almost always have a cat or two at the shelter who are declawed.  We have 2 right now.  I can say with no doubt that those cats will be the last to be euthanized, because we always have people who want to adopt them.

 

[cheshirecat]

In all seriousness if I had to choose between having Chester declawed or PTS I would choose PTS

He is eight years old and weighs 15.5 pounds.  More than likely he would be in considerable pain from the surgery.  I could not put him through that.

 

[mani]

I'm so sorry you're offended.  I feel bad about laughing at it since it has upset you, but there are so many jokes about such things amongst cat-lovers:

"I got rid of my husband. The cat was allergic." ;

"My husband said it was him or the cat... I miss him sometimes." etc. 

And as Ruthyb pointed out, it's illegal in many countries  (Australia in my case, the UK in Ruthyb's) so it's hard to come to grips with the whole concept.

I'm pretty new on this site and have come here because some sites can be really difficult. 

I really like this bunch and they are genuinely concerned.

 

[mani]

We almost always have a cat or two at the shelter who are declawed.  We have 2 right now.  I can say with no doubt that those cats will be the last to be euthanized, because we always have people who want to adopt them.

Mrblanche... is that because they want declawed or because people will often take a cat that is in need?  I've noticed deaf cats, three-legged cats etc always seem to go quickly, but as always a good pre-adoption process is pretty essential to make sure it's for all the right reasons. 

We find the same with dogs.

 

[Anne]

I appreciate all the information i have recieved, but when i was told TWICE now that i need to choose between one or the other. that has realy upset me to no end and as I said, I will be finding another forum to attend to to get information from. I understand you all are against declawing. I was simply just asking. I didn't need to be told to choose between one or the other.

I'm sorry you feel this way. You did ask for people's opinions, and as a cat-welfare oriented community we feel very strongly about declawing. I didn't see anyone telling you to choose between the two at any point. At most, some people mentioned they would have done so themselves, which is perfectly legitimate, IMO. Please see it as yet one more indication of how strongly people oppose to declawing. I have a feeling you will encounter the same sentiments on other cat boards.

I hope you will stick around, but even more than that, I hope both of you will at least take the time to read the article and re-think the decision.

 

[orientalslave]

I was one of the people that suggested that I'd get rid of the b/f if he was insisting.  It was partly in jest, but actually I think it highlights a real problem in the relationship.  It strikes me that he is putting what he wants ahead of what you want, and what's best for your cats.  I don't think there's a happy solution.

#1 you get the cats declawed and feel guilty the rest of their lives and some

#2 you rehome the cats and miss them like mad, what happens then if the b/f leaves?

#3 you say goodbye to the b/f and miss him

Personally I hope if I was in your situation I would be able to discuss it in a mature way with the b/f but be clear that my position on no declawing is immovable.  Thankfully I will never be in that situation since I live in the UK and routine declawing is illegal.  Thankfully I'm also financially secure in my own right, I have no need of a man to keep me.  I have a friend who isn't in that situation, she's kept in great style but it's a very insecure situation.

 

[AbbysMom]

The first person to reply even asked to keep it civil.

I did, and while you may find this hard to believe, for the most part they did. I don't think you will find a subject that our members get more passionate about than declawing. Declawing is considered cruel and is outlawed in many countries. Our members get very worked up when someone posts they are getting their cat declawed. For the most part, this is a friendly bunch, but posting about declawing here is equivalent to waving a red cape in front of a bull.

However, just as a reminder to our members,particularly those not in North America, declawing is legal here. Some cities and counties have outlawed it, but many vets offer spay and declaw as the norm. My childhood cat was declawed as she, as all cats did at the time, had a spay and declaw at the same time. My first adult cat showed up as a stray and was already spayed, so I never really thought about declaw. Abby was our first experience adopting from a shelter and I had to sign paperwork saying I would never have her declawed. I didn't really understand what the big deal was, but signed it. It wasn't until I became a member that I learned what a declaw actually entails. There's a good chance the poster her and her boyfriends have no idea either.

Our goal here is to educate, not drive new members away. Flip comments will not help. Please assume a new member needs to be educated and try to do so in a polite manner. Tone is everything. As they say, you will catch more flies with honey than vinegar. This doesn't go for just declawing threads, but for all threads.

 

[mrblanche]

Mrblanche... is that because they want declawed or because people will often take a cat that is in need?  I've noticed deaf cats, three-legged cats etc always seem to go quickly, but as always a good pre-adoption process is pretty essential to make sure it's for all the right reasons. 

We find the same with dogs.

Lots of reasons.  Some people want a cat, and have had a declawed cat and have very nice furniture, and they're afraid what a non-declawed cat might do to it.  Others live in places that require it for their lease.  Some have health reasons that they can't afford to be scratched.  Some already have a declawed cat and want a companion for it, but are afraid a cat with claws will bully their cat.  I can see the reasoning in all those, although I disagree with them.  At least they're at our shelter, instead of getting a cat from a breeder and declawing him.  We have two right now, both great cats, and I suspect they won't be around long.
 

 

[mani]

What would the ratio be in the US, do you have any idea?

And AbbysMom, I feel that pointing out that it is illegal in other countries is as valid a comment as many of the others made either from the US or outside.  To me it says that there is a real problem with declawing. 

It would interest me if I found that a practice prevelent in Aus was illegal in another country.