A friend is declawing...help!

Hey guys!

I need some advice on how to deal with one of my very close friends. She wants to get a kitten, and she'd be a fantastic pet parent and spoil it rotten. Her parents own cats and she loves them to pieces. But the thing is she insists on getting the cat declawed. I've expounded on the dangers and cruelty of this, but she absolutely insists. She says her parents' cats are declawed and they're just fine and they're happy and old, etc etc.

Because of this I don't even want her to get a cat. Anyone have any ideas I can use to persuade her otherwise?

Thanks guys. I appreciate it.

give your friend this webpage to go to http://www.declawing.com/

the following is also a page of horor stories of botched declawing operations that may change here mind there are over 70 stories here, how many are not reported http://declaw.lisaviolet.com/declawstory.html

I take the time to trim my cats nails 2 times a month to keep them from damaging anything, if your friend can't take the time to do that she should not have a cat.

Excellent links. Direct her to us! We will get the point to her! Some people just don't understand that you are cutting the tips of ther paws off! My best friend did it to her cat before either of us knew what it really entailed.

Yes, I agree, thank you. I clip Conner's claws regularly too. I've told her I will even clip her cat's claws FOR HER on a regular basis. She says, yes it's bad, it is a surgery, but after the healing he/she will be perfectly fine and content. She doesn't get it. So I will definitely show her those sites. Thank you very much. I hope it helps.

Those websites are great. Does anyone know of a website that has many very graphic pictures. Perhaps I can scare her away from the procedure with that.

Some of the pictures on here made me want to hurl so enter at your own risk!
http://community-2.webtv.net/zuzu22/STOPDECLAWCOM/

I looked for an article that I read quit awhile back and I couldn't find it. It was written by a Vet Tech, it was not only about Domestic Cats big Big Cats also, it was the saddest thing I ever read about Declawing. Gosh I wish I could find it. I'll keep looking, Good luck trying to convince her not to

this also has graphic pics of declawing surgery http://declaw.lisaviolet.com/declawpics.html

Originally Posted by Phenomsmom

Some of the pictures on here made me want to hurl so enter at your own risk!
http://community-2.webtv.net/zuzu22/STOPDECLAWCOM/

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I bearly got through that first picture how sad people don't realize that they suffer from it, The big Cats, Lions, Tigers and such have so many problems as they get older, there's nothing to protect there feet once that is done...Now I feel sad for the cat what is wrong with people, maybe they should have there nails and first joint of a friggen finger removed...Gads

Here is a thread written by Hissy too!
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41954

If she wants a declawed cat, tell her to go to a shelter to get one that has already been through the torture. Our shelter has declawed cats quite often. I even fostered a sweet boy last year although he did bite a little to show his displeasure. (And I'm sure she'd be "fine, happy, and old" years after she had her finger tips cut off too, but that doesn't make it right.) I don't know why vets agree to do this surgery!

Oh thank you all so very much. SHE IS NOT DOING IT! I showed her some of those graphic pictures and offered to clip her kitty's claws for her until she feels comfortable doing it. I also offered to help her find suitable scratching furniture and show her some behavior modification techniques. I think it was the sick sad photos that did it though. I am soooo very glad she isn't going to go through with this procedure! I was getting so angry I couldn't even talk to her because I just don't understand how you can still want to do that kind of thing knowing how bad it is.

Again, thanks guys, you ROCK! You helped me save a sweet kitty's toes.

That's wonderful news!!

That is AWESOME!!! Good job convincing her

Originally Posted by Snuzy

If she wants a declawed cat, tell her to go to a shelter to get one that has already been through the torture. Our shelter has declawed cats quite often. I even fostered a sweet boy last year although he did bite a little to show his displeasure. (And I'm sure she'd be "fine, happy, and old" years after she had her finger tips cut off too, but that doesn't make it right.) I don't know why vets agree to do this surgery!

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I couldn't have said it any better! My Mom had her cat declawed ( I didn't know before the fact) While she is sorry that she did it and would never do that to another cat, she was not informed to the problems it would cause the cat. It should be illegal in the US, if I had my way. If not , the vet should be required to give the the cons so that an ill-informed cat owner could better decide. But some are all about the money. I'm happy to say that my vet will not de-claw. It is one of the many things I love about her!

It's her choice, let her do what she feels is right.

Originally Posted by eburgess

It's her choice, let her do what she feels is right.

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so if I feel like throwing a cat out the window i should able to do it? please when it involves hurting another living creature, there is no choice.....

Anyway, great job Stevie!! kiss that kitties toes for me!!

When I'm a vet I'll refuse to declaw. I'll tell anyone who wants to declaw to go cut off half their fingers and toes and see how it feels.

Wonderful news!

Those pictures made me want to vomit/cry. How selfish is it to value your FURNITURE more than an animal??

When I have adopters come in wanting to declaw and I tell them about the behavioral issues and they say "Well, I've always declawed my cats and they've been just fine" and I say

"Okay, how many declawed cats have you had? 2? 3? 10? I've seen literally hundreds and it is RARE to meet a well-adjusted declawed cat. Most of them are biters, excrutiatingly shy, or just have litter box problems".

I win, usually.