What are your thoughts on...

sammymykitten

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...declawing? I think only asses declaw cats. Its like, 'hey, I wanna rip off your fingernails!'
What are your thoughts?
 

bonnie1965

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Actually, it is more than ripping off fingernails. It is cutting off up to the first knuckle. IMO there is never a good enough reason for this. Ever. I know people on this site who have had made the decision to have it done even with all the information provided here.

The cat will never again be able to fully stretch their spine and so many other actions. Nature knows what she is doing when she designs animals. For us to change it for our own comfort is the height of selfishness.

I believe that vets who advocate declawing are awful! It is easy money for them. IMO, any vet who does this is not in business because they care for animals, they are in it for the money.

If you don't like claws, don't have cats ... simple a that.

The day declawing is outlawed here, as it is in many other countries, I will celebrate!
 

Moz

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I went with no, although cheese pizza is very tempting..
On the serious side, I think the majority of people who declaw just don't know about the whole procedure/side effects of it.
 

missymotus

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It's illegal here and in many other countries, it should be illegal everywhere.
 

dixie_darlin

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No way, no how!

I have one declawed kitty but he was when I adopted him. Poor thing doesn't like to jump on anything either


Unless it's medically needed, I'm totally against it..

Although I do giggle when he tried to "sharpen" his claws on my leg
 

jenny1124

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When I got Princess I quickly learned about the kind of advice people give.. people that have absolutely no understanding of the surgery and effects.

I was told several times by several people something like this.."You should really get her declawed, you're going to be sorry when she tears up your furniture".

Needless to say, my girl will always have her claws
 

gingersmom

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I chose cheese pizza.


But only because I know for a fact that declawing is as completely ridiculous as cutting the voicebox.
 

yayi

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No, no, no. All my cats have claws and I will fight for their right to keep them.
 

jaffacake

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Illegal over here.

I only realised a few months ago that they take away the bone too
I think it`s totally wrong.
 

lokismum

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Originally Posted by GingersMom

I chose cheese pizza.


But only because I know for a fact that declawing is as completely ridiculous as cutting the voicebox.
I wondered who did that - though maybe Ryan was in here!


I too will celebrate if they ever make declawing illegal here in Canada! It falls under the realm of animal cruelty as far as I'm concerned!
 

tierre0

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Definitely not. The excuse I have always heard from people about why they choose to declaw is because you can't train a cat not to scratch the furniture ect. I say BULL to that, I have trained all my cats not to claw the furniture, by providing them with scratching posts. When I brought Linus home a few months ago it took a grand total of three days to teach him what he could scratch and what he couldn't. It was as simple as picking him up and showing him his scratching post everytime he tried to claw the couch or other furniture. Now if he starts scratching something he is not suppose to all I have to say is no and he knows what I mean.
And truthfully I have several claw marks on the back of my favorite chair from Sassy. So what, I like Sassy much more then I like the chair anyway....
 

xxtashaxx

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luckly enough its illegal here so have never really come across a declawed cat, but i have done a lot of reading up since comming to this site iv always been aginst it , but seeing what they actualy do sickens me. and anyone who wants to do it because they dont want scratched up sofas etc. should not own a pet.
but if there was a good medical reason that had to be done , i wouldnt like it but if it was in the cats best intrests then thats different.
 

tigerontheprowl

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I would never declaw in a million billion years. When I am a Vet that is one surgery that I will absolutely refuse to do unless there has been an accident and there are no other options. If someone comes to me for a declawing and their only reason is "I wanna protect my furniture" I will tell them about other options (Soft Paws, how to get the cat to use a scratching post, etc.) as well as the side effects of declawing and what it really entails. It they still want the surgery done after that, I will tell them straight up to go home and cut off their fingers at the knuckle and then come back and tell me how it feels.
 

bonnie1965

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Originally Posted by TigerOnTheProwl

I would never declaw in a million billion years. When I am a Vet that is one surgery that I will absolutely refuse to do unless there has been an accident and there are no other options. If someone comes to me for a declawing and their only reason is "I wanna protect my furniture" I will tell them about other options (Soft Paws, how to get the cat to use a scratching post, etc.) as well as the side effects of declawing and what it really entails. It they still want the surgery done after that, I will tell them straight up to go home and cut off their fingers at the knuckle and then come back and tell me how it feels.
I didn't know you are working toward being a vet
Wish more vets were this way.

I think a lot of people also bow to pressure from significant others. Such as "ok you can have a cat but it had better not touch my furniture!" or some other such thing when one partner wants a cat and the other doesn't. Or someone moves in with a non-cat lover and discovers the only way they will "let" them keep the cat is if it is declawed. It is really sad. We really need to push to outlaw this procedure.
 

tigerontheprowl

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Originally Posted by Bonnie1965

I didn't know you are working toward being a vet
Wish more vets were this way.

I think a lot of people also bow to pressure from significant others. Such as "ok you can have a cat but it had better not touch my furniture!" or some other such thing when one partner wants a cat and the other doesn't. Or someone moves in with a non-cat lover and discovers the only way they will "let" them keep the cat is if it is declawed. It is really sad. We really need to push to outlaw this procedure.
Yep I've recently finished my third year of the Pre-Vet program here. Technically I'm already in the faculty of Veterinary Medicine but I'm going to stay here for one more year and then move to Saskatoon for formal training.

And yes we do need to outlaw this procedure. I would be soo happy if it was illegal everywhere and it could only be used if it is absolutely necessary.
 

trouts mom

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Originally Posted by Bonnie1965

Actually, it is more than ripping off fingernails. It is cutting off up to the first knuckle. IMO there is never a good enough reason for this. Ever. I know people on this site who have had made the decision to have it done even with all the information provided here.

The cat will never again be able to fully stretch their spine and so many other actions. Nature knows what she is doing when she designs animals. For us to change it for our own comfort is the height of selfishness.

I believe that vets who advocate declawing are awful! It is easy money for them. IMO, any vet who does this is not in business because they care for animals, they are in it for the money.

If you don't like claws, don't have cats ... simple a that.

The day declawing is outlawed here, as it is in many other countries, I will celebrate!
Purrfectly said. TCS is not for declawing. You will notice that most of our opinions on it are the same.
 

starryeyedtiger

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I do not belive in declawing. When people ask me about it (we get a lot of people who do not know the cons of it comming into our shelter that just want to learn) i try to explaine to them in a very kind, educational manner about just how bad declawing really is. It does not just affect the claw- it would be the equivilant of us amputatin each finger below the last knuckle. (then i go on about it). It also leads to other long term health problems such as arthritis along the cats spinal column because of the way the have to learn to walk after loosing that part of their paw (it really affects how pressure is applied and things of that nature) Many cats who are declawed may also develop other behavioral problems in light of not having the ability to scratch and defend themselves. In addition to that- if a cat were to ever get loose- it would not be able to defend itself against predators as their claws are very usefull tools for climbing (to get out of the way of danger) or attacking to ward off a predator or catch a meal. When people come in KNOWING this information and still plan to declaw- i turn them down for the adoption- cats are cats- they are born with claws- why would you want to adopt an animal only to mutulate it so it won't "destroy" your $2000 sofa
/ And at the end of the conversation when people are truely trying to learn why declawing is bad- i tell them about the other good alternatives to declawing such as Soft Claws, trimming the kittys nails regurally (and i will show them how to on one of the shelter cats and teach them so it's a learning experience as well- educated owners make good owners!), and then i also tell them the importance of finding the right scratching post for your kitty.
 

miagi's_mommy

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No way would I ever agree with declawing! Same goes for cropping dog's ears and docking their tails. God gave them claws for a reason and gave dog's ears and tails for a reason! there is no reason to do it. but would I adopt a declawed cat, a dog with cropped ears, and a docked tail? you bet!
 

calico2222

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I definitely don't agree to declawing, but to play devil's advocate, if it's between declawing and dropping your adult cat at the animal shelter where it will most like be put to death, which is the worse of the two evils? For example, one friend of mine has a cat. She was an adult when she had her baby. Everything was fine until one day when her 2 yr old was playing with the cat and she swiped his face leaving deep scratch marks right under the eye. Obvious solution is to keep the kid away from the cat...yeah, right. Who can keep a child away from an animal? Her husband had a fit! So, rather than give Kitters away or take her to a shelter, she had her declawed. Now, I didn't agree with the solution, but I can sort of understand why she did it. Kitters is still one of the sweetest cats I know, and recovered from surgery with no problems. Again, I definitely would never do that to any cat I own (although, I do threaten them with it sometimes when they use me as a scratching post!)
 
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