Declawing

Anne

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Welcome to the forums zuzu and thanks for the link.

This an important issue - I think I'll add the link to the links section in the site.
 
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zuzu

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Thanks, Anne. I hope that just seeing the photographs is enough to make people realize what a barbaric thing this is to do to a cat, and that it should never be done.
 

sandie

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Lets not forget to mention that declawing is illegal and considered inhumane in Australia,Austria,Belgium,Brazil,Denmark,Finland,Germany,Netherlands,New Zeland, Norway, Portugal,Spain,Sweden,Switzerland and United Kingdom. I have not quite figured out why people think it's acceptable because the're trying to curb some unwanted behavior. Yet when a dog digs up the yard, we dont take their nails out.
 

Anne

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Wow, I had no idea it was banned in so many countries. I kept telling people it was made illegal in the UK, but I didn't know about the others.
 

claudia

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I live in the Netherlands and declawing is practically unheared of here. I didn't know it's possible until I saw a flame on Usenet on the issue.

What a cruel thing to do. And the only reason I assume people are putting their cats and it's consequences through that is because of furniture? Well don't get a cat then - buy a hamster or something.

I once had an accident with a swinging door which ripped my ringfinger's nail out and the pain was so bad I fainted and I could feel my heartbeat there for an entire week! It just lasts and lasts. And this was "just" the nail with it's base, I understand with declawing they also rip out bone and muscles!

Never would I put my sweet fur-cactus through that!! He does have a spot on the couch where he scratches - so what. He doesn't like the post (totally ignores it, lol) so I bought a small scratch-mat which I fixed to his favorite spot and now he can scratch away and it is actually such a pleasure to watch him doing it - because he looks slightly guilty since prior to "the solution" I was always cautioning him - forbidden fruit so to say;-)) ("May I, may I, just a little real quick? Yes? Oh Great! <scratch, scratch> Mwuaaaaa, this feels sooooo good.")

Please, please, don't ever have your cat declawed. It's not neccessary and so cruel.

Claudia
 

my3boys

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I never guessed what this entailed, I honestly never gave it a thought. It is beyond words. All 3 of my cats are declawed, I can say that never will I have it done again. I was reading about the arthritis in older years do to them not kneading & stretching. My cats do still knead frequently at night when they come to bed & also they stretch & act like they are sharpening their claws on things. I actually got almost sick looking at the pictures of them cutting them off. Well, this forum has already made the life of my future cats better.
 

donna

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Those pictures made me sick!!! I have two cats that I had declawed LONG before I knew what it entailed. I now have 8 cats and I would NEVER do it again! They are all trained to use the scratching post. I found out the hard way that declawing a cat does cause psychological problems. My one cat Casey is a scaredy cat and has not been the same since (it was done over 5 years ago). If only I could go back and change things. But hindsight is 20-20. Declawing should be outlawed. It is the cat's only defense. Cats that have been declawed develop problems with balance, and arthritis in their feet. I regret doing it every single day. And that new procedure of laser where they cut the tendons is no better. Nature put claws on a cat for a reason. I now have a knot in my stomach and when I look at Casey I want to cry.
 

sandie

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This is the only way we non declawers can get the word out. Most people do it because they really don't know what it involves. You are very lucky with your 3. Most declawed cats develope behavior and litter box problems. I am glad to know that if you ever get a new addition, kitty will keep their claws. I can honestly say my couch looks brand new after 7 years and 11 cats..
 

my3boys

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I guess I need to clarify this, my rex had the tendons cut (I just say he is declawed), Since he was older, about 6 years old I thought it would have been easier on him, because my vet suggested it, I do not know how that was performed, is their a site on that also & was it any easier on him?. The Rex does have behavorial problems, he is quite agressive to my other two at times.
 

sandie

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Well, I dont have a site off the top of my head. I do volunteer at a rescue and had discussed it with the president. This is just what she informed me about. She said that the tendonectomy is far worse than cutting their knuckles off. I cant give you an explanation right now, but this is what was told to me. I trust her since she has been in rescue for years. Vets sometimes will say things because it is the new fad. They have to learn to do it somehow. I want to compare this with human breast implants!! As far as the behavior, It's not 100% that it's just not his personality. But as I said before, some cats will get agressive because they feel they are defensless without their claws. It could be the case in your situation. I suppose they are fairly happy, so no need to worry too much..
 

my3boys

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I wonder how it could be far worse, it seems the pain would be less than taking off the whole toes to the first knuckle, but then again, I can only imagine the pain, its probably just as painful having all the tendons cut. I think if someone said they were going to cut off my fingers to the first knuckle or cut the tendons, I would be long gone, but yet being animals they have no say over what we humans do to them, they are at our mercy, this is sad. I have always felt bad that they never give any post op pain relief, what would we do if they didn't give us pain relief, yet people & most vets seem to think nothing if a dog or cat has to endure the pain.
 

sandie

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I just talked the the woman I was telling you about. She just joined the forums too. She said the tendonectomies can cause deformity. I would also imagine that it would cause problems with owners who did not trim claws. They still grow and could become very long, they cant shed the nails without scratching. Donna asked if I wanted to look at the pictures, I told her no. I would probably sob like an idiot.
 

my3boys

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I would be interested in seeing the pictures, can they be put on the forum? I'm very squeamish, but I think sometimes a person needs to see these things, I really don't understand the procedure. It is a hassle to have to keep clipping the toenails, they appear dead to me, I do not see the pink vein in any of his front ones that were done. Why would that be I wonder?
 

sandie

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my3boys

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Boy, I had to look at this so early in the morning, thanks for posting these pictures. Personally it looks just as bad seeing all those tendons cut as it does seeing the toe cut off, both have to be extremely painful. The picture of the toenails is sickening. I have to ask, what kind of people would allow this to happen?. But then,I have learned that their are many people in this world who do not have the best welfare in mind for their animals. Do you have any idea why this surgery was started? Is it supposed to have any benefits over taking the whole toe off? Thanks again for taking the time to reseach this & give me the insight to this awful procedure. Again, I think it helps to see the pictures, as now I can see the terribleness of it & almost feel the pain with the cat.
 

sandie

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Hehe, yeah I know it was early. I woke up at 445 am with a backache and indegestion. So I just got up to get my housework done. We are going to a 1 day household pet show at 10. They started doing the tendonectomies because the healing process is faster. The openings are only closed with surgical glue rather than all the stitches. From the research I have done, most vets don't do or care for this procedure. I guess they prefer to cut off functional bones. The only reason they started de clawing is because people did not care to have their furniture torn up. It all came about because of ignorance. As stated in earlier posts, it is outlawed in many countries. I just wish we could get it done in the states!! If only we could educate the world on the issue...however this is a good start!!
 

swalker

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I looked at that site on declawing last week and I began sobbing. How anyone could declaw an animal without all of the full research is beyond me. It's pure torture. My boyfriend was completely for declawing and had his first cat declawed before we met. I had a hard time with it. His cat passed away and he took it very hard. In the last few weeks he has talked about getting another kitty and said that this time he would get the front and rear claws taken out because of his nice new leather couch. I became infuriated and we almost broke up over it. I preached and preached to him, and begged him to atleast do the research. He listened and did, and now stands very strong that declawing your cat is cruel and unnecessary.

If you truly want a cat take the time to train it. Stop what you are doing and train kitty to not claw. Mine used to claw my couch I didn't mind until I got a new couch. So I trained her to not claw. She forgets every once in awhile, but it's just furniture.

If you feel you need an animal to mame it or put it through any un-needed pain, I beg you get a hampster, or a fish!! Please do not declaw the kitty's.
 

meghan

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When Fergus adopted us, we decided not to declaw, and he has never given us cause to regret that decision. A spray bottle is all I've needed to train him to scratch on the post rather than the chairs. It did not even take much effort to train him (of course, I think tis is because our cat is brilliant, but who can say?!).

I wish that more vets would spend time talking about how to train and not recommend the declawing procedure, but I can understand that, with some owners, it is either declaw the cat or send him to the shelter, so it must be a fine line the vets walk. If I were a vet, I think my heart would break to see so much maltreatment. I guess we need to put the responsibility for research into the procedure on the owners, and make opposition to declawing loud & public.
 

Anne

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It is horrible but too many vets are still offering to declaw the cat as a routine procedure. They schedule declawing and neutering for all incoming kittens and some owners are simply not aware that there's anything wrong with it (the declawing that is - neutering is a must). After all, if the vet says you should do this it must be the best thing for the cat!

IMO, those vets are offering this horrible procedure simply because it's a chance for them to make more money!
 
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