petstore/declaw

brandi

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Last night I went to the petstore because I needed a bigger aquarium for my fish and walmart didnt have one I wanted, so the petstore was my last resort. I was debating on which aquarium to get and finally picked out one and a small bag of rocks for my goldfish(Tigger about took Kittys life so until further notice Kitty is in the witness protection program in our basement computer room) I went to pay for my stuff so I could get home and set the new place up for my fish. The cashier(owners soon to be DIL) starts a conversation that went something like this:
cashier "how are your cats?"
Me "they are all doing great"
Cashier"Have you had your himalayan declawed yet?"
Me "no...they need their claws and I wouldnt put them through that painful process just for my own benefit..they have nothing to gain from it other then behavioral issues"
Cashier "We just had our cat declawed shes doing great nothing seems to be wrong with her other then it is harder for her to walk."
Me "Well I better get home now"
Cashier "Its a very painless process really all they do is split the pad and remove the claw and sew the pad back up no trouble at all for the cat and you dont have your furniture ruined or get scratched It was well worth it"
At that point my phone rang*thank God* I walked out without another word!I was furious
and that poor cat
 

tigerontheprowl

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Originally Posted by catloverin_ks

Show her the link that has been mentioned here! I am going to do that with my friend!!
I agree. If she thinks it's a painless procedure, she has been misinformed. Show her the link. If that doesn't change her mind, nothing will.
 

starryeyedtiger

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Painless process my butt...has she ever assisted in a declaw surgery??? What about a repeat declaw surgery because an idiot vet didn't do it right the first time? I can tell you right now as a vet tech- declawing is anything BUT painless to the pets and it can cause years of issues.
We had one come in our shelter recently who was "declawed" by a former owner's vet who did such a botch job that our vet had to redo the surgery (which she does not approve of declawing- but the cat has fragment of bone/etc left- it was necessary). That cat was in soo much pain
It's horrible the things people do for their own personal gain. God didn't make cats to be declawed....the claws serve a purpose- they help them groom themselves, keep their fur cleaner, hunt, eat, defend themselves, mark their scent....many many things. They need them.

Interesting that the only one of my cats who is declawed (Jasmine- i adopted her that way) is the only one who has ever had issues with going potty outside of the litter pan and keeping herself clean
I'm sure the sales clerk ment well- but was just not well informed of what she was proposing. Perhaps you could go back in there sometime with a calm, plesant attitude and gently tell her why declawing is not a good idea and how it can effect the animal in the long run. Also let her know that when you declaw- you are removing a part of the cat's bone as well- and that can throw off their balance...if you ever compare a declawed cat and a non-declawed cat side by side....they walk different- it's because of the balance being off a bit- this can result in spinal issues down the road and cause arthritis in their back area becuase of the added pressure to the front limbs that have been compromised. Perhaps she just didn't know any better..i would be nice to her but try to educate her kindly on why declawing is not a good idea for the kitty.

If however she won't budge and she is that concerned about her furniture she does not need a pet if it's more important than deforming her animals
Perhaps you could tell her a little bit about soft claws and why those are also a good alternative to declawing. www.softclaws.com
Good luck! I understand you being angry over what she said- but she may not know why declawing exactly is soo bad- maybe she just needs a kind person to explaine it to her so that any future pets she may aquire won't go through the pain of a declaw surgery and be stuck with life long issues that can occur.
 

ldg

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I'd print out this thread: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=155501 and keep a copy in my car. If she's at the store again next time you're back there, tell her that you felt she may not be aware of many of the issues or what the actual declaw involves, and you felt she may find the information interesting.

The biggest problem is that so many people just don't understand what a declaw is or the risks involved.


Laurie
 

forensic

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It's completely painless except for it being a lot harder to walk. Gosh, she isn't even putting two of her thoughts together and seeing that they don't add up, is she?
 

jen

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Originally Posted by Brandi

Cashier "We just had our cat declawed shes doing great nothing seems to be wrong with her other then it is harder for her to walk."
Sorry if I'm wrong but isn't walking a pretty IMPORTANT thing?
 

mbjerkness

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Originally Posted by Jen

Sorry if I'm wrong but isn't walking a pretty IMPORTANT thing?
I would think so. I think there is a lot of misinformation about declawing, I had no idea what was involved, until I joined tcs, I have informed everyone I know. most of them were absolutley shocked what declawing means.
 

taterbug

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Originally Posted by Brandi

At that point my phone rang*thank God* I walked out without another word!I was furious
and that poor cat
Well, all I can say it that you're a much better woman than I am!!
I would have thrown my phone down and been in her face telling her some facts!!
I admire your control. I would have lost it!
 

hurdyburdy

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Its a shame that there are still people like that out there. They really don't see what they are doing as wrong or even questionable.
 

faith's_mom

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My kitties rarely if ever unsheath their claws on me; I do keep them well trimmed, because they are indoor kitties, but I wouldn't even think about declawing them just to save my furniture or save myself a few scratches...My cats love their scratch 'things' and rarely if ever use any thing but those to sharpen their claws.
 

alleygirl

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My hands/arms are always covered in little scratches from grooming sessions with Riley but I would never in a million years declaw him.
 

katzyn

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I guess we're lucky that our two cats, who came to us already de-clawed (I guess it was a standard procedure at the shelter they had come from) are pretty normal, in regards to cleaning, walking, ect. One is severely obese, though (I really want to get her on a diet, but the parents are resistant about changing the food, and the other has pancreatitis, along with some eye infection, which the parents are also resistant about getting him to the vet for (he's very very hard to get into a cat carrier...).
 

kaete

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I had something similar happen a couple of weeks ago. I went in to buy a scratching post for K-Pants, since he wasn't really into the ones that we had, and he's making confetti out of our boxspring.

I brought it up to the checkout, and the cashier was like, "Oh, I just had my cat declawed. Saved my furniture!"

I said to her, "Oh, I could never do that."

She made some comment about how she had it done when the cat was a kitten, and so she "doesn't remember."

I just walked out.
 

addiebee

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Our rescue's official policy on declawing is neutral, but I am NOT. So when people ask me, I tell them what the policy is, but then I proceed to educate people on what really happens and the possible side effects. The one that usually upsets them is litter box issues! Not the pain, the damage, etc. inflicted on the cat. Then I suggest that they go on Petfinder and find a cat that has already been mutilated ( er, I mean declawed) rather than go to the trouble and expense of doing that to a clawed cat.
 

arlyn

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The rescue most of ours comes from declaws all kittens during their pediatric spay/neuter.
But not older cats.

The vet in charge was so heartbroken after so many of her cats came back declawed and with behavioral/litterbox issues that she decided to do this.
She now has a no declaw contract for cats and older kittens, and young kittens for those who insist on having declawed cats.

I understand where she's coming from, but I do not agree with it, I don't understand why she doesn't just have an all encompassing no declaw contract on all ages.

My declawed cats came to me that way, none (knock on wood) have issues, but I have had one in the past that did have issues.

I applaud your reserve, I wouldn't have been so silent with her.
 
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