This just doesn't seem right!

hunnysuckle · Mar 31, 2008

I am about to move out of student housing here on campus and into my own apartment apartment I want a kitty sooo bad! BUT one big rule I do not agree with is my apartment requires me to have my cat DECLAWED!! all four paws too which is ridiculous!

I want a cat but I don't really want to put her threw having her nails t aken out I know I wouldn't like it if someone ripped mine out of me! I waited and waited for a cat for so long I even had one illegally here on campus once and then had to give her up because campus almost caught me so i gave her to a friend.

Anyone have any suggestions about the declawing? would you do it if you wanted a cat and this was the only way you can get one? I would just move to another apartment but this was the only one in my price range plus with my disability it is in a convient spot for me especially since the bus picks up right in front of the door and I don't have to cross the busy street.

marianjela · Mar 31, 2008

Grrrr... the other day I was at a softball meeting, and one of the other Board Members is a landlord and got a call about a vacant property they had. You could tell the person on the other line asked if it was ok if they had a cat and the landlord said... "only if they're declawed"

Not, "Are they speutered?" but claws. Crikes.

I have a couple suggestions:

1. you could explain to the landlord that in order for a cat to be declawed that they must cut their knuckles off and how inhumane that is. And that you would keep the cat's claws trimmed and make sure they were altered so they dont spray the house.

or

2. find a cat from the shelter that is already declawed. I wouldnt put an animal through this personally, but if there is one at the shelter that is already done because of someone else's lack of education, then rescue the poor thing.

3. Well, your last option is to just lie and pray that the cat doesnt scratch up the woodwork...

Good luck in your decision. Sorry you have to deal with people like this.

yayi · Mar 31, 2008

Originally Posted by HunnySuckle

would you do it if you wanted a cat and this was the only way you can get one?

Never. I rather have no cat than having to look into the eyes of one who I dismembered just to satisfy my fancy.

pipersjo · Mar 31, 2008

My cats are supposed to be declawed for me to live in this apartment but I refuse to have it done and they didn't specifically ask if they were declawed so I just avoided the issue. Now that being said all you have to do is look around to tell that they are not declawed

. They like to do "burnouts" on the carpet and they like to claw the paint on the window sill so i won't be getting my deposit back, but I figured it was worth it to keep them.

mrblanche · Mar 31, 2008

I was going to suggest the shelter thing, too. I know our shelter has declawed cats on a regular basis. In fact, here's one:

The second kitty, the gray one, was declawed.

baloneysmom · Mar 31, 2008

My boyfriend told me that we can get cats as long as they were declawed. He is a manly man with lots of toys and nice items and he was under the impression cats were insane scratchy things. We did what everyone is suggesting, we went to the SPCA and got both our cats already declawed. Saved me mentally from feeling horrified at mutilating my cat. Now we are all happy, I have my cats, my boyfriends stuff is intact and my babies got a great home.

On this note I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t think many people are educated on this matter. My boyfriends last roommate had two cats with all four paws declawed!! All four!! He thought it was a normal practice and suggested to me that if we got a cat all four paws must be de declawed . My boyfriend loves our cats and now that he knows the facts would never even suggest declawing. I think people need to talk about it more to people who think itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s a normal natural thing.

berry punch · Mar 31, 2008

I don't know if anyone has suggested this yet, but have you asked your potential landlord if you could give your cat nail caps instead of declawing? I assume that the reason he wants you to declaw is for fear of the cat ripping up the carpet and ruining the apartment, and not because he is an evil man who wants to force pet lovers to torture their animals. Nail caps, from what I've heard, could prevent the disastrous behavior he's concerned about, while leaving your poor kitty's body in tact.

darlili · Mar 31, 2008

I agree to check with the shelters for a declawed cat - when I adopted, I didn't realize it was such a controversial, to say the least, procedure - but my two were already declawed when I adopted. I think this could be a win-win situation - make your landlord happy, and rescue a shelter kitty.

My two are wonderful cats - I got them at age 4, and they're almost 6 now. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't declaw a cat myself, but shelters almost always have some declawed kitties available.

pee-cleaner · Mar 31, 2008

If you cannot get one already done, then don't get one. I wouldn't try to talk the landlord into changing policy, or worse, trying to hide it. That has so many opportunities for backfiring. Part of being a responsible pet owner is knowing when it isn't the right time to get a pet.

Hope things work out for you (and the kitty).

Cally

courtney_ou · Mar 31, 2008

i encountered that problem with an apt complex. and let's just say im a little *ahem* outspoken and opinionated when it comes to things i feel passionate about. when i asked the lady why chloe had to be mutilated (my exact word) she told me that she never said i had to mutilate my cat, just declaw her. well it was on then lol. she said that they only allowed cats if they were declawed since they scratched up things and did damage (chloe does not)
i asked her if she allowed dogs (they do) and if they had to be declawed (they dont) and if they allow CHILDREN (they do) and if they had to have the ends of their fingers cut off at the first knuckle with the skin sewn back together so they didnt color on the walls or play with matches (there had just been a fire in 1 apt from a kid) i asked why they insisted cats be tortured before moving in and told her i was starting a letter writing campaign to peta and the aspca. (she had an office full of ppl waiting to look at apts teehee)
i did and they no longer require declawing.

want me to come speak to your apt manager LOL

baloneysmom · Mar 31, 2008

Lmao great!! You go girl!

graciecat · Mar 31, 2008

Originally Posted by courtney_ou

i encountered that problem with an apt complex. and let's just say im a little *ahem* outspoken and opinionated when it comes to things i feel passionate about. when i asked the lady why chloe had to be mutilated (my exact word) she told me that she never said i had to mutilate my cat, just declaw her. well it was on then lol. she said that they only allowed cats if they were declawed since they scratched up things and did damage (chloe does not)
i asked her if she allowed dogs (they do) and if they had to be declawed (they dont) and if they allow CHILDREN (they do) and if they had to have the ends of their fingers cut off at the first knuckle with the skin sewn back together so they didnt color on the walls or play with matches (there had just been a fire in 1 apt from a kid) i asked why they insisted cats be tortured before moving in and told her i was starting a letter writing campaign to peta and the aspca. (she had an office full of ppl waiting to look at apts teehee)
i did and they no longer require declawing.

want me to come speak to your apt manager LOL

Good for you!
I could also send my Vet to speak to the apartment manager.
When someone comes into his office asking about a declaw, he tells them "Sorry, I don't mutilate cats" and hands them a pamplet on what REALLY happens during a declaw.

To the OP...my answer is very short.
NO, I wouldn't get a cat if the only way I could have one was to maime it for life.
The shelter option is a good one, you'll probably find a cat there who's already declawed.

kittyl0ve4 · Mar 31, 2008

i wouldnt even ask them about the soft paws. i would just give the cat softpaws, if you cant find a cat that is already declawed. i dont doubt you can rescue a cat that is already declawed, but most people dont declaw all four paws. how do they expect them to scratch themselves if they have no claws on any paw? if you do get a cat that hasnt already been declawed, use softpaws, or if you find one that has been in the front claws, put softpaws on the back. they will actually still be able to scratch themselves if they have an itch, but it will prolly take a lil longer to get rid of the itch than it would if they had their claws uncapped. i think its rediculous that they only allow cats if their declawed, they must not kno what it can do to a cat. do they understand that declawing can cause other behavioral problems that you cannot correct? bc if a cat claws things, that can probably be corrected.. were as a cat that has been declawed can develop problems like improper elimination, which most likely will not be corrected.

when i got my first cat, i planned on having him declawed, i didnt kno what they actually did, i thought they just pulled out the claws. then i joined a cat forum, but it wasnt TCS, & learned what declawing ACTUALLY was. then i decided to not get him declawed. i left that forum, bc it wasnt half as good as TCS, & there was never anyone signed in, & no one would post back if i started a thread. then i did a search on google for cat forums, & found TCS, since then i havent left here, and i never plan on it. the info here is too great. but neither of mine are declawed & they never will be. they will always be with me & i would never do that to them. or any other cat that i will have in the future.

marianjela · Mar 31, 2008

What I think it totally ridiculous and definitely a sign of lack of feline knowledge, is when they insist on the cat being declawed but say nothing of them being altered.

What?!

IMO... a spraying cat will do more damage then a scratching cat.

Woodwork can be sanded and painted... but the smell of urine in carpet or hardwood. Ugh.

laureen227 · Mar 31, 2008

Originally Posted by Marianjela

What I think it totally ridiculous and definitely a sign of lack of feline knowledge, is when they insist on the cat being declawed but say nothing of them being altered.

What?!

IMO... a spraying cat will do more damage then a scratching cat.

Woodwork can be sanded and painted... but the smell of urine in carpet or hardwood. Ugh.

i got Chip from a shelter, & he was already declawed. he's such a lovebug! definitely look into that - Petfinder shows a purple paw next to the declawed cats. that's where i found my Chip.

mrblanche · Apr 1, 2008

I don't know where you are, but I just posted another video of the cats at our shelter, and once again there is a declawed (front only) cat there. His owner surrendered him when he was just sent to Iraq.

hunnysuckle · Apr 6, 2008

Originally Posted by courtney_ou

i encountered that problem with an apt complex. and let's just say im a little *ahem* outspoken and opinionated when it comes to things i feel passionate about. when i asked the lady why chloe had to be mutilated (my exact word) she told me that she never said i had to mutilate my cat, just declaw her. well it was on then lol. she said that they only allowed cats if they were declawed since they scratched up things and did damage (chloe does not)
i asked her if she allowed dogs (they do) and if they had to be declawed (they dont) and if they allow CHILDREN (they do) and if they had to have the ends of their fingers cut off at the first knuckle with the skin sewn back together so they didnt color on the walls or play with matches (there had just been a fire in 1 apt from a kid) i asked why they insisted cats be tortured before moving in and told her i was starting a letter writing campaign to peta and the aspca. (she had an office full of ppl waiting to look at apts teehee)
i did and they no longer require declawing.

want me to come speak to your apt manager LOL

LOL! that is awesome go you!

white cat lover · Apr 6, 2008

Completely declawed cats are rare in the humane society here, but they do come through. I also suggest adopting, not only because you will save a kitty the horror of declawing, but also because you'll save a life!

miao_kitty · Apr 7, 2008

Originally Posted by yayi

Never. I rather have no cat than having to look into the eyes of one who I dismembered just to satisfy my fancy.

Agreed. You could always wait until you can find a place that accepts cats. I know it's not the most desirable choice, but more desirable than declawing.
I mean, would you do something like this to your kid if a landlord required it?

I also second the idea of getting a cat from a shelter that is already declawed. There seems to be at least one at the shelter a month and that way the blood is not on your hands.

In fact, I also agree with trying to convince your landlord to let you have a clawed cat. However, I would advise against (if at all possible) lying to your landlord about the cat being declawed. My cats have done some pretty good damage to woodwork in my townhouse. Does the apartment have a pet deposit? b/c you could also offer to pay a deposit for a cat w/ claws. that gives your landlord some assurance.

hunnysuckle · Apr 9, 2008

Originally Posted by miao_kitty

Agreed. You could always wait until you can find a place that accepts cats. I know it's not the most desirable choice, but more desirable than declawing.
I mean, would you do something like this to your kid if a landlord required it?

I also second the idea of getting a cat from a shelter that is already declawed. There seems to be at least one at the shelter a month and that way the blood is not on your hands.

In fact, I also agree with trying to convince your landlord to let you have a clawed cat. However, I would advise against (if at all possible) lying to your landlord about the cat being declawed. My cats have done some pretty good damage to woodwork in my townhouse. Does the apartment have a pet deposit? b/c you could also offer to pay a deposit for a cat w/ claws. that gives your landlord some assurance.

yes there is a $300 pet deposit. I've looking into the shelter option and saw a declawed cat but since I don't have that apartment yet they wouldn't let me have him because they have to have permission from the landlord in order to give me an animal to prevent it being returned and right now the apartment i am in won't let me have one. buut hopefully I will have my apartment sometime this month at least the lady in the office told me she should have one available in the middle of april so we shall see.

This just doesn't seem right!

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

Darksome Duo!

TCS Member

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

Thread starter