Why does everyone want to declaw their cats!!!

yarra

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I don't understand this!

Even before I was a cat person, I understood that this is an incredibly painful procedure that permanently alters a cats natural defenses. SO MUCH SO, that it can often negatively affect their personalities and the way they behave.

I am trying to find good decent homes for these kittens, and EVERYONE wants to declaw!! My friends that want one, I have been able to easily see that it's a terrible idea when I explain things to them. I trust they will seek other options, redirection, scratching post, soft paws, etc. But these yahoos on craigslist don't seem able to learn, or just plain don't care.


I KNOW that some people, even here, have declawed kitties, and I know that some didn't have a choice, or didn't know, or very few truly don't see the harm, but I can't give these cat's to homes that are going to declaw them. Am I being to sensitive???

I am making myself sick here! *ugh*
 

white cat lover

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PJ & Punky landed with a TCS member as I have no faith in people to NOT declaw.

Eden will be hard to adopt out for the same reason - only her claws are vital due to balance issues.

It is sooo hard to adopt out cats to homes where they will keep all their claws. Like 90% of the cats adopted out by the shelter here where I volunteer are declawed.
 

jack31

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It does make me sick too-- I recently found out that my next door neighbor just had her kitten (about 5-6 months old) declawed. It broke my heart as her other cat is declawed and just terribly mean. I mean she found this kitten at 1 week old so she has had ample opportunity to teach this cat right from wrong!

Then the case of a friend who took in two "stray" females to get them abort/spayed and the appt failed and they both proceeded to give birth in a matter of days. She ended up with her 3 cats, 2 mommas and 5 babies. She knows that 3 of the kittens went to a home where they were gonna be declawed, but had she not brought those kittens into her home they would have lived on the street reproducing again and again just like their mommas had. It was the lesser of two evils. Yeah her and I both hated that we knew they'd be declawed. But kittens are everywhere--around by the thousands, they were loving people (we did tell them about declawing, but their concern was small children blah blah blah) it was a better life for them--they were spaying and neutering and that was our biggest concern.

Leslie
 

faith's_mom

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Many people declaw because they refuse to beleive that a cat can be trained to use scratch posts or to 'be gentle' with their claws. There is also such thing as a 'nail trimmer' as well...but people don't like to take the time to teach their cats to sit there and get there nails trimmed.

I am in the camp that is somewhat 'on the fence'; if means the cat has a permanent home, or the 'needle' that ends his life, then I would be inclined to give the cat it's life; there are litters soft enough to allow a declawed cat to dig properly, and in my experience (because my parents wouldn't allow indoor cats to have their front claws), it's only a certain few that don't recover to be pretty much normal after the procedure. Ours would even kill mice...which was a definite plus, when the outdoor barn cats 'failed' at their job! Now, is that a justification to do it just like spaying and neutering? No...I don't feel it's a necessary procedure the record, thus the reason my own cats have their claws. But if it means the cat will live a long spoiled life, where otherwise he would be put to sleep, or live in a kennel for who knows how long? I think, perhaps, even a cat 'might' choose temporary discomfort. Does this replace education? No, and perhaps, after an initial experience, a person's perspective may change after having gone through one declawing experience; I know my own had to change...I originally thought like my parents...that indoor cats should be declawed, to protect furniture, and children, and geusts! But my perspective had to change.

I don't think, though, that all people who declaw should be judged badly, either, just because they don't 'know' any better; I know alot of people who do declaw, who care for their cats much better than some people who don't declaw. jmho
 

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It bothers me as well.

A few nights ago, I spoke to a friend who I hadn't heard from in a long time. She was casually telling me about the kitten she got. She went on to say that he was a bit mad at her, at the moment, because she just got him back from the vet's after his neuter and de-clawing. I asked if there was a reason why she de-clawed him (not wanting to automatically jump down her throat and impose my beliefs on her) -- was he violent, was he tearing up her furniture? No. She just said something along the lines of, "Eh.. well, he was already in there for his neutering, I figured I could kill two birds with one stone."

That really got to me. I can see someone being illinformed, or having a good (at least in their eyes) reason.. but to just be so flippant about the whole thing was a bit unnerving. It's not as if she's a cat novice; she's had them all her life and to my knowledge, they had all their "fingers 'n toes" fully intact. I was truly bummed out whole rest of the day and I wish more people did their research before making such decisions. Niko is my first cat and before I went down to the shelter to think about even possibly adopting, I tried to do my homework so I didn't make any common, beginner mistakes.
 

icklemiss21

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Originally Posted by beturtlement

It bothers me as well.

A few nights ago, I spoke to a friend who I hadn't heard from in a long time. She was casually telling me about the kitten she got. She went on to say that he was a bit mad at her, at the moment, because she just got him back from the vet's after his neuter and de-clawing. I asked if there was a reason why she de-clawed him (not wanting to automatically jump down her throat and impose my beliefs on her) -- was he violent, was he tearing up her furniture? No. She just said something along the lines of, "Eh.. well, he was already in there for his neutering, I figured I could kill two birds with one stone."

That really got to me. I can see someone being illinformed, or having a good (at least in their eyes) reason.. but to just be so flippant about the whole thing was a bit unnerving. It's not as if she's a cat novice; she's had them all her life and to my knowledge, they had all their "fingers 'n toes" fully intact. I was truly bummed out whole rest of the day and I wish more people did their research before making such decisions. Niko is my first cat and before I went down to the shelter to think about even possibly adopting, I tried to do my homework so I didn't make any common, beginner mistakes.
A vet in the next city goes as far as to send out discount coupons in the mail if you have the speuter and declaw done together, you save $75. I think for most people, they think it is the 'done thing' with indoor cats.

Unlike Natalie, we get few declawed cats into the shelter and since I have been volunteering, I an only think of two with behavioural problems, one was a cantankerous older cat and wasn't given up for his behaviour problem but a family situation and the second was found as a stray and I am sure had to learn to be tough to survive as a declaw out on the streets.
 

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My zelda is actually declawed. I blame my vet. I had soft paws on her at her appointment for shots and my vet actually told me that after a while they will start to resist you putting the soft paws on their claws and it's better to declaw. I felt so, so bad when I picked her up after her spaying/declawing the next day. Her paws were all bloody and you could tell she was in pain. I will never do that again or listen to a vet trying to talk me into it. I still feel really bad about it.
 
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yarra

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Originally Posted by Fuzzles

My zelda is actually declawed. I blame my vet. I had soft paws on her at her appointment for shots and my vet actually told me that after a while they will start to resist you putting the soft paws on their claws and it's better to declaw. I felt so, so bad when I picked her up after her spaying/declawing the next day. Her paws were all bloody and you could tell she was in pain. I will never do that again or listen to a vet trying to talk me into it. I still feel really bad about it.
I am so sorry you had to go through that. I want you to know, you are NOT the type of person that is making me upset. Even those that do it, not knowing any better can't help it.

It's when they are informed, and are told ramifications, understand them and just don't care. It just makes me so sad.

You were doing what you thought was best for Zelda. It's all about education, and it really is all of our responsibilities to speak up and educate those that we can.

*sigh*

There are some really good points made here. I will just keep my fingers crossed that I can either help the new homes understand how NOT GOOD declawing is, or pray that people who already know this will find me and want a kitten, or two, or three...
 

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Our daughter was an after school and summer nanny for friends of ours who have a son Ben's age. The daughter is 5 years younger than Jen but they are good friends.

Jen always watched the house for them and fed the cat when they were away. Their cat died and they got another one from the shelter. The had her declawed so she wouldn't claw the furniture. She still tried to and they brought her back to the shelter and told them that she should be PTS.

This was very hard for Jen to deal with. She really loves the daughter but she cannot figure out why the parents declawed the cat in the first place and then returned her. Jen did not tell me this right away or I would have taken the cat and kept her or found her a home.

We are no longer really friends with the parents. Jen still hangs out with the daughter when Jen is home from school which is fine. The daughter was devastated when the cat left.
 

zane's pal

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My Zane is declawed; not my idea or my late father's, he was that way when he came. He has adjusted to it well, and is able to catch and kill mice and to drive interloping cats out of his domain (when he was let outside occasionally) with only his rear claws and teeth.

That being said, Zane's successor will not be declawed, unless he turns out to have had it done to him before he comes to me.
 

megra

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Vets here are against clipping unless it's for the cat's own welfare and declawing just doesn't come into their vocabulary. I'm afraid my attitude is that if you can't respect an animal for what it is, you shouldn't have anything to do with it. My cat has never been clipped. I've never seen fit to put anything on her claws to shield them but, in spite of the fact that she can't fully retract her claws because she is very old, I've never had any trouble with her either using her claws in anger or clawing the furniture. Even if she did start doing either of those things, I still wouldn't have her clipped and I'd never even countenance having her declawed. I'd find a way, somehow, to cope with the behavioural problem that didn't involve mutilation.

The only case I can see for even clipping a cat is if it is purely a house cat that never goes out and never has the opportunity, therefore, to work its claws down through use. I'm lucky in that the complex in which I live has extensive gardens which my cat makes full use of for much of the day and whilst her claws are long, they are not a hindrance to her. I have discussed clipping with my vet and I trust him to tell me if the day comes when Thingy ever needs clipping but, knowing his attitude, I'm pleased to say that I think that is unlikely to happen.
 

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I guess I'm of a similar opinion to faith's-mom. I do not like the idea of declawing and have seen some cats with the negative side effects...others that were perfectly fine afterwards. I do not like it as a "first resort" to stopping scratching of people or items. I think it should basically be a "last resort" other than turning the cat out or having it PTS.

I had to adopt out a kitten and he went to some people that I knew would declaw him...but otherwise, he'd have everything he could ever want and would be cared for exceptionally well...I chose to adopt him to that couple, instead of having to take him to the shelter, where who-knows-who would get him or if he would be PTS.

If it does have to be done (i.e. you absolutely can't talk someone out of it) I think you should at least convince them to go to a vet that knows what they're doing and uses the laser for the procedure...it is much more humane than the traditional method and (from what I've seen) causes a lot less trauma and heals a lot faster.

Art
 

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I think there's a lot of misdirection of anger. I would venture to say that 95% of the people that declaw their cats have no idea how bad it is for them. They just know lots of people do it. If they actually realized how bad it is, I bet almost all of them would change direction.

I just have a tendency to believe most people are good and love their pets.
 

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it's just ashame that nobody educates people on the issue. I agree, a declaw is better then being PTS..... but it's too bad that people are too lazy to find out what is best for their animals.

That cats can be quite easily trained not to scratch things, by giving them something they want to scratch (post/cardboard) and detering them from scratching furniture (double sided tape/tin foil)

Once cats outgrow the kitten stage, they almost never scratch furniture,especially if they have been trained not too. It's very sad that people are too lazy or apathetic to even try and to put their animals through an un-necessary surgery, that permanently needlessly alters the animal,and like any surgery can lead to life changing complications.

It's just sad.
 

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How are they too lazy? If you wanted your cat declawed, asked the vet, they told you it's fine, which any vet that would do it would probably say, then why would you have any reason to research it?
 

white cat lover

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Originally Posted by fastnoc

I think there's a lot of misdirection of anger. I would venture to say that 95% of the people that declaw their cats have no idea how bad it is for them. They just know lots of people do it. If they actually realized how bad it is, I bet almost all of them would change direction.

I just have a tendency to believe most people are good and love their pets.
I will disagree. I often get the "honor" of telling people how they are mutilating their pets. I get told "my last cat was fine"....they go ahead & declaw anyways. I even had one lady go so far as to tell me I jinxed her kitty being declawed. They had adopted an 8 month old kitten & declawed him. Less than a year later he was peeing all over the house. They brought him back to the shelter, we killed him. That lady was sure I did something to "ruin" her kitty, that I somehow did this to him.

We explain to adopters what they are doing - and they do it anyways. Words fall upon deaf ears.
 

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well I can't argue with that. You certainly know more than I do there.

I stand corrected. That's just sad
 

white cat lover

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Originally Posted by fastnoc

well I can't argue with that. You certainly know more than I do there.

I stand corrected. That's just sad
There are a ton of people who don't know what declawing is.....but what kills me is the ones who do it who know what it is (and that's where I get royall pissed). Suppose I can't talk anymore....

This issue is part of the reason I am no longer fostering. Many of my former fosters have been declawed & returned for issues resulting from declawing. They were then euthanized. I can't handle killing "my" babies anymore. Since people won't stop declawing - I will stop fostering them.
 

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In the States it seems so many get a cat and think declawing is routine, necessary and normal as vaccinations. Vets offer good package deals for declawing along with spay and neuter. When my cat was spayed, my vet was puzzled when I didn't want the declaw package, apparently, I was one of the very few that don't. People that I talk to with kitties declaw as they just don't know what goes into it or do know but are quick to point out that it is okay and it was suggested to them by their vet or a trusted person like family or friends.
 

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Originally Posted by fastnoc

How are they too lazy? If you wanted your cat declawed, asked the vet, they told you it's fine, which any vet that would do it would probably say, then why would you have any reason to research it?
as whitecat said, many people are INFORMED. THey use the excuse that most cats are perfectly fine and they don't want their furniture ruined, that is clearly the #1 reason for declawing. Hence they are too lazy to train their cat, know the potential consequences, and do it anyways. Any unecessary surgery is a risk that shouldn't be taken

It's sad when people don't know better, but far worse when they've been told.
 
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