When did you change your mind about declawing?

rang_27

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That is if you have changed your mind. I was thinking today how strange it seems to me now to have a cat without claws. Growing up both of our cats were 4 paw declawed. I never thought anything about it, until I got older. Between TCS & volunteering for a cat shelter I realized how important their claws are to them. I now have 4 cat with all their claws & would never declaw a cat again. Some people look at me strange, but they really do use them to play & walk. So for me it was education from TCS & the shelter, and experience at the shelter to understand how clipping the claws makes them less of a wepon (when Jordan was young he would claw at my face if he didn't like what I was doing so I quickly learned that short claws mean no scratches on my face). I've had Levi & Jordan almost 6 years now, so I would say about 7 - 8 years ago I decided I would never declaw a cat again. How about everyone else who doesn't believe in declawing?
 

plebayo

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Since I knew what it was I've always thought it was a bad idea. Mostly because physical issues in the future aside, if your cat developes a behavior problem such as marking because they want out you can't just let them outside because they don't have their claws to help defend themselves. I also decided I didn't like it since working at a vet clinic that does it, recovery in kittens isn't too bad but even with pain meds they are still painful and I mean, we're taking off the first digit on their feet! I just don't think it's fair to make an animal conform to live with you.
 

rockcat

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It was never an option in my house. My Mother (who didn't even really like cats ---then
) taught us that cats come with claws. Period.

Sometimes the simple way is the best. I love my Mom.
 

rapunzel47

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When I was growing up, all cats had claws. When I grew up and welcomed a cat into my home this was pretty much still the case, so I never even thought about "to declaw or not to declaw". My vet never broached the subject, and if he had, I would have declined, possibly asking why on earth one would want to do that. Between then and now, the practice has become more common, though our vet (different vet) has never suggested it, and I've had experience of declawed kitties -- among them the two boys we took in when their human developed allergies. Gryph and Nibs did not have declaw-related behavioural problems, though given what I've learned since then, it seems we got lucky on that count.

Bottom line: I haven't changed my mind, but it is now an educated opinion, rather than a gut-level one -- thanks in large part to this site.
 

cjh27

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Hi,

here in Germany declawing has always been illegal as it is seen a case of severe animal cruilty and a vet caught doing it would probably face a heavy fine the first time and loose his or her licence if caught repeatedly.

I've known that debarking and declawing is practiced in the USA for, um- say 3-4 Years now.

I've never once seen a declawed cat, even though I volunteered at a local shelter for several years- and this shelter had a maximum capacity of 500 cats.


What really shocked me is that I recently read that approx. 20 % of all cats are declawed in the USA
. Somehow I'd always assumed that this was lot less frequent, with only a minority of cat owners opting for declawing ....


Christine

p.s. It also shocked me that up to 1 Million healthy pets are put down in shelters every year in the USA, as there are no kill- shelters in Germany.
 

valanhb

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Unfortunately it was after we got Trent declawed.
I trusted the vet, so when they asked "Do you want him declawed when we do the neuter" (with the same intonation as "Do you want fries with that?" Literally.), and I asked "What does that entail?" and they LIED saying it was "a simple procedure where we just remove the claw and nail bed", I agreed. Because I trusted them to tell me the truth. But they didn't - they didn't tell me that the nail bed is really the first joint of their knuckle. I thought it would be like when my husband got his chronicly ingrown toenail fixed.

But it was when my sweet baby Trent came home with his little paws taped up like drumsticks, and he hurt so bad that he would cry for me to pick him up and take him to the litterbox, or the food, or the water bowl, when his little paws got infected and I almost lost him... (and this all happened the week that my mother passed away too, his surgeries were Friday, she passed on Saturday night). I knew I could never do that to another cat ever. Then later I learned what it was, and I cried into his fur and apologized over and over to him that we did that to him.

Thankfully, Trent doesn't have any behavioural issues because of it. But that also makes me even more sad because even without claws he still scratches in all the right places. He never would have been a problem with his claws.


I can't say there is anything else I have ever done that I regret as much as that. I still cry when I think about it. I'm crying now having written this post about it.
 

lunalover

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It's never been an idea that I've had for Luna.
The way I see it is, who am I to take away her claws? I wouldn't like it if someone took out my fingernails. They may seem like not such a big deal but sometime I really need them, you know?

And then I wouldn't have amusing situations like last night when Luna clawed onto the leg of my trackpants and refused to let go until I had dragged her to my bedroom with me (tiled floor) - she had a lot of fun going for a ride
 

zane's pal

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My parents always had our cats declawed because they wanted to protect their furniture. I loved my parents, but I thought it was wrong of them to do so.

Zane was already declawed when he came to us, and has learned to manage quite well without them. He can even catch mice and climb trees and defend himself with only his teeth and back claws. BUT if I have a cat after him, I will not declaw.
 

kscatlady

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Mine was sort of a gut decision, I've always known it was wrong. But now after visiting this site I have some reasons too.
 

jack31

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I never really knew anyone with cats and I didn't grew up with cats so I wasn't familiar with it. When we got Jack my husband said he needs to be declawed. I came here and read about it and was disgusted--I told my husband about it and he wasn't pleased that that was actually the procedure. It opened his eyes and mine and I vow to never declaw. I tell Jack often that I'm so glad meowmy didn't do that to him and I promise I never will.

Leslie
 

ut0pia

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I changed my mind as soon as I actually got a cat. I always thought I'd declaw if I ever had a cat because it makes it so much easier on the owner...But when I got Jake and realized how important he is to me, that's when I knew his well being comes first, and I know that an unnecessary surgery , putting him under anesthesia and then being in pain is not something I would want for him and is a risk.
 

stephanietx

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I didn't grow up with cats, so I had no preconceived notions one way or the other before Callie came into my life. She was a stray and declawed when she adopted me. After coming here and doing some other reading, I realized that many of the "issues" she has probably stem from her declawing. Don't get me wrong, she's the BEST cat ever and we have NO behavior problems with her. When we started looking for a playmate for Callie, the first thing I told my husband was that we would NEVER declaw it. EVER!
 

missymotus

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Declawing is illegal here, I didn't even know about it until I joined TCS.
 

junebugbear07

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None of our cats are declawed, but my grandparents two cats (they are the babies of our cats) but they are like 9 years old so this happened like over 8 years ago and it is just their front feet. They are indoor cats, but man do they know how to use those back feet!! I would never declaw, i dont find it necessary and all my cats will be indoor/outdoor cats.
 

valanhb

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Originally Posted by cjh27

Aw Heidi... let me give you a big hug
, that must have been awful for you,

christine
Thank you, Christine.

I don't share my story of being an ignorant idiot lightly. I wish that I had not even considered it! But I do hope that my story saves other kitties from the same pain and heartache that Trent and I went through.
 

wellingtoncats

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Heidi,
from me too. That must have been hard sharing that story but I do agree if it stops one owner from declawing then cat then some good has come from it.

I didn't know about declawing until I joined TCS (6 years ago) it is also illegal here
 

laureen227

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after joining here. Pixel [& Mouse] were both declawed by me, as well as Medley [1st cat] & Smoke [2nd cat]. Medley & Smoke were actually 4 paw declaws.

i still have some mixed feelings about declawing. none of mine ever developed any adverse habits [litterbox, etc.] but i've found [since choosing not to declaw my last 3] that it's not something i need done. i've been careful to choose furniture that isn't easily damaged, & have 4 different cat trees, loads of other scratchers, etc.

since i've always felt adopting a cat was like adopting a child - s/he is yours for life - i would NEVER rehome/get rid of a cat i chose to have declawed, regardless of what habits s/he may or may not develop.
 
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