Pro declawing cats? - Page 2

Here is Max's front foot, it's not the best picture but I think it shows what I was trying to describe.

Max should be walking just on the pad but he doesn't on the right foot. He doesn't put any pressure on his toes at all. None. What he is walking on is the back part of his leg past the pad on his foot. Making his foot about 2 inches long. Very different than his left foot which he walks correctly on.



Please reconsider declawing.

I've heard too many horror stories to be a fan. IMHO, it's human selfishness, but is sometimes a necessary evil.
There are plenty of sprays and such out there that make very good alternatives to de-clawing to keep your cat from hurting furniture, and Soft Paws work very well for protecting you and your family if you're really that worried.

This is VERY common behavior with declawed cats. They oftentimes offer to bite much more than unaltered cats- it's their only defense!

Evil yes, necessary, never. If it wasn't an option to begin with, people would find other ways to cope, regardless of the situation.

If 26 other civilized countries around the world can get along without it, the USA can too. It's coming, the outlawing of this mutilating of cats is coming to the USA, city by city to start. I pray I live to see the day it is nationwide.

I think the OP has disappeared. I think we scared him off.

I suppose you're right, I may have exaggerated.
It's funny, your second statement is very similar to one I made in a persuasive speech last week- That 29 other countries have mandatory helmet laws for motorcyclists, but in the US, only a little more than half of the states have mandatory laws.

I declawed two of my cats a dozen years ago. We declawed a very young cat who recovered quickly, and an 8-year-old who walked and jumped very gingerly for a few months afterward (declawing an older cat was an even bigger mistake, I now realize). I will NEVER declaw a cat again.

Yes, my declawed 14-year-old has spent her life tearing around the house, fake-clawing all the upholstery, and ruling the roost over much bigger cats with claws. She's okay, but I am not. I feel tremendous guilt for having allowed this unecessary mutilation to her. I took a dangerous risk with her health and happiness, and as a result, I unconsciously treat her like she's fragile; I have never gotten as attached to her as I am to my other cats. She's definitely my husband's girl, not mine. I guess I don't feel I deserve her affection, or something.

I didn't mean to get all psycho-babbly here, but I am trying to warn you that declawing can have a negative effect on YOU as well as the cat. Especially if you know you're doing something wrong, and since you've read this thread this far, you surely know....

We use Soft Paws on all our other cats. They do come off quickly on the kittens' tiny claws, but they stay on for weeks with our older cats. They are easy to use (especially if you have a partner to hold the cat) and as long as you distract the cat for 10 minutes after applying them, to let the glue set, they work really well. There's just no excuse for declawing while there are Soft Paws. They protect you and the furniture and they don't hurt the cat. And all those designer colors to choose from....