Declaw vs retrain a 14-year old cat

[parsleysage]

I was just going by her friends unwillingness to try things for her cat. I was only using my situation as an example that determination and love goes a long way in protecting a cat regardless of the methods used to help the cat.
But you are absolutely right. I spoke out of turn without knowing the true temperament of Shadow.

I kinda agree with peekasoph though I also think rad65 is right about snap judgments.  Through much of my conversation with my friend she would say things that just had my jaw on the floor.  We have this problem generally in our friendship though, she is VERY pessimistic so I think it was less her being lazy and more of her "knowing" things wouldn't work and that she didn't need to try them and waste money.

Ducman, thanks for the link!  I'm not sure she'll go for it since when he gets lost, he gets really lost, crossing a very busy street from her townhouse into my apartment complex the first time, and walking up the busy street for more than a mile to get lost in a different neighborhood the second.  When he's around the neighborhood (the range of the device) she's fine with that.  

 

[scuns68]

You don't declaw PERIOD! It's cruel and even illegal in many states and any Vet who would perfrom this procedure on a senior cat needs his licence revoked, just my 5 cents on this topic.  As far as this lady and this poor cat is concerned she will declaw sooner or later and it appears her Vet would do it, and I hate to think ahead he will really mis behave and end up outside again - declawed where he no longer can defend for himself.  A sad story all around...........

 

[judith marrone]

I have 2 cats, both of which are declawed. Before anyone gets upset, let me explain. My first cat, which I don't have anymore, was 6 months old when he was declawed. I knew nothing about declawing because a friend of mine always had her cats declawed due to the problem with the furniture, she's materialistic!! I got my second cat when he was 4 weeks old and he was a little terror, he shredded everything, but that wasn't a problem with me since he was a kitten and that's what they do. He had 2 scratching posts which he used but when he played by himself he would attack shower curtains and anything that moved. He was really funny. Anyway, my friend talked me into having him declawed because she said that when he gets older he will hurt my other cat and the other cat won't have any protection. So, like a fool I listened to her. After that I read about declawing and swore I would never have it done again to any cat. Well, the cat I got replacing my first cat was already declawed, I got her from a shelter. I am so grateful that neither of my cats have any physical problems due to declawing, I've been blessed.

My main purpose for responding to this is, I have another friend who has 2 cats and neither of them are declawed. They like to scratch on cardboard boxes, it always looks like mice got at them. She has had her problems with one of her cats being naughty and scratching furniture, but has never even considered declawing. Her cats listen to her, she has them trained well. My male cat is untrainable, he does exactly what he wants, I've tried the spray bottle of water method and he just closes his eyes and gets wet. I've tried the newspaper on the butt and that only works until I put the paper down. I have given up but he really isn't a problem anymore since he's gotten older. It's hard to discipline him because he is just so cute and I guess my voice is not harsh enough so that he will listen. The only time I can raise my voice is if I'm angry and I never get angry at him. My female was trained well by someone else, she never does anything wrong, she is the most loving and affectionate cat I could ever hope for.

Sorry to go on and on but I get carried away when talking about my cats. Thanks.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Declawing should be illegal as it already is in over 37 more enlightened, progressive and compassionate nations.  Anyone declawing a cat should be prosecuted and imprisoned.  End of story.  If a person does not accept that cats are born with claws and need their claws for life, they should not adopt a cat.  Perhaps a plush toy would be a better bet.

 

[ducman69]

Declawing should be illegal as it already is in over 37 more enlightened, progressive and compassionate nations.  Anyone declawing a cat should be prosecuted and imprisoned.  End of story.  If a person does not accept that cats are born with claws and need their claws for life, they should not adopt a cat.  Perhaps a plush toy would be a better bet.

Yet in your sig you advocate removing healthy organs that cats are born with and serve more purposes than just reproduction (the reason people go on hormone replacement therapy even if they aren't simply looking to reproduce), of which the elective surgery carries health risks and some medical side-effects: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutering    The rest of your statement is merely a matter of personal opinion, which everyone should be permitted to form their own once provided sufficient information.    Otherwise, there are animal rights advocates that believe that you should be prosecuted and imprisoned for performing unnecessary surgery on an animal that you keep in captivity which is akin to slavery.  

Did you know its illegal to neuter dogs in Norway without proof its medically necessary?   I bet you love animals though, you just don't share their opinion.

 

[missymotus]

Yet in your sig you advocate removing healthy organs that cats are born with and serve more purposes than just reproduction

Oh for goodness sake, I see from your posts you just like to argue but comparing declawing to spaying/neutering is just ridiculous.

 

[jcat]

Please stay on topic, folks. If you want to discuss how declawing and speutering compare, please start a thread in IMO. The Cat Health forum isn't the proper place for debates.

 

[ducman69]

If you want to discuss how declawing and speutering compare, please start a thread in IMO.

Completely unnecessary as those are totally different things.   I was merely using it as an example to point out that while Tarasgirl would like to throw people in jail for elective surgery SHE considers animal cruelty, people in Norway would throw her in jail for advocating a different type of elective surgery that THEY consider animal cruelty.   Just to clarify the point in case the analogy was not obvious.   Cliffs Notes:  What one person considers animal cruelty, another does not, opinions and laws around the world will vary so it is better not to speak too harshly unless willing to accept it in turn.

 

[jcat]

And that would be a good IMO topic, as it involves abstract principles, which this forum doesn't cover.

 

[shyestblossom]

My boys used to be outdoor cats, they have now been completely indoors for about 8 years. I offered lots of stuff to scratch, which I sprayed with catnip spray to attract them, and sprayed scratch deterrent on the furniture. I've never had a problem with them destroying anything. The only problem has been them trying to sneak out, so once a year on the worst snowstorm of the year I open the door and let them try to go out. When it's - 40 and blizzarding, and they have no winter coats, they change their minds real quick! I cut their nails myself, and even though they hate it and I have to fight with them, they just deal with it. I would never consider de-clawing them, I just think about how I would like it if someone tried to do it to me........

 

[tarasgirl06]

While MILLIONS of healthy and loving cats lose their lives annually in domestic "shelters" alone, and while there is one cat or kitten needing a loving, forever home, you bet I advocate for spay/neuter 100% (and also for humans, including myself, who  has never taken or needed any hormone adjustment of any kind)

As for the opinions you've written of, no, I don't share them; domesticated species are DOMESTICATED and do not do well without human care.  As for dogs, I do not care for dogs at all.  

 

[parsleysage]

Can I request that this thread be closed?  There are too many posts to expect people to read them all and see the arc of the story (which is now over) and I think it just gives occasion for people to be freshly outraged about the original couple of posts (which doesn't seem productive to me).

 

[feralvr]

Can I request that this thread be closed?  There are too many posts to expect people to read them all and see the arc of the story (which is now over) and I think it just gives occasion for people to be freshly outraged about the original couple of posts (which doesn't seem productive to me).

I will request this for you right now.....