Declawing Cats

[eilcon]

It really boils down to education and approaching people - vets and cat owners in the right way. Unfortunately, as others have pointed out, many vets still "package" spay/neuter and declawing as routine and don't properly educate clients. I have to give my vet credit in that regard. I've known her to make every effort to actually talk folks out of declawing and even refuse to do it under some circumstances.

Unfortunately, there are still a lot of cat owners who, while very caring and responsible, are uneducated about how cruel and unecessary declawing is. That's where those of us who have the knowledge and experience come in. But, in educating other cat owners, we have to do so with the right approach. Lecturing and criticizing them (in other words the "crazy cat lady approach") won't get us anywhere. Trust me, I've been there.

The key to effectively educating folks and convincing them not to declaw lies in sharing our experiences and providing accurate information in a positive, respectful way. Been there too and it works!

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by blueyedgirl5946

Yesterday I went to the vet to pick up cat food for Muffin. There was a potential customer there. He was getting an estimate for neuter/declawing a cat. I tried to tactfully suggest some alternatives. Also I was suggesting that neuter and declaw all at once might create some behavior issues with the cat. The bottom line was the wife had new leather furniture and didn't want to have to deal with the cat. The husband had tried shoot with the watergun to stop the cat. Then the wife complained about the water mist on her wood floors. I told him about how when Max and Speedboat were inside cats I had managed to train them with scratching posts/catnip. Later it turned out my husband was allergic and we had no choice but to move the cats outside in a protected fenced in area. However it is not foolproof. I told him I glad I was we had never declawed them. Nothing seemed to change his decision. It ought to be against the law to declaw a cat.

Six cities, so far, in the USA have outlawed declawing. Five in California and one in Virginia. So it's coming, but slowly.

West Hollywood
Santa Monica
Beverly Hills
Los Angeles
San Francisco

And Norfolk Va

Maybe we ought to get some celebrities involved. That might speed things up.

Anyone know of any cat lover celebrities? I don't pay any attention to that world, but....I wonder...

Here are a list of the countries that have outlawed declawing of cats. I pray every day that the USA will some day soon be on this list

England
Scotland
Wales
Italy
France
Germany
Bosnia \t
Austria
Switzerland
Norway
Sweden
Netherlands
Northern Ireland \t
Ireland
Denmark
Finland
Slovenia
Portugal
Belgium \t
Brazil
Australia
New Zealand
Yugoslavia
Malta
Israel

source: http://www.declawing.com/htmls/outlawed.htm

 

[kittymcg]

Originally Posted by eilcon

Lecturing and criticizing them (in other words the "crazy cat lady approach") won't get us anywhere. Trust me, I've been there.

The key to effectively educating folks and convincing them not to declaw lies in sharing our experiences and providing accurate information in a positive, respectful way. Been there too and it works!

just to mention: the conversation was done civily and when they asked me I had no idea they had declawed. They both thought I was nuts saying that giving most cats a scrath post will stop any unwanted scratching.

The point that was missed here is that simple measures like providing a post and entertainment for the cat is not explained to these people. Instead the vet cashes in on an opportunity.

 

[eilcon]

Originally Posted by kittymcG

just to mention: the conversation was done civily and when they asked me I had no idea they had declawed. They both thought I was nuts saying that giving most cats a scrath post will stop any unwanted scratching.

The point that was missed here is that simple measures like providing a post and entertainment for the cat is not explained to these people. Instead the vet cashes in on an opportunity.

I didn't mean to imply the conversation wasn't handled civilly. My point was that many times it isn't, either when the topic comes on TCS or in person. It definitely sounds like you handed the situation in positive way.

As I mentioned, many vets fail to properly educate clients and offer alternatives to declawing. There are others, including my own, that do, so we can't generalize.

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by BreaMarie

I don't think it's right to cast aspersions on peoples' character because they value their possessions. It's certainly possible to love your cat, and to also have nice things that you don't want your cats to ruin.
I know someone who has 5 cats, and her house doesn't look very good. She has scratching posts all over the place, but her carpet is ripped up at the edges, the sides of her couches are all ripped, and some of her wood furniture has gouge marks in the sides. She tried soft paws but her cats ripped them off (my cat Oscar did the same thing with his soft paws...little stinker!). I think if people thought that they could only have a cat if they stopped caring about their furniture/the appearance of their house, there would be a lot more cats in shelters.

So, all that to say, I still don't think declawing is a good idea in the vast majority of situations, but I think you need to approach it correctly with people. If I, uninformed about declawing, encountered someone who said things like "Well how would you like your fingers amputated? You seem to care more about your furniture than your cat. I bet he'll end up at a shelter some day." Then I would write them off as being a bit nuts, and not consider their opinion.
And if you present it well, but someone still chooses to declaw, then it is what it is. I know many loved cats who are declawed (including my old cat Scarlett, and my current cat Romeo), who are happy and don't have problem behaviors because of it. It's not a good idea for the vast majority of cats, but it's not a death sentence.

I understand what you are saying but this ( in bold) is just not true. You want a declawed cat? Go to any shelter and find plenty. They get dumped just as often, if not more, often than cats that have not been mutilated.

Or..take the trouble to train your cats properly. People, in general, who declaw are lazy and do not care about what's best for their cats. My opinion.

And I know a lot of people who work in rescue, and guess what, they find declawed cats dumped on the street quite often. A LOT.

All those other countries manage just fine without this horror.

And it's not the fingers of humans that should be chopped off, it's the toes and heels of their feet. Cats walk on their toes.

And to have all four feet done. My gosh. Can you imagine not being able to scratch an itch? Vets who do that should have their licenses revoked.

Sorry, I don't see how anyone can say I love my cat and I'm having his toes amputated in the same sentence. Such cruelty just does not mean love to me.

 

[-_aj_-]

Originally Posted by otto

I understand what you are saying but this ( in bold) is just not true. You want a declawed cat? Go to any shelter and find plenty. They get dumped just as often, if not more, often than cats that have not been mutilated.

Or..take the trouble to train your cats properly. People, in general, who declaw are lazy and do not care about what's best for their cats. My opinion.

And I know a lot of people who work in rescue, and guess what, they find declawed cats dumped on the street quite often. A LOT.

All those other countries manage just fine without this horror.

And it's not the fingers of humans that should be chopped off, it's the toes and heels of their feet. Cats walk on their toes.

And to have all four feet done. My gosh. Can you imagine not being able to scratch an itch? Vets who do that should have their licenses revoked.

Sorry, I don't see how anyone can say I love my cat and I'm having his toes amputated in the same sentence. Such cruelty just does not mean love to me.

I love your post!!! You are so right, theres no option here to have this done, Smooch is a huge scratcher we cant declaw him we wouldnt even if we could you have to work with your cat not further hurt them

 

[trimph1]

So far up here--out in the country around us there were about 14 semi-ferals that were found to have been declawed. Now how are they supposed to defend themselves?

Mind, we have had a few ourselves show up--or get dumped--that were declawed. This is worrying to me-----

 

[white cat lover]

Many vets do not educate owners on what declawing is. Yet I know a shelter volunteer who I showed pictures of a declaw procdure, gave her my whole long talk - two weeks later both kitties are declawed. Some people just don't care, they value their furniture more than their pets.

 

[laceface]

Ugh. When I first moved to Florida, we got a little black kitten named Loki. Pat wanted to get him declawed, so I researched what exactly that entailed. I learned there are two methods- the laser removal of the last digit, or the chopping off of the last digit. Yeah, no thanks. I even called a few vets to ask which way they used, and all just said that they removed the last digit... yeah, but how? None would give me a straight answer. Loki ended up going to live with Pat's mom, since we were moving to the roommates house, and he has leather furniture. This was also after we tried soft paws, and that failed. I decided Loki living elsewhere was better than Loki being mutilated.

My three now all have their claws, of course. they also scratch up the leather furniture- accidentally, just from walking across it. We will try soft paws or some equivalent eventually, since they only actively scratch on their scratching post. I would NEVER cut their nails off. Ever.

 

[tx_kat]

Originally Posted by eilcon

It really boils down to education and approaching people - vets and cat owners in the right way. Unfortunately, as others have pointed out, many vets still "package" spay/neuter and declawing as routine and don't properly educate clients. I have to give my vet credit in that regard. I've known her to make every effort to actually talk folks out of declawing and even refuse to do it under some circumstances.

Unfortunately, there are still a lot of cat owners who, while very caring and responsible, are uneducated about how cruel and unecessary declawing is. That's where those of us who have the knowledge and experience come in. But, in educating other cat owners, we have to do so with the right approach. Lecturing and criticizing them (in other words the "crazy cat lady approach") won't get us anywhere. Trust me, I've been there.

The key to effectively educating folks and convincing them not to declaw lies in sharing our experiences and providing accurate information in a positive, respectful way. Been there too and it works!

I want to respond the what I bolded. I had my old cat declawed when I got her spayed (it was a "package deal"). I didn't know exactly what declawing involved, and the doctor didn't bother to tell me what it really is. My cat didn't have behavior probelms, but I feel so bad for having had her declawed. Our kittens took immediately to the scratching post we made from scrap plywood wrapped in a carpet remnant (base), and scrap untreated 2x4's wrapped in sisal rope. Our girl kitten is really cute -- she sharpens her claws on the scratching post right before she attacks her stuffed mouse!

 

[tigerontheprowl]

The sad truth of it is that aside from real cat lovers, and vets, nobody really knows the damage that comes with the declawing procedure. It has become such a public mainstream surgery that people see it as something you just do when you get a cat. They don't see anything wrong with it. Nobody educates themselves about it, nor do they want to listen to anyone who knows about it. With procedures like spay/neuter and declawing, people don't think about the effects. Talk to any stranger on the street who has a cat and ask them why they had their cat fixed. I guarantee that at least 80% of them will just say "to stop them from having kittens". All the other benefits will not have been thought of at all. It's the same with declawing. You will either hear people say "I didn't want them scratching the furniture" or "I didn't want them hurting anyone". They won't think about the pain involved, the common behavioral problems that can come with it, the aggression, etc.

 

[ducman69]

Originally Posted by blueyedgirl5946

I wish I had told that man, stretch out your hand. We will chop your finger off at the first joint. Then you will match your cat.

I wish I had told that man, take off your pants. We will chop off your testicles. Then you will match your cat.

Doesn't sound very appealing.

Human hands do not have the last digit fully retracted of which the primary purpose is locomotion. Comparing it to cutting off fingers is asinine at best.

Anyone that claims that anatomy is analogous to a human hand needs to go back to school.

The primary danger with declaw surgery is the anesthesia itself, especially when it comes to advances in laser technology which instantly cauterize the wound making even bandages optional.

If you are going to have your cat declawed, it should be done at a young age when the weight of the animal is minimal, healing is greatly improved, and at the same time as the hysterectomy/castration so that the cat doesn't have to be put under twice.

The medical community does NOT have a consensus on behavioral changes for the declaw procedure, but there ARE studies on the behavioral changes of a castration. So if we are worried about change, its the latter of the two to research.

There are pros and cons to the removal of any healthy tissue from an intact animal, and that includes declaws but also neutering:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutering
- bleeding and infection along w/ usual anesthetic/surgical complications

- twofold excess risk to develop osteosarcoma as compared to intact

- 5 times greater risk of hemangiosarcoma

- Spaying and neutering is associated with an increase in urinary tract cancers.

- 27% to 38% increased risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations.

- risk of hormone-responsive alopecia (hair loss)

- higher incidence of CCL rupture, a form of ACL injury

- increased incidence of noise phobias

- 1.4% increased chance of prostate cancer

- As compared to intact males, male neutered cats are at an increased risk for certain problems associated with feline lower urinary tract disease, including the presence of stones or a plug in the urethra and urethral blockage.

-Neutering also has been associated with an increased likelihood of urethral sphincter incontinence in males

See link for sources, often done over many years with thousands of animals in the test base conducted by major universities.

That said, neutering/spaying has numerous advantages that shift the balance of pros and cons to the pro making it a good idea for just about everyone over a quick and simple vasectomy (which can be done without even a scalpel or sutures today).

There are special circumstances though in which a declaw procedure makes sense, and to encourage people not to adopt when the adoption rate in Houston last year was a miserable 23% meaning 77% were euthenized doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

IMO, any elective surgery should be treated like the abortion debate. There are some circumstances where it makes sense, but its not something to be taken lightly or used as a first troubleshooting step to control destructive behavior.

My cats both have taken well to training and redirection of clawing (mostly) onto permitted surfaces.

If they did not, the recommendation to return them to a shelter where they have little chance of finding a forever home or to give up ever having nice things for the next fifteen years or worry about scratches for someone that has a medical reason to be concerned makes no sense, and I would have had them laser declawed in that case. I do oppose the scalpel declaw though, for the simple reason that there are alternatives that are safer for the animal (just as training and redirection of scratching is safer yet).

 

[Willowy]

Originally Posted by Ducman69

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutering
- bleeding and infection along w/ usual anesthetic/surgical complications

- twofold excess risk to develop osteosarcoma as compared to intact

- 5 times greater risk of hemangiosarcoma

- Spaying and neutering is associated with an increase in urinary tract cancers.

- 27% to 38% increased risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations.

- risk of hormone-responsive alopecia (hair loss)

- higher incidence of CCL rupture, a form of ACL injury

- increased incidence of noise phobias

- 1.4% increased chance of prostate cancer

- As compared to intact males, male neutered cats are at an increased risk for certain problems associated with feline lower urinary tract disease, including the presence of stones or a plug in the urethra and urethral blockage.

-Neutering also has been associated with an increased likelihood of urethral sphincter incontinence in males

See link for sources, often done over many years with thousands of animals in the test base conducted by major universities.

Did you read the wiki? Almost all of those are for dogs---I do recognize that castration, especially early-age castration, may not be the best for dogs (although the AVMA doesn't: http://www.avma.org/avmacollections/..._218_2_217.pdf). Cats don't really get osteosarcoma or hemangiosarcoma. And I don't think cats get ACL ruptures...I've never heard of it, at least. And aren't so prone to noise phobias. There may be some increased risk of urinary problems in neutered cats, but how many intact toms are kept indoors? It's unlikely their owners would notice if they had urinary trouble. All the studies done on cats specifically have shown no significant health issues associated with spay/neuter, even when done at a very early age. For someone who's all about the "facts", you sure aren't averse to using selective reasoning.

Both the AVMA and AAHA are unabashedly pro-spay/neuter. I couldn't find anything on their sites about the cons to neutering. Here's the study that was done on cats: http://www.avma.org/avmacollections/...17_11_1661.pdf
Though it does say that long-term studies are lacking.

As for de-clawing, well, the AVMA is too pro-declawing for my taste. But here it is:
http://www.avma.org/issues/animal_we...awing_bgnd.asp
Oddly, they claim that complications from laser surgery and scalpel disarticulation are higher than from nail-clipper surgery. Personally, I think that's due to sloppy reporting, I can't possibly see how that could be true, laser surgery has been proven to reduce complications in other animals and in humans. So I'm a little iffy on the rest of their data as well. But judge for yourself. They once had a paper in the JAVMA saying that 65% of already spayed/neutered cats surrendered to shelters are also de-clawed, even though only about 40% of the general population of spayed/neutered cats are de-clawed, and the implications of that (indicating that de-clawed cats are more likely to be surrendered, for whatever reasons), but I can't find it right now. I'll keep looking, but some of their papers are for members only, so I might not be able to get it. I read my vet's JAVMA so I might have seen it in there, not on the website.

AAHA is a bit wishy-washy on the subject, but tend toward being more anti:
http://www.healthypet.com/PetCare/Pe...4-2142e4202852
(look at the redirects, too)

The AAFP is all about pain management: http://www.catvets.com/professionals...ex.aspx?Id=291

 

[breamarie]

Originally Posted by otto

I understand what you are saying but this ( in bold) is just not true. You want a declawed cat? Go to any shelter and find plenty. They get dumped just as often, if not more, often than cats that have not been mutilated.

My point was that if declawing becomes illegal (and thus, in a few years, you could not find a declawed cat at a shelter), many people may choose not to adopt a cat at all.

Originally Posted by otto

Or..take the trouble to train your cats properly. People, in general, who declaw are lazy and do not care about what's best for their cats. My opinion.

I think that's quite the generalization. Also, not all cats can be trained not to claw furniture. My cat Oscar will not use any sort of scratching box/post and rips off Soft Paws. Luckily he only uses his claws on my microfiber sofa and recliner, which have not been damaged, and occasionally my mattress, which is also okay. It would be much worse if he turned his attention to the carpet.

Originally Posted by otto

And I know a lot of people who work in rescue, and guess what, they find declawed cats dumped on the street quite often. A LOT.

I realize that; Scarlett and Romeo are both rescues. I don't think that speaks to declawing as a practice, though. Unfortunately, some people will dump their cats.
I do know that declawed cats are often seen as more desirable to potential adopters, though.

Originally Posted by otto

All those other countries manage just fine without this horror.

And it's not the fingers of humans that should be chopped off, it's the toes and heels of their feet. Cats walk on their toes.

And to have all four feet done. My gosh. Can you imagine not being able to scratch an itch? Vets who do that should have their licenses revoked.

Sorry, I don't see how anyone can say I love my cat and I'm having his toes amputated in the same sentence. Such cruelty just does not mean love to me.

Well, that's your opinion.

As I've said, I don't think that declawing should be an automatic or even first resort for anyone. Romeo is four paw declawed, and I feel bad that he cannot scratch himself. I don't understand why people would declaw the back feet.

But if Oscar had started ripping up the carpets in my apartment, I would have, after trying everything I could think of, found a place to do laser declaw. I can't afford the thousands of dollars it would cost me in damages in my current and future homes if he started destroying the carpet. I don't like that fact that it changes the way they walk, but my only other option would be re-homing him, and it's not easy to place a black cat with behavior problems. Thankfully, this is not an issue for me, but I hate to think that declawing will become illegal everywhere, and someone may have to face the decision of re-homing their beloved cat, or having damage done to their home that they cannot afford.

 

[Willowy]

If de-clawing became illegal everywhere (and this law was actually complied with. . .I suspect many vets would still do it; Americans in general are very bad at complying with laws), people would adjust. Right now they might say that they wouldn't have a cat that wasn't de-clawed, but they probably would, after they got used to the idea. There are very, very few cats who cannot be trained to use a scratching post, once you figure out what kind of scratching surface that cat prefers..

I don't believe de-clawing keeps cats in their homes. If cats suddenly were all born without claws, I don't believe the owner retention rate would change at all. I think that if someone says they're getting rid of their cat because of scratching behaviors, they're just looking for a excuse to get rid of the cat, and even if the cat had no claws, they'd still get rid of it. As evidenced by the number of de-clawed cats in shelters and on the streets. I've had 4 de-clawed cats dumped in my neighborhood. . .not even one spayed/neutered but not de-clawed cat has shown up, ever.

I know that de-clawed cats who do show up in shelters are easier to place, but I attribute this to the novelty effect. Or because people think they're getting a better "deal" when a cat is de-clawed. But if every cat was de-clawed (or born without claws), I don't believe adoption statistics would change at all.

 

[cosabella]

I think humans in general are very selfish. The idea of placing the value of ones furniture above that of the health and well-being of the family pet just smacks of selfishness. People can justify it any which way they like until the moon turns into cottage cheese, but there's really no other way of saying it.

There is no way I will ever declaw my cat because he destroyed the carpet or stratched the sofa. These objects can be replaced.

My cat is irreplaceable and when it's all said and done, I want to look him in the eyes and not have the guilt of knowing I voluntarily amputated him to save a piece of furniture.

 

[ducman69]

Originally Posted by Willowy

Did you read the wiki? Almost all of those are for dogs---I do recognize that castration, especially early-age castration, may not be the best for dogs (although the AVMA doesn't: http://www.avma.org/avmacollections/..._218_2_217.pdf).

The problem is that large and/or long term studies for felines are few and far between. Not sure why there is so much more money in dogs, but there is definitely a huge investment in humans, and the various health effects of low testosterone levels without hormone replacement therapy are very well documented. Add that to the effects we recognize in work and livestock animals (intentionally done to fatten beef cattle for example), and it shows that neutering does have more effects than sterilization in mammals. That is just to make a point though, and I don't believe the cons outweigh the pros. I just don't think I could live with a spraying tomcat.

Originally Posted by Willowy

I couldn't find anything on their sites about the cons to neutering. Here's the study that was done on cats: http://www.avma.org/avmacollections/...17_11_1661.pdf Though it does say that long-term studies are lacking.

That study was not comparing the health of intact animals to castrated ones, it was to asses the risks of early castrations. The concern being whether or not very young kittens should be fixed or not before being given up for adoption. We know the real issue though is that if left up to the adopter months down the line, many would likely not end up getting fixed, ending up back in shelters once the hormones (and "negative" behavior) kicks in or let loose adding to the overpopulation crisis.

Its not surprising that some older articles on laser equipment might give pause, but I'd attribute that to a new generation of operators that didn't have any experience with the brand new equipment. Most quality veterinarians should have plenty of experience now though, and the laser is great as it is very precise and adjustable, instantly cauterizes blood vessels so vision isn't impeded and heal times more rapid, and it also cauterizes nerve endings the same to aid in pain management.

That said, its surgery, and if you don't need surgery you shouldn't undergo it ever. How bad would you feel if you put your cat under for elective surgery, and he or she had serious rare complications or heaven forbid didn't wake up (definitely ask about precautions taken such as heat pads and the like)? =/

I definitely take issue with those that just carelessly subject their kittens to unnecessary surgery, but I am also quite annoyed by the crusaders that angrily attack anyone that performs or considers the surgery no matter the circumstances not accepting that there are some that are good candidates, especially when it keeps them in a home with the low adoption rate in today's economy.

 

[Willowy]

I suppose there are no real studies done on tomcats vs neutered cats because nobody, including researchers and even breeders, is willing to live with tomcats longer than absolutely necessary

.

I find it alarming that so many vets violate the ethics of their very own vet associations by providing de-claws on demand. Every single vet association says that vets should discourage de-claws, and only do them if the cat has a true scratching problem and all alternatives have been exhausted. Every single vet here PUSHES de-claws, and make you feel stupid for refusing to de-claw. Really makes you wonder about those vets, and what other ethical considerations they might be willing to violate in exchange for money.

 

[breamarie]

Originally Posted by Willowy

If de-clawing became illegal everywhere (and this law was actually complied with. . .I suspect many vets would still do it; Americans in general are very bad at complying with laws), people would adjust. Right now they might say that they wouldn't have a cat that wasn't de-clawed, but they probably would, after they got used to the idea. There are very, very few cats who cannot be trained to use a scratching post, once you figure out what kind of scratching surface that cat prefers..

I know a few people who definitely would not have a cat that was not declawed, but they are great 'pet parents'.
I do think that most cats can be trained to scratch on posts. Oscar is a strange boy. But as I said, it hasn't really been a problem for us.

Originally Posted by Willowy

I don't believe de-clawing keeps cats in their homes. If cats suddenly were all born without claws, I don't believe the owner retention rate would change at all. I think that if someone says they're getting rid of their cat because of scratching behaviors, they're just looking for a excuse to get rid of the cat, and even if the cat had no claws, they'd still get rid of it. As evidenced by the number of de-clawed cats in shelters and on the streets. I've had 4 de-clawed cats dumped in my neighborhood. . .not even one spayed/neutered but not de-clawed cat has shown up, ever.

I'm sure that declawed cats get dumped, too, but I think it's still more rare. I've never come across a declawed stray, and the shelter where I got Oscar and Romeo has only had a handful even though they've adopted out hundreds of cats.
If I had to re-home Oscar because he was destroying the carpet and I couldn't declaw him, I wouldn't be 'looking for an excuse' to get rid of him, it would be a horrible and heart-wrenching decision. I think it's easy to villify people who make a choice that you don't agree with, but it's just not the case in many situations.

Originally Posted by Cosabella

I think humans in general are very selfish. The idea of placing the value of ones furniture above that of the health and well-being of the family pet just smacks of selfishness. People can justify it any which way they like until the moon turns into cottage cheese, but there's really no other way of saying it.

There is no way I will ever declaw my cat because he destroyed the carpet or stratched the sofa. These objects can be replaced.

My cat is irreplaceable and when it's all said and done, I want to look him in the eyes and not have the guilt of knowing I voluntarily amputated him to save a piece of furniture.

Sure, those objects can be replaced...if you have the money. I cannot spend thousands over the course of a cat's life to replace carpets and furniture that a cat may ruin. And I don't have the option of simply putting in hardwood flooring instead, because I rent. Many people are in a similar situation.

It's easy, coming from a position of privilege, to call people selfish when they are concerned about both their cat and their belongings. But it's not accurate, and it's really quite mean. Personally, part of the reason that I could not afford to spend thousands on carpet damage and furniture is because of the thousands of dollars of vet bills that I've had to pay, precisely because I love and care about my cats so much.

 

[strange_wings]

Originally Posted by BreaMarie

It's easy, coming from a position of privilege

What privilege?

I have a gently used second hand sofa (from family) that I use sofa covers on. We couldn't afford to go buy a new sofa right now if we wanted to (not that I want to, I hate shopping for items like that). The covers are cheap, allow me to change colors, and wash easily. They also aren't scratch friendly - the texture and movement just doesn't do what the cats want. The only reason we have hardwood is because it was pretty much standard in '60s homes - we couldn't afford to put new carpet in even if we didn't have a stress pee-er in the house and the old stuff was nasty and had to go. The hardwood could use to be refinished, though the finish is in ok shape, but we can't afford that at this time. The cats get homemade furniture because it's cheaper.

No privilege here, just a person who makes do with what they have. I know there's at least a few others who do their best to do the same.