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I completely agree with you! Isn't it better that the human should feel the pain of training their cat, rather than their cat feel the pain of declawing??????
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Declawing contract?
- Thread starter maherwoman
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I've heard that declawing an older cat (over 1-1/2 to 2 years) is harder on the animal than declawing a younger cat. So often adoptions are of older animals, which makes the declawing process even worse.
I can't really offer a fair opinion, though. My couches have been filleted by various kitties, and I feel it is mainly my fault for not spending more time training them. Now that I know the downside of declawing, I won't do that to an animal. (Did it once, years ago, not knowing the potential downsides.)
Exactly! I couldn't have said it better.
For me it was a choice, have nice things or have cats. It may sound bad, but in my mind there is not competition the cats win hands down. The problem with declawing is that it often leads to other behavioral issues (such as peeing outside the box) that will cause a cat to be rehomed anyway. So I say let the poor thing keep it's claws & find it a home who will allow it to keep it's claws.
Amanda, they don't pull the claws out - they cut off the toes up to the first joint. Imagine having your fingers all cut off to the first joint!
We have two cats with intact claws - they have a scratching post and were trained to use it. I have nice furniture and they do not scratch or claw our furniture. I believe it is our duty as responsible pet owners to teach our animals rather than opt for the easy/lazy way out of declawing, de-barking, or whatever the heck else is going on these days. It also takes only seconds to clip kitty's claws once a week.
If cutting off the cats toes so they won't scratch where they shouldn't is acceptable, then perhaps removing someone's tongue if we don't happen to like what you say should also be acceptable. Seems extreme to me but hey - same thing IMO.
Yup! I wouldn't ever declaw a cat because I love cats, but I also believe that many times (there are exceptions) it does cause behavior problems. For instance I only personally know 3 declawed cats. ALL of them bite. I have had many cats - all with claws. NONE of them ever bit anyone. I see a correlation here.
Refusing to sign the no-declaw contract would definately be a deal breaker.
I knew that... I just wasn't 100% awake when I wrote it... I would never do that to my cats... and I strongly discourage anyone I know from doing it. I shudder to think what it feels like. The only times my two dig their claws into my cheap furniture is when they lose their balance [goofs] and try to hold on... I'd rather have happy cats and cheap furniture than expensive furniture and cats in extreme pain.
Hmm I've noticed something. A cat with claws will opt to use its claws in defence, a lot less painful for a human if they happened to get scratched. A declawed cat will use the only thing it has left, its teeth, which hurts a lot more than a scratch. Hmmm. No declawing for me.
while i certainly don't endorse declawing, i have not seen this - & i've known 5 declawed cats. one would bite, but the others - it had to be pretty bad before they would - & even then it would be a gentle, warning bite first. Pixel & Mouse didn't bite at all, but i never gave them real reason to. Pixel doesn't even bite when i'm medicating her & holding her mouth with my hand.
My niece's cat bit my mom while my mom was watching the house. She was sitting on the toilet at the time not even bothering the cat.
My DF tried to pet a friend's cat. She took a swipe at him and tried to bite his hand. Fortunately he pulled away quickly.
Another woman I know constantly jokes about how mean her cat is and how often she bites. When I met the cat, she walked right up to me and hissed. I didn't SEE her bite, but there is no doubt in my mind that she would have bit me if I didn't back off. I've been told she bites on a regular basis.
Just my personal experience. It is only 3 cats, but I do believe their behavior has a LOT to do with them being declawed. It could be a coincidence, but compared to the cats I know who don't bite, I have to believe declawing is at least part of the cause. (just my opinion) If someone declawed me, I bet I would bite too.
My old cats used to shred the couch to pieces and beds (if you see my parents bed the sides are all torn.
Kaylee and teufel will claw into the couch and bed, but nothing is ruined except for the first cat tree!
Kaylee and teufel will claw into the couch and bed, but nothing is ruined except for the first cat tree!
Chiming in as a breeder:
Everyone that buys a kitten from us, must sign a "no de-claw" clause in our contract. In my opinion, de-clawing cats results in behavior problems down the road. It's an amputation....a cruel way to be lazy about training a cat to scratch in appropriate spots.
I can see only one reason, this should ever be acceptable, and that is, if a current cat owner developes a disease such as diabetes and can't afford to be wounded by an accidental scratch. With the alternative being giving up the cat, I can see a de-claw as a better solution in such cases.
Everyone that buys a kitten from us, must sign a "no de-claw" clause in our contract. In my opinion, de-clawing cats results in behavior problems down the road. It's an amputation....a cruel way to be lazy about training a cat to scratch in appropriate spots.
I can see only one reason, this should ever be acceptable, and that is, if a current cat owner developes a disease such as diabetes and can't afford to be wounded by an accidental scratch. With the alternative being giving up the cat, I can see a de-claw as a better solution in such cases.
I also have a contract for kitten buyers that says they will not declaw or allow the kitten/cat outside. I have turned away families who were willing to see their kitten's health guarantee voided, just to have the kitten declawed.
When we made our website, we noticed that there is a lack of education on declawing, so my husband and I, researched and compiled a page on what declawing is, why not to declaw, and safe alternatives. It has been helpful to some.
http://www.familytimerags.com/declaw.html
When we made our website, we noticed that there is a lack of education on declawing, so my husband and I, researched and compiled a page on what declawing is, why not to declaw, and safe alternatives. It has been helpful to some.
http://www.familytimerags.com/declaw.html
i agre with the comment, nice furniture or cats..
I just tossed my two couches. but thats ok i like sitting on the floor.
I just tossed my two couches. but thats ok i like sitting on the floor.
1) I never said I was for declawing, just do your homework and know what is going to happen (that should be true with anything and everything)
2)When you say things like "I don't want to start and arguement" you are starting an arguement.
All I am saying is anyone who is giving away or selling animals number one priority is to find a home where that animal will be loved and taken care of. If you feel strongly that cat you are giving away or selling should not be declawed then provided that family with other options like soft paws, or if you don't want your cat declawed then keep them, make your home happier with a few more kittens. (They are like potato chips, you can't have just one)
My fiance's cats are both declawed. Kiki is 13, her mother Sara is 15, and both are happy and healthy. Limerick and Able, my and my sister's cats, are not declawed and are happy and healthy, both are closing in on 2 already!!!
As for the saying/neutering comment.... Many shelters give you 30 days to find a vet, get a qoute, and get it done.. I don't know about anyone else but I am very busy... giving me 30 days to do anything is a bit much. Those types of choices should be left up to the owners. Of course you should always spay/neuter your pets for many reasons (do we really want the house to smell like kitty's litter box?).
As for your "defanging" comment, is that even possible? I have seen "debarkers" for dogs who bark all the time. From what I have seen it mutes the bark and does not hurt the dog. I have only heard them being used on dogs in apartments.
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I haven't seen or heard of shelters doing it, but it's in my contract! If you want to de-toe your kitten, that's your business, but you aren't going to do that to a kitten from me! I have a photocopies from a web site with pretty graphic pictures in it and info on how the procedure is really done in my kitten kits, so new owners can see WHY I do not allow it for them selves, if that doesn't convince them, then they can go get another cat some where else.
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Debarking is a sergical procedure that eliminates a dogs ability to bark, i'm not sure of the acual procedure, some one else will have to clear that up, or you can do a search on it if you are interested in how it is done, they either cut into the vocal cord or remove some thing, but they can not bark after having this done it most certainly hurts the dog. I don't know if it has any long term affect on the dog mentally wise, i'm not real farmiliar with it. People have done it because they (or complaint happy neighbors) don't want to hear them bark.
I would be more than happy to give a link to the site on declawing, a lot of people don't realize how inhumane and cruel it is, it is banned in several countries, and it's not hard to understand why people think it's ok. When you go to the vets office (a lot are changing this and won't even do declaws) and they ask if you are having a declaw with your spay today, or discount on a spay/declaw package. They made money and didn't inform owners of how the declawing is done or what it can do to the cat. I think if some one saw or know what really was happening to their cat, they would never do it again, I couldn't imaging some one intentioningly, knowingly doing this to their cat.
What has impressed me with this thread is the way the subject has been discussed in a civil manner
. After all de-clawing is an emotive subject and many have very strong views on it.
This subject has been brought up on other forums and it can get quite nasty, so well done.
This subject has been brought up on other forums and it can get quite nasty, so well done.
Originally Posted by VampireCat
What has impressed me with this thread is the way the subject has been discussed in a civil manner. After all de-clawing is an emotive subject and many have very strong views on it.
This subject has been brought up on other forums and it can get quite nasty, so well done.
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