Declawing: What you need to know

[AusCatDogs_4Ever]

Many people my not realize this, but delcawing your cat is considered cruel, and is even banned in some countries, and parts of others. It is not just the removeal of the claws, but actually an amputaion of all your cats first joints in its paws. The cat suffers from a painful recovery period, and also my suffer from life long back pains due to having to stand on a different angle (all mammals walk on their toes, but if a cat is declawed, the tips of their toes have been removed). This also causes the cat to have poor balance. During recovery a cats paws are so painful it hurts to dig in their litter, so they may do their bussiness on your carpet! A declawed cat should NEVER be aloud outdoors, there is already enough dangers for a cat outside. If they get chased by an animal, or cruel human, how will they escape or defend themselves?

What do cats use their claws for?
*Marking Territory
*Claws is a cat's #1 Defense
*Escaping Danger
*Exercising their muscles
*Balance
*To Kill their prey
*To play with toys

There are many ways to prevent your cat from clawing -
*Scratching posts, pads
*Soft paws
*Nail trimming
*Sticky Paws
*No scratch (spray)
*positive reinforcement and praise!

To learn more about declawing, check out

If your thinking of declawing please research and learn about the procedure. The above website has loads of detailed information on the declawing procedure, what happens to your cat, declawing alternatives, and more.

It all comes down to personal decision to decide what's best for your cat.

 

[Brattina88]

Good post
I wish it would've been my choice, but when my cat wandered into my front door despite having two dogs he was already declawed in the front. It was a good excuse to keep him, because declawed cats SHOULD NOT be aloud outside

 

[AusCatDogs_4Ever]

Awww, it was so good of you to take him in.

 

[thehoundgirl]

nope..I HATE people who declaw.. I would of course adopt a cat that has been declawed..they need love, too.

 

[blue]

I wouldnt hate anybody for declawing I wouldnt declaw any cat I owned, cats like to find their way outside in most cases.

 

[Mordy]

It's one of the cruelest things someone could do to a cat.

I have 5, none of them declawed.

Some interesting reading for those who want to learn more:
http://declaw.lisaviolet.com

 

[Boxer*Mom]

Our cat came already declawed, she's about 10 or older now too. This is kind of like tail docking or ear cropping to me, I'm not against it but I don't think it's necessary in every case.

 

[J's crew]

I have 2 cats, one has her nails and the other is declawed. I got my male declawed when he was neutered at about 6 months old. When he came out of the surgery he had to use shredded newspaper for his litter and did fine with it. He did not bleed at all or act any different than he did normally.

There are so many cats that are brought to the pound or just put outside because of destructive clawing. The recovery process was no worse that a spay/neuter procedure. Of course there is a risk with ANY surgery.

I have read the horror stories. And the stories about how cruel it is. My experience has been otherwise. My cat did not lick or bite at his feet. He did not bleed. He now uses his feet just like any other cat, he can stretch, play with things, has good balance, etc....

 

[Gempress]

I don't like declawing. Neither of my cats are declawed. But in cases where it comes down to declawing or a trip to the animal shelter, I'd pick declawing. Very few cats are actually adopted from shelters; most are euthanized. I think if a cat could speak, it would vote for declawing and a long life with you. Not near-certain death at an animal shelter.

 

[AusCatDogs_4Ever]

75% of cats in shelters are declawed. Most likely because of the behavioral problems that developed after the surgery. (These are not my statisics, I got it off a site). My cousin's cat is declawed and it's such a vicious little thing now. Doesn't want to be bothered with at all. I've never known it to be like that before the surgery, it doesn't even play with toys anymore. And I guess they don't care for it's personality much any more, it used to be a house cat and now they always put it outside!! (It still goes in the litterbox too)... And those of you who say the cat doesn't "look" like it's in pain, it is. Cat's don't like to be seen as sick or weak prey, so they hide there feelings if they are in pain. Because of that sometimes it's hard to tell if something's wrong with them (also read that from a site, in my own words though )

I am very against declawing. I've done a lot of research on it, and even wrote a fwe essays on it. I feel that a cat isn't a cat with out claws.. they are known for their claws. And I also feel that people who declaw think their furniture(sp?) is more important than their cat. "If you want a pet without claws, get a snake."

 

[AusCatDogs_4Ever]

Our cat came already declawed, she's about 10 or older now too. This is kind of like tail docking or ear cropping to me, I'm not against it but I don't think it's necessary in every case.

You may feel the same way about it as you do with docking and cropping, but declawing is much different. It's like having the first joints in all of your fingers cut off. If you fell off a windowsill, or anything, you wouldn't be able to save yourself. If you were being chased down by a coyote, you couldn't escape up a tree, or attack. Cat's depend on their claws a lot, they are a very important part of a cat.

 

[AusCatDogs_4Ever]

It's one of the cruelest things someone could do to a cat.

I have 5, none of them declawed.

Some interesting reading for those who want to learn more:
http://declaw.lisaviolet.com

I agree 100%, and thanks for adding the link!

 

[J's crew]

You may feel the same way about it as you do with docking and cropping, but declawing is much different. It's like having the first joints in all of your fingers cut off. If you fell off a windowsill, or anything, you wouldn't be able to save yourself. If you were being chased down by a coyote, you couldn't escape up a tree, or attack. Cat's depend on their claws a lot, they are a very important part of a cat.

As far as being outside that is why it is so important to keep your cat indoors. As to falling off of a windowsill or anything I have never seen a normal cat not land on their feet.

I really am not trying to argue as to whether it is the best thing to do or not. As I stated before in my experience it has been great. As for him not showing his pain, wouldn't he at least be licking his paws or walking funny, or doing something out of the ordinary????

 

[J's crew]

I also wanted to add my moms cat when I was growing up was declawed. I just taked to her about it and her experience is very similar to mine.



Edited to add:

Ok, one more thing. I am reading some stories from the like that Mordy posted. It says that one of the things a cat enjoys most is to be able to stetch and scratch things and they are not able to do that after being declawed.

But.......my cat also does this. He will look like he is scratching my couch or whatever like crazy...only there are no claws. He reaches under doorways to pat at things, etc...just like a cat with claws......

 

[AusCatDogs_4Ever]

As to falling off of a windowsill or anything I have never seen a normal cat not land on their feet.

Yes, but, did you know if a cat falls from 3 meters it will most likely break a bone or even die? Sure they will land on their feet but that doesn't mean they can't injure themselves.

I really am not trying to argue as to whether it is the best thing to do or not. As I stated before in my experience it has been great.

Please tell me what's so great about it?

As for him not showing his pain, wouldn't he at least be licking his paws or walking funny, or doing something out of the ordinary????

Well they shouldn't do anything out of the ordinary if they didn't want to show they're in pain. Although sometimes they do have odd behavior, like my cousins cat. And all cat's lick their paws to groom themselves.

 

[J's crew]

Yes, but, did you know if a cat falls from 3 meters it will most likely break a bone or even die? Sure they will land on their feet but that doesn't mean they can't injure themselves.



Please tell me what's so great about it?



Well they shouldn't do anything out of the ordinary if they didn't want to show they're in pain. Although sometimes they do have odd behavior, like my cousins cat. And all cat's lick their paws to groom themselves.

Whats so great about it? Unlike my other cat, my declawed one has never ruined my carpet, my couch, my drapes....should I go on? And what I really ment was no pain, no bleeding, no change in personality....

My cat with nails has fallen from the top of the fridge....should I get padding for the front of it so she can catch herself "just in case"?

Also, I have had cats that have been hurt. I always knew it.

 

[AusCatDogs_4Ever]

Whats so great about it? Unlike my other cat, my declawed one has never ruined my carpet, my couch, my drapes....should I go on? And what I really ment was no pain, no bleeding, no change in personality....

My cat with nails has fallen from the top of the fridge....should I get padding for the front of it so she can catch herself "just in case"?

Also, I have had cats that have been hurt. I always knew it.

These methods work the exact same why, and are not cruel and don't cause pain:

There are many ways to prevent your cat from clawing -
*Scratching posts, pads
*Soft paws
*Nail trimming
*Sticky Paws
*No scratch (spray)
*positive reinforcement and praise!

PLEASE read this over if you havn't already, you will understand it a lot more.

The majority people who researched declawing after owning a declawed cat state they were wrong and will never do it again.

I just think with all the alternatives, declawing is very unnecessary and if people were so worried about their drapes or couches they shouldn't own a cat.

JUST SO YOU KNOW: I am not a harsh person, I hate arguing and never fight, so sorry if it sounded like I was being mean or something. I am not trying to change your opinion, all you can do is educate people about the topic and they have to decide for themselves if they think what they are doing is right. I know if I was a cat, I would not want to be declawed, so I'm not going to put my cat through it. I live with 3 cats. They havn't torn anything, we trim their nails every week, and they have 3 scracthing posts that they always use.

 

[J's crew]

These methods work the exact same why, and are not cruel and don't cause pain:

There are many ways to prevent your cat from clawing -
*Scratching posts, pads
*Soft paws
*Nail trimming
*Sticky Paws
*No scratch (spray)
*positive reinforcement and praise!

PLEASE read this over if you havn't already, you will understand it a lot more.

The majority people who researched declawing after owning a declawed cat state they were wrong and will never do it again.

I just think with all the alternatives, declawing is very unnecessary and if people were so worried about their drapes or couches they shouldn't own a cat.

JUST SO YOU KNOW: I am not a harsh person, I hate arguing and never fight, so sorry if it sounded like I was being mean or something. I am not trying to change your opinion, all you can do is educate people about the topic and they have to decide for themselves if they think what they are doing is right. I know if I was a cat, I would not want to be declawed, so I'm not going to put my cat through it. I live with 3 cats. They havn't torn anything, we trim their nails every week, and they have 3 scracthing posts that they always use.

No, I did not think you were being mean at all. It is obvious you are very passionate about this subject which I respect. I was just sharing my own experiences on the subject.

 

[jess2416]

Whats so great about it? Unlike my other cat, my declawed one has never ruined my carpet, my couch, my drapes....should I go on?

Just to throw my 2 cents in... people should think about those things before they get animals Everybody knows that cats need to scratch something to keep their nail short and sharpe

 

[Mindy Miller]

My mom's cat is declawed. He has been since he was 6 months old. He goes outside. He kills birds and mice. He climbs trees and gets back down. He's perfectly balanced. Cats use their back claws to defend themselves.

My oldest cat is not declawed. I was able to teach her the right things to sharpen her claws on. She's a smart girl. My other cat did not learn. And I tried everything, including much of the stuff listed above. Rather than let her continue destroying thousands of dollars worth of property (furniture, curtains, comforters, etc), I got her declawed. She was fine within 2 days. She has no behavior problems and she still loves us.