Would you declaw?

[tessa_s212]

Was never much into cat related topics before, but having had fostered and adopted kittens out privately for quite awhile, I actually had joined a cat forum. I personally always tried to encourage all adopters to not declaw their kitten, but I always saw it as a kitten without claws is better than a dead kitten; however, I've never and do not ever plan to declaw a cat of my own.

Would you?

 

[zoe08]

I voted other, because I would not own a cat, and so therefore I can't truely say what I would do.

But I do look at it as it's better for the kitty to be declawed than spend life in a cage, or be PTS.

 

[Paige]

Nope. My girl is a loud to have her claws. She also is so gentle so it wouldn't ever be brought up.

 

[vanillasugar]

Never.

Provide a cat with proper scratching outlets, actually WORK with your cat, and your furniture can be spared. It's completely unnecessary and has serious health and well being implications.

Docking a tail isn't going to negatively affect a dog for life. Removing a cats claws has the potential to affect them not only physically but behaviourally as well.

Edit to add: Also, when started right from kittenhood, clipping a cats claws is SO EASY. Keeping them trimmed - even if they do occasionally scratch carpet or furniture - greatly reduces damage caused.

 

[PixieSticksandTricks]

Nope never. We actually had a cat who my dad had declawed that died the next day from shock the vet said most likely caused by surgery.

 

[Squishy22]

For me, its not a matter of the cat having its claws, its about how the procedure is done and how humane it is. I have seen a picture of a cat getting its claws removed. They dont just remove the claw itself, they remove a good portion of the tissue as well. It did not sit with me well. I would have to learn more about the procedure to make a decision. I haven't had many cats, but they were all good with their claws. Havent had much of a problem with it. Yes, Skittles decided that my clothes hamper was a scratching post, but I am willing to deal with it. It doesnt bother me. lol.

 

[vanillasugar]

For me, its not a matter of the cat having its claws, its about how the procedure is done and how humane it is. I have seen a picture of a cat getting its claws removed. They dont just remove the claw itself, they remove a good portion of the tissue as well. It did not sit with me well. I would have to learn more about the procedure to make a decision. I haven't had many cats, but they were all good with their claws. Havent had much of a problem with it. Yes, Skittles decided that my clothes hamper was a scratching post, but I am willing to deal with it. It doesnt bother me. lol.

It's not just tissue, it's the toe to the first joint.

 

[Dakotah]

Peanut is declawed.
I don't regret it and Peanut hasn't changed any of his behavior between having claws and not having them.
He is his same happy kitty self.


ETA- He is a 100% indoor cat, has no interest of going outside. But he KILLED our love sofa when he had claws. RIP love sofa.

 

[milos_mommy]

I never saw it as a problem until I saw Paige's myspace...I'm in the same boat as probably never having a cat, but I think I'd vote no.

However, if I got a cat with claws, and it was a danger to my children/other pets, than I might consider it. This would be after claw covers and training and filing and clipping and every other option. I'm going to vote No.

 

[elegy]

no. i know we declaw cats routinely at work and that their pain is manageable and the procedure is "humane" but i do not believe it is ethical. it is not my decision to make for other people, but i will never declaw my own cats. i have five here and their claws are not an issue. if you don't want to deal with cat claws, don't own a cat.

 

[PoodleMommy]

I have had three declawed cats, the choice to declaw each of them was not my own but nevertheless... the oldest two are 17 and 16 and none of them have ever had any physical or behavioral issues. Never once in 17 years of owning a cat have we had a cat go to the bathroom outside the litterbox, not one time ever. Never had the cat peeing in clothes, never had them going on carpet, furniture, anything. The 17 year old is just now starting to show signs of "old age" in the form of decreased kidney function which is leading to increase urination and yet she still never forgets where she is supposed to go to the bathroom. These cats have been ACCIDENTALLY without a litterbox for up to 24 hours and they have never ever gone outside the litterbox still. My point is I look at firsthand knowledge not what other people tell me... cats can live long, happy, normal lives after being declawed. I think you hit the nail on the head Tessa, if it is the choice between giving the cat a good home or not having one declawing is an option that should be on the table. The amount of cats and kittens in shelters and being PTS outweighs that of dogs... there are just so many of them. If someone is willing to take one of those cats in and provide a good life for it, declawing is WAY WAY more humane than death.

 

[SisMorphine]

My cat was declawed due to her aggression. It was a last ditch effort in hopes she wouldn't turn to teeth and would have to be PTS. She never turned to teeth. She was declawed at around 5 or 6 years old and lived until she was 19.5. Declawing her saved her life and allowed us all to enjoy her for so many many years. Absolutely no regrets.

 

[Sweet72947]

I voted no.

I have a cat almost out of his teenage stage with claws. He gets inside the leather couch in the basement and claws it from the inside, and I don't know how to stop him from getting under the couch, and the basement is the biggest room he's allowed to run around in, otherwise its the back room or my room, which doesn't give him quite enough room to do proper zoomies.

I just prefer not to remove half a cat's toes for my own convenience.

 

[Punkygirl0101]

I ditto VS.

I think it is CRUEL to declaw a cat. ALL of my cats have their claws, and guess what? Our furniture is intact. We provide furniture for the cats (Cat trees) so that they have something to scratch their claws on.

Cats sharpen their claws. They will ALWAYS sharpen their claws, because they are cats. It does help my cats are indoor/outdoor (Well except 8 of them). And they use trees..but for the cats who never go out, they NEED their own cat scratches.

Declawing=Mutilation.

 

[vanillasugar]

I just want to chime in with a few things preemptively and then I'm going to try my hardest to duck out of this thread as this is a subject I can get VERY upset about.

Often declawing is done as a preventative, to avoid damage, injury etc. This is something I wish people would give more thought and consideration to. A cat uses it's claws as a first line of defense. A scratch may hurt but it is not going to kill you (unless you have serious health problems, in which case I would suggest getting a cat that's already been declawed, but I digress). Removing the claws means a cat is more likely to resort to biting to defend itself (not in all cases, but a declawed cat IS more likely to bite than one who is fully clawed). Cat bites can (and often do) send you to the hospital with severely infection.

See my point?

Also - kittens are the WORST with their claws. Narsty little buggers with dagger little claws that rip you open. So they get declawed at 6mos or so with their s/n surgery. RIGHT when they'd be about to settle down and stop clawing you to death. People put up with the claws through the worst of it, and if they were patient it would get significantly better. It makes no sense to me.

 

[Domestika]

It's not just tissue, it's the toe to the first joint.

Yeah, they use a "guillotine" to slice off the last knuckle on each toe.

If you have a nice vet, they get to stay overnight for pain control which, in my experience, is absolutely mandatory.

If a person has their fingers amputated at least they can stay off them. Cats don't have any option but to repeatedly put all their weight on their amputated toes, which just can't feel good.

If you're going to declaw your cat, major major pain control is a must, regardless of what your vet tells you!

 

[PoodleMommy]

If you're going to declaw your cat, major major pain control is a must, regardless of what your vet tells you!

Haha... you should have come and told my Cat!

the vet we used at the time kept cats overnight... when I picked up the one cat, the vet said make sure she doesnt jump for 2 weeks :yikes: Helloooo? Ever met a cat? within 5 minutes of being home she was leaping off of everything and there was NOTHING I could do about it.

 

[Domestika]

Removing the claws means a cat is more likely to resort to biting to defend itself (not in all cases, but a declawed cat IS more likely to bite than one who is fully clawed). Cat bites can (and often do) send you to the hospital with severely infection.

People put up with the claws through the worst of it, and if they were patient it would get significantly better. It makes no sense to me.

I agree wholeheartedly with both points.

I work at an animal hospital and generally if an angry cat bypasses swatting at you for just taking a chunk out of you...it's probably de-clawed. They learn very quickly that they have to step up the ouch-factor to protect themselves.

Second, it drives me nuuuuuts when people de-claw kittens. They haven't even been given a chance! I think it's really lazy and impatient to resort to amputating your cat's digits before actually trying to fix the problem (ie. something that is going to be somewhat more time consuming).

I also think people don't consider that a de-clawed cat MUST be a 100% indoor cat. And even so...indoor cats escape. De-clawed cats don't fair well when they encounter strange, territorial cats on their accidental escapades outside and I can guarantee you the vet bill for treating your cat's bite-related abscess (or worse) is going to cost a hell of a lot more than a scratching post or other scratching aids.

end rant

 

[Juicy]

I never have and never knew it was such a big issue, so my vote is no. I only had two cats, a kitten I would take care of and a cat who was inside/outside and who gave the best massges with those claws lol, though I wish she didn't do ''deep pressure'' sometimes, ouch. Never had a scratching problem though. I doubt I'll ever own another cat again, especially since I have a kitten-killer ....and not sure of Valentino and Princess Mama, but Pepe doesn't like them either.

 

[Domestika]

Haha... you should have come and told my Cat!

the vet we used at the time kept cats overnight... when I picked up the one cat, the vet said make sure she doesnt jump for 2 weeks :yikes: Helloooo? Ever met a cat? within 5 minutes of being home she was leaping off of everything and there was NOTHING I could do about it.

Pfffffft...that's just a silly request.

Though, it's a good thing that her pain was controlled enough that she was happy to run around like a nutcase.

I think some older vets tend to use the "logic" that keeping animals painful after procedures is actually beneficial to them because it discourages them from running around, etc. I've actually heard vets use this "rationale". I love vets who are liberal with their pain control.

All you have to do, if in doubt, is consider how much pain you'd like to be in after surgery...and then relate that back to your animal. Not a hard association to make!