help me understand!!

[annie3001]

okay: after reading much about declawing on the internet websites and such,, if we come across a kitten/cat we will not have it declawed if not already done. it sounds really painful. i understand now. thanks here too from you "bycers" for your input on declawing etc. its helped.

 

[redhen]

ehh...id agree with ya, except my furniture set is all clawed up... (and yes, they do have scratching posts..)
i'm ALL for declawing INDOOR cats..

 

[saddina]

Ours all have thier claws intact. We file them with a dremmel too (the $20 "pet claw filer sold at walmart & TV is the same thing). They got used to it and it's fast. (just blunting the tip, not a full acrylic set

)

 

[savingdogs]

I volunteered with a dog/cat rescue for awhile (now I just volunteer in all dog rescue) and they were very negative towards anyone thinking about declawing.

Some of the time it was because folks who declaw cats are the type that don't put up with much behavior typical of cats that destroys houses besides clawing the furniture, i.e., vomiting hairballs, shedding, shredding the carpet and last but certainly not least having "out of litterbox experiences." Since cats are likely to do some of these things, these are the homes cat rescuers avoid. House proud folks don't make the best owners and you probably have a beautiful home else you would not care about declawing the cat. Some cats get very angry after they are declawed about not being allowed outside anymore. Other cats begin biting as a means of defense. Often these cats end up in rescue organizations. Another problem is they sometimes don't like to dig in litter after declawing and beging urinating in the house somewhere besides their litter, never a good thing. I'm glad you have already decided not to declaw. Some cats do great with declawing but not all.

I have worked for vet offices that perform declawing and decided it was cruel. So instead I simply trim the nails of the cat I have not been able to train not to scratch the furniture. I like the softpaws product also but she did not like having them applied. My other two cats we were able to retrain to scratch on their post and not our furniture. We sprayed the cats with a water sprayer when they were caught scratching and that seemed to do the trick. Later we just left the sprayer sitting on the couch and they would not go near it. Our chronic scratcher just gets nail trims with the dogs. One person holds her and the other trims.

Hope my experience helps.

 

[mom'sfolly]

I say go to another rescue. My MIL has adopted two cats (one just appeared at her home) both were declawed. Plenty of declawed, adult cats come into rescues, and they need homes too. Maybe put a word in with your vet, that is how my MIL got her second cat. He was a rescue that was bullied at the rescuers home, the other cats didn't like him, and with no claws he didn't stand a chance. He lucked out with my MIL, who spoiled him rotten.

 

[Bec]

Quote:
My neighbor adopted a cat from petsmart and wanted to adopt another. The first one was already declawed, the second one wasn't. They asked her if she was planning on declawing and she said yes..they turned her down. So she said that she wouldn't declaw if that made or broke the deal and that she would even sign a contract saying she never would. They did not want to hear it, once she said declaw, they X'd her off the list and that was it. I personally do not believe in declawing, but my neighbor is a great person, her and her husband are older and live in a nice house, take excellent care of their animals. So that cat had to sit in the shelter for who knows how long instead of being in a loving home NOT declawed.

 

[mom'sfolly]

Here's your kitty, found on petfinder. She's in your area, declawed, cute and good with kids.

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=15537635

and another


http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=7793341

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=15522474

Dang it, I looked at all the cute kitties and now I want another one. Think dh will believe I just found one?

 

[AhBee01]

When I was younger, we had a cat, she was declawed, I don't remember why she was, but she was. She was an indoor/out door cat, we lived on 20 acres, She was more than able to defend herself, she climbed trees, killed prey, and did everything a clawed cat could do. It was just the front paws that had no claws! She would bite and use her back claws to defend herself. We had many stray cats come and try to beat her up, they left battered! I 'm not saying I'm for it or against it, just that cat's are not totally defenseless. Maybe we had a super cat, I don't know. She lived well over 16 years and also survived a house fire, and the fire men gave her CPR! Got to love those firemen! They also worked our dog, she lived too!

 

[LizFM]

Another reason that rescue places won't adopt to someone who wants to declaw cats, is that a very high percentage of declawed cats end up with behavior, personality, or litter box problems that cause them to be dumped, put to sleep, or taken to the pound.

Declawed cats know they can't defend themselves with anything but their teeth, they tend to be easily upset by change, other animals, and people, and they tend to over-react to situations. Obviously, I'm not saying all declawed cats are like this, but when you've owned, handled, fostered, rescued and met hundreds of cats, you see a higher percentage of declawed cats with problems, than clawed cats with problems.

Almost every cat I have known, that freaked out beyond reason in a situation that did not call for it, was declawed.

Many, many cats that come into rescue places already declawed are being dumped off because, according to the owners who are dumping them, they're mean, they're not good with other petts or kids, or they pee outside the litterbox.

I trim my cats' claws. I will never declaw a cat (I used to show cats, including rescued ones from the pound...not all cats in cat shows are purebred). I will strenuously try to talk people out of declawing because I have seen the long-term effect on a cat.

If you can't live with a cats behavior without cutting body parts off of it, then don't get a cat. If you're worried the cat would claw your kids, then don't get a cat and declaw it, because if you can't teach your kids to treat the cat with respect, they're going to end up BITTEN rather than scratched, which is worse. Plus a cat should not have to live in that kind of environment.

It is entirely possible that these things are not caused by the declawing itself...but by the overall treatment of the cat by a human who would cut body parts off of the cat for convenience.

There are many adult cats for adoption that are already declawed. You should be able to find one. Whether your family can pass the requirements for adoption, remains to be seen. In my experience, people who get offended and mad because their kids who were 'only hyped up on sugar' raised flags in a rescue worker who is tired of pouring their heart, soul and money into an animal and wants the best for it, tend not to pass inspection with careful, reputable rescues. I guess I'm old, but if I misbehaved in front of strangers when I was with my mother, she didn't excuse my behavior as 'caused by a sugar high.' She got madder that crap at me and I got punished, for not behaving and embarrassing her in front of people.

 

[annie3001]

ooooo momsfolly thank you!!! i just clicked on it!! omg!! will have to show the hubby the picture!
not sure if i will bring the kids with me.....dont want to get their hopes up/down etc. !
thank you soooo much