Thoughts on declawing a cat?

[Wildsky]

Quote:
Not to stir the pot up - but you can't blame the cat being mauled on having its claws removed, those two events have nothing to do with each other.

 

[patandchickens]

I am pretty strongly anti-declawing. BUT:

We live in an imperfect world full of people who may or may not necessarily be willing to put themselves out to deal with an inconvenient animal, and also there are some few rare cats out there that are reeeeeeaaaaaal hard to find anyone willing to put up with in their clawed state (even with the *best* training and cat trees and so forth)... and I think that if a person has exhausted all of what they see as their options and is GENUINELY going to have the cat put down if it's not declawed, probably it is reasonable to try declawing first.

Yeah, some cats have problems with it. I've seen cats get very schizzy and shy, become permanently sore-footed, be unable to escape from dogs, etc. But even so, there seems to be pretty reasonable odds for *not* having lasting problems from declawing, and I think (yes, I am guessing and projecting, here) that most cats would rather be lacking in front claws than euthanized.

In a perfect world there'd be homes enough to go 'round for ALL cats, and you could just find a cat another more suitable home if he didn't "work out" in yours and you'd reached your limit of things you'd try to correct the problem.

However, meanwhile back in the REAL world...

JMHO,


Pat, who just finished building *more* outdoor run (including a bridge) for her cats on account of Mojo has once again stopped eating, arrrrgh.

 

[mamaKate]

On the issue of small kids and cats- my cats are all old because they came when the kids were little. I've never had a declawed cat. Most cats are super tolerant of babies. Mine usually drew the line at two year olds. By the time they were two, the cats (and I ) figured they were old enough to learn to respect the cat. As far as destruction, that's one of the reasons I'll never get a new cat. I am firmly opposed to declawing and I want new furniture.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
REmember there are lots of declawed cats in need of adoption at shelters, so you may not actually have a dilemma there. Given that one can't *un*-declaw a cat, and they're out there in need of homes...

Pat

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Our first and only cat we ever had was de-clawed as a kitten. It was my parents' decissions, because they didn't want scratched up furniture. Same story, different family...or so it seems from this thread.

Josie was a totally indoor cat. Only once did she ever get out (we found her about 20 minutes later, right underneath the house) but had little interest in being outside. And very little business there. She could climb normally and seemed to function as though she still had her claws. She tried to scratch on furniture, but obviously, the chairs and sofas yeilded no wounds.

She was put down at the ripe old age of 14 because of 3 tumors inside her and surgery was risky at that time. Rarely did the thought ever occur to me in those wonderful 14 years that she was suffering. Sure, I'm comfortable (or not) saying that it probably hurt in the beginning, but she showed no signs of discomfort in the long run. My parents wouldn't have stood for putting our cat through the kind of pain that would stick with my Josie. They are animal lovers themselves, as am I.

My .2? IF you choose to de-claw your cat, YOUNG AGE!!! I would think that a kitten would get over the great loss in less time than an adult would. (I'm sorry if this sounds cruel to people. Bare in mind that I love all of my pets and animals. The choice to de-claw the family cat was not my own.)

 

[tharrell]

I have read through all the replies and I thank everyone for taking the time to add your input! I think at this point I have decided to hold off on the declaw unless we can find someone in town that uses the laser technology. He will have a forever home with us whether or not all our furniture stays intact. My son loves him way too much and we could never take his friend away from him! Once again thanks so much to everyone!

 

[lovemychix]

I love cats! I have had many cats declawed for the sake of my home. They will destroy everything you have if you don't. Find a great vet. If they do it right they are back on their feet in a day. Do it young. The older they get the harder it is. I don't regret doing it to my cat they live a very pampered happy life inside with us. Much better than what they could have had a life of misery. We always do rescue cats.

 

[Wildsky]

Quote:
No they really won't "destroy everything" if you don't declaw them.

I have a cat now that doesn't scratch up my furniture at all, I never trained him not to - he just doesn't.
My other cat (RIP Chutney) would cratch my couch and doorjams, but he never "destroyed everything"

 

[therealsilkiechick]

Quote:
No they really won't "destroy everything" if you don't declaw them.

I have a cat now that doesn't scratch up my furniture at all, I never trained him not to - he just doesn't.
My other cat (RIP Chutney) would cratch my couch and doorjams, but he never "destroyed everything"

i have to agree with wildsky i've had my freddie since the day she was born(her mom was a preg stray i took in, in winter) she is now 8 and she has never scratched up anything in my 2 houses we have lived in. we never taught her either she just never has been that type of cat so not all cats will destroy things.

in fact i left my 2 new abby's home today by themselves for the first time for a few hours and they r not declawed and they didn't touch anything while i was gone. i was worried sick i'd have shattered antiques and stuff torn up. i was so happy to see everything was the same when i got home. boy did they get spoiled when i found what good kitties they had been. i think it depends on the individual cats how destructive they r u can't just group them all together.

 

[Beekissed]

I'm going out on a limb here....which would take claws, I would guess...but this issue is just another bid for why cats are better suited as outside animals. All this clawing, scratching, pooping and peeing, shedding and just being a destructive animal can be done outside without any inconvenience to one's furniture or home.