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Discussion Boards => Off-Topic => Topic started by: Mizzkizz7 on November 28, 2018, 09:59:11 pm
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:cat: I have been online doing research on declawing cats. Have thought about it but I don't know. I heard of people who have done it, and I have heard of people who are against it. Sometimes cats will scratch carpets, sofas etc, regardless of countless cat trees. I only have 1 cat tree, working on purchasing another soon. :cat:
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I've had only one cat, and she lived twenty years with all her claws attached! We never had a problem with her having claws, but I can see how destructive they might be to objects, people and other animals, if the cat were aggressive. I've pondered the question in the past, and considered the pros and cons, but never seriously thought of following through with the procedure. I guess I have to agree with that old commercial, "You shouldn't mess with Mother Nature!"
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In the past I only had a problem with aggressive male Cats. The two female Cats I had were more reserved and stayed out of trouble. I adopted a 6 month old Kitten (Bella) in September and she turned out to be an aggressive female who gets into everything and attacks or climbs on everything. So yeah, the personality of the Cat has alot to do with it.
I've been thinking about declawing her since I got her, but it's a little late in the game now. She's about 9 months old.
They recommend between 3 to six years of age for declawing.
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:cat: I have been online doing research on declawing cats. Have thought about it but I don't know. I heard of people who have done it, and I have heard of people who are against it. Sometimes cats will scratch carpets, sofas etc, regardless of countless cat trees. I only have 1 cat tree, working on purchasing another soon. :cat:
I have indoor cats and they are declawed. They only do the front. And it doesn't hurt anything. People are just looking for something to protest about. Or something to try to run somebody else's lives. I say if you do not want to declaw your cat then don't. But stop trying to tell others they are evil if they do.
Mine is declawed and still "scratches" on stuff. If the claws were there my house would be destroyed. And my cats have an awesome life inside in the warm security of a constant shelter.
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In the past I only had a problem with aggressive male Cats. The two female Cats I had were more reserved and stayed out of trouble. I adopted a 6 month old Kitten (Bella) in September and she turned out to be an aggressive female who gets into everything and attacks or climbs on everything. So yeah, the personality of the Cat has alot to do with it.
I've been thinking about declawing her since I got her, but it's a little late in the game now. She's about 9 months old.
They recommend between 3 to six years of age for declawing.
It has nothing to do with being aggressive. Cats scratch to sharpen their claws. I have never had a cat that was aggressive.
I don't know where you get your info on declawing at 3-6 years. If you wait until they are 6 years old then you may as well not declaw them. Most times people who declaw do it at the same time as when they spay or neuter. That is closer to 4-6 months.
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:cat: I have been online doing research on declawing cats. Have thought about it but I don't know. I heard of people who have done it, and I have heard of people who are against it. Sometimes cats will scratch carpets, sofas etc, regardless of countless cat trees. I only have 1 cat tree, working on purchasing another soon. :cat:
Thanks for your advice. Did your cats have behavioral issues. Problems going to the litter box? Trust me I'm not going to listen to others. I ordered some nail caps off amazon and he was really frustrated, moody and aggressive. He eventually bit most of them off so I just let the rest come off on their own. I'm still considering this but heard that they get moody when you declaw them because they don't have them anymore, they began to have behavioral problems. I'm going to do what's best for me. I plan on buying new furniture next year so this cannot go on.
I have indoor cats and they are declawed. They only do the front. And it doesn't hurt anything. People are just looking for something to protest about. Or something to try to run somebody else's lives. I say if you do not want to declaw your cat then don't. But stop trying to tell others they are evil if they do.
Mine is declawed and still "scratches" on stuff. If the claws were there my house would be destroyed. And my cats have an awesome life inside in the warm security of a constant shelter.
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Hello everyone! When I use the Quote feature, I get tangled all up on the response. My response is probably underneath someone else or in the wrong area. Sorry for the confusion. Threads can be confusing sometimes.
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I"ve had my indoor cats declawed all my life & it doesn't seem like it ever bothered them.... and we had not only the front claws removed, but the back claws as well.
My current indoor cat is a Ragdoll... cost a fortune & he is not declawed & even though he gets his claws clipped & has scratch boxes everywhere, he can't help but stretch up on a piece of furniture & his claws pierce the fabric or bonded leather. It's a battle & not worth it... I wouldn't hesitate to declaw my next cat -- they do it by laser at a vet by my house, so they don't have to clip the knuckle, so it's more humane if that is an issue for people.
Live & learn... all my cats will all be fixed & delcawed in the future. They, too, will have an awesome pampered life living indoors clawless. :)
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Hello everyone! When I use the Quote feature, I get tangled all up on the response. My response is probably underneath someone else or in the wrong area. Sorry for the confusion. Threads can be confusing sometimes.
Yeah I see where that happened above and I can't see what you typed.
When you hit quote and get to this box be sure and click to make sure the cursor is below the [/quote] Even hit enter to move down a line or two. And sometimes it is just stupid and still does it that way.
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:cat: I have been online doing research on declawing cats. Have thought about it but I don't know. I heard of people who have done it, and I have heard of people who are against it. Sometimes cats will scratch carpets, sofas etc, regardless of countless cat trees. I only have 1 cat tree, working on purchasing another soon. :cat:
Thanks for your advice. Did your cats have behavioral issues. Problems going to the litter box? Trust me I'm not going to listen to others. I ordered some nail caps off amazon and he was really frustrated, moody and aggressive. He eventually bit most of them off so I just let the rest come off on their own. I'm still considering this but heard that they get moody when you declaw them because they don't have them anymore, they began to have behavioral problems. I'm going to do what's best for me. I plan on buying new furniture next year so this cannot go on.
I have indoor cats and they are declawed. They only do the front. And it doesn't hurt anything. People are just looking for something to protest about. Or something to try to run somebody else's lives. I say if you do not want to declaw your cat then don't. But stop trying to tell others they are evil if they do.
Mine is declawed and still "scratches" on stuff. If the claws were there my house would be destroyed. And my cats have an awesome life inside in the warm security of a constant shelter.
None of my cats have had behavior problems. They don't get moody. My cats still do thru the motions of scratching like they are sharpening their claws but there are no claws there. They don't care. They do say for a few days when you first bring them home not to use litter in their poop box because the litter can cause an infection. You are suppose to use shredded paper. I have never had any issues.
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I"ve had my indoor cats declawed all my life & it doesn't seem like it ever bothered them.... and we had not only the front claws removed, but the back claws as well.
My current indoor cat is a Ragdoll... cost a fortune & he is not declawed & even though he gets his claws clipped & has scratch boxes everywhere, he can't help but stretch up on a piece of furniture & his claws pierce the fabric or bonded leather. It's a battle & not worth it... I wouldn't hesitate to declaw my next cat -- they do it by laser at a vet by my house, so they don't have to clip the knuckle, so it's more humane if that is an issue for people.
Live & learn... all my cats will all be fixed & delcawed in the future. They, too, will have an awesome pampered life living indoors clawless. :)
My vet would not do the back claws. Mine didn't even act like the paws were sore when they came home.
I forgot we did do the laser. I does cost more but it is suppose to be a lot better for the cat. And healing time is less.
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:cat: I have been online doing research on declawing cats. Have thought about it but I don't know. I heard of people who have done it, and I have heard of people who are against it. Sometimes cats will scratch carpets, sofas etc, regardless of countless cat trees. I only have 1 cat tree, working on purchasing another soon. :cat:
Okay, I'm worried by some of these replies, haha. If you really, genuinely care about your cat, I think you'll decide not to. Scratching is a natural, stimulating experience for a cat, and one I would argue is necessary. In my experience, if they go for an upholstered chair, for instance, in your presence, it may be because they want attention from you. Using throw blankets over targeted furniture, using repellent spray on the furniture, and providing scratching posts will help a ton. We have done all these things and seen a wonderful improvement. Put a cat tree within 6 feet or less of whatever your cat likes to scratch that you don't want messed up. :)
We had one cat, an elderly male, that was declawed by a previous guardian, and it left his toes disfigured. He still attempted to scratch and it was so sad to watch. Besides that, some of the other cats targeted him to pick on because they knew he couldn't effectively fight back. If you ask me, ripping an animal's claws out is really not a call for a human to make! Hope I've helped! :) (Don't forget -- you can also trim your cat's claws--carefully--using basic toenail clippers!)
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Yeah, I don't believe in declawing cats. It's unnatural. I get the scratching is a pain in the neck, but it's not as abnormal is removing a part of their anatomy.
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If you are thinking of declawing your cat the best person to ask is your veterinarian. They would know if they type of cat(s) you have could tolerate such a procedure. I mean it is a serious surgery where a cat’s toe bones and claws are amputated. If the same procedure was performed on a human, his finger would be amputated at the last knuckle. At worst there is chronic pain, lameness, bone spurs, necrosis, and nerve damage, aversion to using the litterbox (due to the cat’s pain in their paws) and increased biting (in compensation for the loss of claws). That's why it's illegal in most European countries, as well as Israel. Many Californian cities have passed declawing bans, including Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Burbank, San Francisco etc. At best there is no real side-effect to the cat (that is physically visible.) Again, only your veterinarian can really know and give you the truth as to whether your cat(s) should be declawed, but my opinion, do it if you think it will benefit your 'baby', not just to save your furniture because that's a risk you took by getting one.
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:cat: I have been online doing research on declawing cats. Have thought about it but I don't know. I heard of people who have done it, and I have heard of people who are against it. Sometimes cats will scratch carpets, sofas etc, regardless of countless cat trees. I only have 1 cat tree, working on purchasing another soon. :cat:
Okay, I'm worried by some of these replies, haha. If you really, genuinely care about your cat, I think you'll decide not to. Scratching is a natural, stimulating experience for a cat, and one I would argue is necessary. In my experience, if they go for an upholstered chair, for instance, in your presence, it may be because they want attention from you. Using throw blankets over targeted furniture, using repellent spray on the furniture, and providing scratching posts will help a ton. We have done all these things and seen a wonderful improvement. Put a cat tree within 6 feet or less of whatever your cat likes to scratch that you don't want messed up. :)
We had one cat, an elderly male, that was declawed by a previous guardian, and it left his toes disfigured. He still attempted to scratch and it was so sad to watch. Besides that, some of the other cats targeted him to pick on because they knew he couldn't effectively fight back. If you ask me, ripping an animal's claws out is really not a call for a human to make! Hope I've helped! :) (Don't forget -- you can also trim your cat's claws--carefully--using basic toenail clippers!)
I and others really truly care about our cats. There is NOTHING wrong declawing them. Cats do not scratch furniture or other things like door facings because they want attention from you. Cats scratch to sharpen their claws. Everyone does not want throw blankets all over their house.
People who declaw cats keep them in the house so there should not be too much of an issue with fighting with other cats. And no it isn't like ripping your toe nails out. Too many bleeding heart liberals with too much time on their hands. People sit around and think up all this stupid stuff to protest about. Like idiots trying to tell neighbors they can't have Christmas lights outside because they are offended.
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Yeah, I don't believe in declawing cats. It's unnatural. I get the scratching is a pain in the neck, but it's not as abnormal is removing a part of their anatomy.
Using that logic I guess you would think it is wrong to have them neutered? I am not sure why people get so upset with what other people do concerning their pets? My cats are declawed. They also have a really good life.
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If you are thinking of declawing your cat the best person to ask is your veterinarian. They would know if they type of cat(s) you have could tolerate such a procedure. I mean it is a serious surgery where a cat’s toe bones and claws are amputated. If the same procedure was performed on a human, his finger would be amputated at the last knuckle. At worst there is chronic pain, lameness, bone spurs, necrosis, and nerve damage, aversion to using the litterbox (due to the cat’s pain in their paws) and increased biting (in compensation for the loss of claws). That's why it's illegal in most European countries, as well as Israel. Many Californian cities have passed declawing bans, including Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Burbank, San Francisco etc. At best there is no real side-effect to the cat (that is physically visible.) Again, only your veterinarian can really know and give you the truth as to whether your cat(s) should be declawed, but my opinion, do it if you think it will benefit your 'baby', not just to save your furniture because that's a risk you took by getting one.
It is not a serious surgery. It is very minor, no real pain, no risks. And they go home the same day. It also not amputation.
Yeah there are some vets who won't do it but there are also idiots and vets who think you should not spay nor neuter them because it is depriving them of something. And no it isn't.
The biggest thing this country needs is more people taking care of their own life and less time spent trying to tell somebody else how to live theirs. If people don't want to declaw their cats then that is fine. But that same person doesn't have the right to attack or scream and yell at somebody else because they do. And I know people personally who have took it that far.
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If you are thinking of declawing your cat the best person to ask is your veterinarian. They would know if they type of cat(s) you have could tolerate such a procedure. I mean it is a serious surgery where a cat’s toe bones and claws are amputated. If the same procedure was performed on a human, his finger would be amputated at the last knuckle. At worst there is chronic pain, lameness, bone spurs, necrosis, and nerve damage, aversion to using the litterbox (due to the cat’s pain in their paws) and increased biting (in compensation for the loss of claws). That's why it's illegal in most European countries, as well as Israel. Many Californian cities have passed declawing bans, including Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Burbank, San Francisco etc. At best there is no real side-effect to the cat (that is physically visible.) Again, only your veterinarian can really know and give you the truth as to whether your cat(s) should be declawed, but my opinion, do it if you think it will benefit your 'baby', not just to save your furniture because that's a risk you took by getting one.
It is not a serious surgery. It is very minor, no real pain, no risks. And they go home the same day. It also not amputation.
Yeah there are some vets who won't do it but there are also idiots and vets who think you should not spay nor neuter them because it is depriving them of something. And no it isn't.
The biggest thing this country needs is more people taking care of their own life and less time spent trying to tell somebody else how to live theirs. If people don't want to declaw their cats then that is fine. But that same person doesn't have the right to attack or scream and yell at somebody else because they do. And I know people personally who have took it that far.
Please educate yourself. Declawing absolutely is amputation and therefore a major surgery. The distal phalanges are removed at the joint. It is not painless and it is not risk free. As with any surgery, there are risks of complications and infection, both during the surgery and after. This is not a necessary procedure for most cats. This should be the very last resort for cat owners who have exhausted all other attempts to prevent destructive behavior.
Pets are a lot of work, and cats like to scratch. It's their nature. If you don't want to put the time, money and effort into training and caring for a pet, please don't get a pet. If your furniture is more important than your cat's health, please don't get a cat.
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I do not have a cat, so no.
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:cat: I have been online doing research on declawing cats. Have thought about it but I don't know. I heard of people who have done it, and I have heard of people who are against it. Sometimes cats will scratch carpets, sofas etc, regardless of countless cat trees. I only have 1 cat tree, working on purchasing another soon. :cat:
You don't necessarily have to get a full size cat tree. They make small scratchers for under $30, some have toys attached. Just make sure they are sturdy and don't tip over when kitty tries to scratch.
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If you are thinking of declawing your cat the best person to ask is your veterinarian. They would know if they type of cat(s) you have could tolerate such a procedure. I mean it is a serious surgery where a cat’s toe bones and claws are amputated. If the same procedure was performed on a human, his finger would be amputated at the last knuckle. At worst there is chronic pain, lameness, bone spurs, necrosis, and nerve damage, aversion to using the litterbox (due to the cat’s pain in their paws) and increased biting (in compensation for the loss of claws). That's why it's illegal in most European countries, as well as Israel. Many Californian cities have passed declawing bans, including Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Burbank, San Francisco etc. At best there is no real side-effect to the cat (that is physically visible.) Again, only your veterinarian can really know and give you the truth as to whether your cat(s) should be declawed, but my opinion, do it if you think it will benefit your 'baby', not just to save your furniture because that's a risk you took by getting one.
It is not a serious surgery. It is very minor, no real pain, no risks. And they go home the same day. It also not amputation.
Yeah there are some vets who won't do it but there are also idiots and vets who think you should not spay nor neuter them because it is depriving them of something. And no it isn't.
The biggest thing this country needs is more people taking care of their own life and less time spent trying to tell somebody else how to live theirs. If people don't want to declaw their cats then that is fine. But that same person doesn't have the right to attack or scream and yell at somebody else because they do. And I know people personally who have took it that far.
Please educate yourself. Declawing absolutely is amputation and therefore a major surgery. The distal phalanges are removed at the joint. It is not painless and it is not risk free. As with any surgery, there are risks of complications and infection, both during the surgery and after. This is not a necessary procedure for most cats. This should be the very last resort for cat owners who have exhausted all other attempts to prevent destructive behavior.
Pets are a lot of work, and cats like to scratch. It's their nature. If you don't want to put the time, money and effort into training and caring for a pet, please don't get a pet. If your furniture is more important than your cat's health, please don't get a cat.
Please educate yourself. Declawing cats is not amputation. Nor is it major surgery. Pretty sure my vet knows more about it than you do.
As for the rest of your smart alec response I would bet everything I have that I take better car of my pets than you would yours. Like I said before you need to mind your own business and take care of yourself and not worry about what I do or what somebody else does.
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If you are thinking of declawing your cat the best person to ask is your veterinarian. They would know if they type of cat(s) you have could tolerate such a procedure. I mean it is a serious surgery where a cat’s toe bones and claws are amputated. If the same procedure was performed on a human, his finger would be amputated at the last knuckle. At worst there is chronic pain, lameness, bone spurs, necrosis, and nerve damage, aversion to using the litterbox (due to the cat’s pain in their paws) and increased biting (in compensation for the loss of claws). That's why it's illegal in most European countries, as well as Israel. Many Californian cities have passed declawing bans, including Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Burbank, San Francisco etc. At best there is no real side-effect to the cat (that is physically visible.) Again, only your veterinarian can really know and give you the truth as to whether your cat(s) should be declawed, but my opinion, do it if you think it will benefit your 'baby', not just to save your furniture because that's a risk you took by getting one.
It is not a serious surgery. It is very minor, no real pain, no risks. And they go home the same day. It also not amputation.
Yeah there are some vets who won't do it but there are also idiots and vets who think you should not spay nor neuter them because it is depriving them of something. And no it isn't.
The biggest thing this country needs is more people taking care of their own life and less time spent trying to tell somebody else how to live theirs. If people don't want to declaw their cats then that is fine. But that same person doesn't have the right to attack or scream and yell at somebody else because they do. And I know people personally who have took it that far.
Please educate yourself. Declawing absolutely is amputation and therefore a major surgery. The distal phalanges are removed at the joint. It is not painless and it is not risk free. As with any surgery, there are risks of complications and infection, both during the surgery and after. This is not a necessary procedure for most cats. This should be the very last resort for cat owners who have exhausted all other attempts to prevent destructive behavior.
Pets are a lot of work, and cats like to scratch. It's their nature. If you don't want to put the time, money and effort into training and caring for a pet, please don't get a pet. If your furniture is more important than your cat's health, please don't get a cat.
Please educate yourself. Declawing cats is not amputation. Nor is it major surgery. Pretty sure my vet knows more about it than you do.
As for the rest of your smart alec response I would bet everything I have that I take better car of my pets than you would yours. Like I said before you need to mind your own business and take care of yourself and not worry about what I do or what somebody else does.
Well I'm a certified veterinary technician, so I'm pretty sure I'm educated. I'm required to be educated on a yearly basis in order to keep my certification.
dictionary.com says:
amputate
[am-pyoo-teyt]
verb (used with object), am·pu·tat·ed, am·pu·tat·ing.
1. to cut off (all or part of a limb or digit of the body), as by surgery.
2. to prune, lop off, or remove: Because of space limitations the editor amputated the last two paragraphs of the news report.
3. Obsolete . to prune, as branches of trees.
Please see definition 1.
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I don't see anything wrong with declawing cats. When I was thinking of getting a cat, I was going to have it declawed. I don't see it any more wrong than get your pet spayed.
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It is horrific I have seen it done (worked for a vet). And yes it is chopping of the end of the digit, there are plenty of radiographs around that show this. So many cats suffer in pain for life, many will not use a litter box because they have pain when they try to dig. It is extremely different than spay and neuter. There is no good reason to mutilate a cat. It is banned in most countries. If the couch is more important or you cannot take time to train the animals maybe a pet is not for you.
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:cat: I have been online doing research on declawing cats. Have thought about it but I don't know. I heard of people who have done it, and I have heard of people who are against it. Sometimes cats will scratch carpets, sofas etc, regardless of countless cat trees. I only have 1 cat tree, working on purchasing another soon. :cat:
Okay, I'm worried by some of these replies, haha. If you really, genuinely care about your cat, I think you'll decide not to. Scratching is a natural, stimulating experience for a cat, and one I would argue is necessary. In my experience, if they go for an upholstered chair, for instance, in your presence, it may be because they want attention from you. Using throw blankets over targeted furniture, using repellent spray on the furniture, and providing scratching posts will help a ton. We have done all these things and seen a wonderful improvement. Put a cat tree within 6 feet or less of whatever your cat likes to scratch that you don't want messed up. :)
We had one cat, an elderly male, that was declawed by a previous guardian, and it left his toes disfigured. He still attempted to scratch and it was so sad to watch. Besides that, some of the other cats targeted him to pick on because they knew he couldn't effectively fight back. If you ask me, ripping an animal's claws out is really not a call for a human to make! Hope I've helped! :) (Don't forget -- you can also trim your cat's claws--carefully--using basic toenail clippers!)
I and others really truly care about our cats. There is NOTHING wrong declawing them. Cats do not scratch furniture or other things like door facings because they want attention from you. Cats scratch to sharpen their claws. Everyone does not want throw blankets all over their house.
People who declaw cats keep them in the house so there should not be too much of an issue with fighting with other cats. And no it isn't like ripping your toe nails out. Too many bleeding heart liberals with too much time on their hands. People sit around and think up all this stupid stuff to protest about. Like idiots trying to tell neighbors they can't have Christmas lights outside because they are offended.
Well, I'm not interested in an argument or a debate, but if you read through the thread here, you'll see relevant responses from people in the vet field. :)
Besides that, none of this has anything to do with "bleeding heart liberals." It has to do with having empathy and compassion toward another sentient being, whose body you don't have a right to be in control of because you're overly concerned about the aesthetics of a piece of furniture. You wouldn't chop off your child's fingers because they were using Crayola all over the walls and you couldn't get them to stop.
The cat we had that was declawed by someone else was a housecat. They were indoors, 24/7, with other indoor cats. They were still picked on. Point blank, declawing is cruel and unnecessary, and unnatural. Household furnishing are not that important and having some pretty throw blankets on some of them really shouldn't be an issue.
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Buy another cat scratch tree. If it isn't broke don't fix it! Even if it's an indoor cat, her ability to defend herself should she possibly get out; would be lacking without her claws!
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I really don't want to start a major war, but when you declaw a cat it definitely is an amputation of their claw up to the knuckle. You can deny this all you want, but this is the truth. I have many cats, all rescued, some have their claws some dont. I have never and will never have that done to any of my cats. The ones who had the surgery i rescued like that. With this being said, I would never tell anyone what to do with their cat. I realize they can do major damage with furniture and I understand the reason for declawing, as a pet owner the choice is between you and your vet and not what other people think or say.
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If you are thinking of declawing your cat the best person to ask is your veterinarian. They would know if they type of cat(s) you have could tolerate such a procedure. I mean it is a serious surgery where a cat’s toe bones and claws are amputated. If the same procedure was performed on a human, his finger would be amputated at the last knuckle. At worst there is chronic pain, lameness, bone spurs, necrosis, and nerve damage, aversion to using the litterbox (due to the cat’s pain in their paws) and increased biting (in compensation for the loss of claws). That's why it's illegal in most European countries, as well as Israel. Many Californian cities have passed declawing bans, including Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Burbank, San Francisco etc. At best there is no real side-effect to the cat (that is physically visible.) Again, only your veterinarian can really know and give you the truth as to whether your cat(s) should be declawed, but my opinion, do it if you think it will benefit your 'baby', not just to save your furniture because that's a risk you took by getting one.
It is not a serious surgery. It is very minor, no real pain, no risks. And they go home the same day. It also not amputation.
Yeah there are some vets who won't do it but there are also idiots and vets who think you should not spay nor neuter them because it is depriving them of something. And no it isn't.
The biggest thing this country needs is more people taking care of their own life and less time spent trying to tell somebody else how to live theirs. If people don't want to declaw their cats then that is fine. But that same person doesn't have the right to attack or scream and yell at somebody else because they do. And I know people personally who have took it that far.
Please educate yourself. Declawing absolutely is amputation and therefore a major surgery. The distal phalanges are removed at the joint. It is not painless and it is not risk free. As with any surgery, there are risks of complications and infection, both during the surgery and after. This is not a necessary procedure for most cats. This should be the very last resort for cat owners who have exhausted all other attempts to prevent destructive behavior.
Pets are a lot of work, and cats like to scratch. It's their nature. If you don't want to put the time, money and effort into training and caring for a pet, please don't get a pet. If your furniture is more important than your cat's health, please don't get a cat.
Please educate yourself. Declawing cats is not amputation. Nor is it major surgery. Pretty sure my vet knows more about it than you do.
As for the rest of your smart alec response I would bet everything I have that I take better car of my pets than you would yours. Like I said before you need to mind your own business and take care of yourself and not worry about what I do or what somebody else does.
Well I'm a certified veterinary technician, so I'm pretty sure I'm educated. I'm required to be educated on a yearly basis in order to keep my certification.
dictionary.com says:
amputate
[am-pyoo-teyt]
verb (used with object), am·pu·tat·ed, am·pu·tat·ing.
1. to cut off (all or part of a limb or digit of the body), as by surgery.
2. to prune, lop off, or remove: Because of space limitations the editor amputated the last two paragraphs of the news report.
3. Obsolete . to prune, as branches of trees.
Please see definition 1.
LOL. Claws on a cat are not limbs. And anybody can claim to be whatever they want to be on the internet. Like I already told you - I believe MY VET not some random yahoo on line that wants to try to prove everybody wrong. And can only do so by talking down to everyone.
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It is horrific I have seen it done (worked for a vet). And yes it is chopping of the end of the digit, there are plenty of radiographs around that show this. So many cats suffer in pain for life, many will not use a litter box because they have pain when they try to dig. It is extremely different than spay and neuter. There is no good reason to mutilate a cat. It is banned in most countries. If the couch is more important or you cannot take time to train the animals maybe a pet is not for you.
It isn't mutilating them. Millions of cats are declawed and they have no problems with the procedure. Like I already said - do it or don't. But if you choose not to you have no right to berate others so do.
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:cat: I have been online doing research on declawing cats. Have thought about it but I don't know. I heard of people who have done it, and I have heard of people who are against it. Sometimes cats will scratch carpets, sofas etc, regardless of countless cat trees. I only have 1 cat tree, working on purchasing another soon. :cat:
Okay, I'm worried by some of these replies, haha. If you really, genuinely care about your cat, I think you'll decide not to. Scratching is a natural, stimulating experience for a cat, and one I would argue is necessary. In my experience, if they go for an upholstered chair, for instance, in your presence, it may be because they want attention from you. Using throw blankets over targeted furniture, using repellent spray on the furniture, and providing scratching posts will help a ton. We have done all these things and seen a wonderful improvement. Put a cat tree within 6 feet or less of whatever your cat likes to scratch that you don't want messed up. :)
We had one cat, an elderly male, that was declawed by a previous guardian, and it left his toes disfigured. He still attempted to scratch and it was so sad to watch. Besides that, some of the other cats targeted him to pick on because they knew he couldn't effectively fight back. If you ask me, ripping an animal's claws out is really not a call for a human to make! Hope I've helped! :) (Don't forget -- you can also trim your cat's claws--carefully--using basic toenail clippers!)
I and others really truly care about our cats. There is NOTHING wrong declawing them. Cats do not scratch furniture or other things like door facings because they want attention from you. Cats scratch to sharpen their claws. Everyone does not want throw blankets all over their house.
People who declaw cats keep them in the house so there should not be too much of an issue with fighting with other cats. And no it isn't like ripping your toe nails out. Too many bleeding heart liberals with too much time on their hands. People sit around and think up all this stupid stuff to protest about. Like idiots trying to tell neighbors they can't have Christmas lights outside because they are offended.
Well, I'm not interested in an argument or a debate, but if you read through the thread here, you'll see relevant responses from people in the vet field. :)
Besides that, none of this has anything to do with "bleeding heart liberals." It has to do with having empathy and compassion toward another sentient being, whose body you don't have a right to be in control of because you're overly concerned about the aesthetics of a piece of furniture. You wouldn't chop off your child's fingers because they were using Crayola all over the walls and you couldn't get them to stop.
The cat we had that was declawed by someone else was a housecat. They were indoors, 24/7, with other indoor cats. They were still picked on. Point blank, declawing is cruel and unnecessary, and unnatural. Household furnishing are not that important and having some pretty throw blankets on some of them really shouldn't be an issue.
That is about the most foolish thing I have ever read. Declawing a cat is not the same as chopping off your child's fingers. Like I said, do what you want, and quit trying to control what others do.
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If you are thinking of declawing your cat the best person to ask is your veterinarian. They would know if they type of cat(s) you have could tolerate such a procedure. I mean it is a serious surgery where a cat’s toe bones and claws are amputated. If the same procedure was performed on a human, his finger would be amputated at the last knuckle. At worst there is chronic pain, lameness, bone spurs, necrosis, and nerve damage, aversion to using the litterbox (due to the cat’s pain in their paws) and increased biting (in compensation for the loss of claws). That's why it's illegal in most European countries, as well as Israel. Many Californian cities have passed declawing bans, including Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Burbank, San Francisco etc. At best there is no real side-effect to the cat (that is physically visible.) Again, only your veterinarian can really know and give you the truth as to whether your cat(s) should be declawed, but my opinion, do it if you think it will benefit your 'baby', not just to save your furniture because that's a risk you took by getting one.
It is not a serious surgery. It is very minor, no real pain, no risks. And they go home the same day. It also not amputation.
Yeah there are some vets who won't do it but there are also idiots and vets who think you should not spay nor neuter them because it is depriving them of something. And no it isn't.
The biggest thing this country needs is more people taking care of their own life and less time spent trying to tell somebody else how to live theirs. If people don't want to declaw their cats then that is fine. But that same person doesn't have the right to attack or scream and yell at somebody else because they do. And I know people personally who have took it that far.
Please educate yourself. Declawing absolutely is amputation and therefore a major surgery. The distal phalanges are removed at the joint. It is not painless and it is not risk free. As with any surgery, there are risks of complications and infection, both during the surgery and after. This is not a necessary procedure for most cats. This should be the very last resort for cat owners who have exhausted all other attempts to prevent destructive behavior.
Pets are a lot of work, and cats like to scratch. It's their nature. If you don't want to put the time, money and effort into training and caring for a pet, please don't get a pet. If your furniture is more important than your cat's health, please don't get a cat.
Please educate yourself. Declawing cats is not amputation. Nor is it major surgery. Pretty sure my vet knows more about it than you do.
As for the rest of your smart alec response I would bet everything I have that I take better car of my pets than you would yours. Like I said before you need to mind your own business and take care of yourself and not worry about what I do or what somebody else does.
Well I'm a certified veterinary technician, so I'm pretty sure I'm educated. I'm required to be educated on a yearly basis in order to keep my certification.
dictionary.com says:
amputate
[am-pyoo-teyt]
verb (used with object), am·pu·tat·ed, am·pu·tat·ing.
1. to cut off (all or part of a limb or digit of the body), as by surgery.
2. to prune, lop off, or remove: Because of space limitations the editor amputated the last two paragraphs of the news report.
3. Obsolete . to prune, as branches of trees.
Please see definition 1.
LOL. Claws on a cat are not limbs. And anybody can claim to be whatever they want to be on the internet. Like I already told you - I believe MY VET not some random yahoo on line that wants to try to prove everybody wrong. And can only do so by talking down to everyone.
No, claws are not limbs, but they are directly attached to digits. They grow out of the distal phalanx, which is the last bone of the toe. When cats are declawed, part or all of the bone is removed. If just the claws were removed, they would grow back, much like our own fingernails and toenails. Therefore, it is technically amputation. All of this information can easily be googled, if you don't believe me. Many countries have already banned the procedure.
I don't know why you are so defensive about this. I never attacked you. You said it was not amputation. I, as well as others, replied that it is. My job as a vet tech is to educate clients about pet health. I do not berate or shame clients who choose to have their cats declawed, but it is my job to make sure they understand the procedure and that it's not just some kind of intensive nail trim.
Odds are that your cat will be fine after declaw surgery. That doesn't mean it's a procedure that should be done without consideration. If you removed all your fingertips at the knuckle, assuming everything healed as expected, I'm sure you would adapt and do fine without them. But is it natural? I use my fingernails for a lot of things without thinking about it. They're not just cosmetic. I adopted my cat, already front declawed. She doesn't appear to be in pain. However, she still scratches like she has them. And when she's got the zoomies, she sometimes crashes into things and falls off the furniture or her cat tree. Maybe she's just clumsy, but I've seen her instinctively try to grip onto something as she falls, and she can't because she's missing part of her anatomy.
Like I said before, I'm not condemning cat owners for making that decision. I just think there are plenty of scratchers and toys and training methods that should be exhausted first and that declawing should be a last resort.
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We had cats for years and they sure do a lot of damage that is for sure on your furniture. We still refused to declaw them though. :cat: :cat: :cat:
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I would never do that to a cat. Their paws are never the same. They are always in pain, it is very cruel. I live n a rural area and ours go in and out as they want. I do have damage to my furniture and door frames, but it is my choice to have pets that have claws, not theirs.
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I don't see anything wrong with declawing cats. When I was thinking of getting a cat, I was going to have it declawed. I don't see it any more wrong than get your pet spayed.
I'm going to try two more things and they don't work then he gets declawed. The citrus spray and the sofa cover. Oh I forgot, the carpet. I just got new carpet over a month ago. Leaning towards declawing. Thank for responding!
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I would never do that to a cat. Their paws are never the same. They are always in pain, it is very cruel. I live n a rural area and ours go in and out as they want. I do have damage to my furniture and door frames, but it is my choice to have pets that have claws, not theirs.
lol They are NOT always in pain.
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I think it depends on the cat. Wait and see if yours does claw furniture or people before running out to get him/her declawed. We had a big black male outdoor cat who caught mice and other small animals outside, but was just a soft loving cat inside. We left his claws on and he was always very careful around the children, even when they were babies, and he never clawed the furniture either. But outdoors he would get into terrible fights with other cats.
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I have had cats all my life and have only ever had 1 that got declawed. He lives inside and scratched me really bad by accident, my arm got infected because I have so many health problems I had to get him declawed or get rid of him. He does not go outside so he is fine
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We've had both cats with and without their front claws. Clawing is a natural instinct for them, so you do need to protect or somehow teach them where they can. If they go outdoor it is safer for them to have their claws.
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Declawing cats is cruel. I have 3 cats and all 3 have their claws. I'm not gonna say they don't ever get into trouble -- they do -- but I can fix a chair that has scratch marks in it. I can't make a cat grow claws back.
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I have a cat and had her front claws declawed because when I got her my daughter was younger and I didn't want her to get hurt.
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i can live with claws
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I personally would never do it. I've had several cats over my lifetime. My cat as a child was an indoor/outdoor cat. The three cats I've had as an adult have all been strictly indoor. None were ever declawed and I do not personally believe in doing that.
I have a chair that my now deceased cat loved to scratch. It now makes me think of her whenever my hand brushes against the rough edge. My current cat often likes to scratch the carpet to get attention (because I usually yell at her to stop it when I catch her doing it). If we leave a box of papers or laundry basket on the floor that it not a permanent furniture fixture, she tends to scratch the carpet around its edges... (maybe her way of telling us to clean up the mess)
But here's the bottom line: each pet owner has to make the decision him/herself. I personally think it is a bad idea, but I don't condemn those who choose to do it. If someone asked my opinion in advance of making the decision, I would try to talk them out of it. But it is not my decision. If you choose to declaw, I disagree with your decision. Like many other issues, people are going to disagree, but that's what makes for healthy debate...
:cat: :cat:
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I've never had any of my cats declawed because they were never happy being inside 24/7. They needed their claws to protect themselves. Most of them used a cat scratch pole i had for them, butr I had one who loved my loveseat. The upholstery was more like a tweed or a tight woven material and it was old, so I didn't really care. None of them ever bothered my good furniture.
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I've had cats that were both declawed and not declawed. I never personally took a cat to be declawed. I'm surprised the subject brought out such differing views.
It's easier on humans if the cats are declawed, but I think it may just mean maintaining more discipline to make sure that non-declawed cats don't scratch on things they're not supposed to (like the cat I have right now). She has her own scratching post but occasionally will test the waters of disobedience and/or independence.
She stays indoors because we make her. When she occasionally manages to get outside, she doesn't seem to have any problem climbing, etc.
:fish:
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We have had two cats, sisters since 2000. One will use scratching posts no problems, the other has ruined more furniture than I can count. If I had it to do over I would have had them declawed when they were little but now they are too old or the one offender the other doesn't have a problem. Back awhile I like you did some research and I just didn't know what t do because of the negative reviews. I believe I could have a zillion cat scratching things and the bad cat would still scratch my furniture.
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Oh I wanted to add my cats are indoor only and always have been but the main thing is if they are declawed then they have no way to protect themselves I read if they go outside or accidentally get out.
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I really believe it is a personal decision. Sometimes if a cat is not declawed it can scratch you, children, guests etc. Not to mention gauge leather, wood floors. I personally had our 21 yr old kitty declawed right away.
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Oh I wanted to add my cats are indoor only and always have been but the main thing is if they are declawed then they have no way to protect themselves I read if they go outside or accidentally get out.
As long as the have back claws they can climb a tree.
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I really believe it is a personal decision. Sometimes if a cat is not declawed it can scratch you, children, guests etc. Not to mention gauge leather, wood floors. I personally had our 21 yr old kitty declawed right away.
Exactly. But too many people like my aunt and others think they have the right to put others down.
Kind of like people who put an animal to sleep instead of paying huge medical bills. It is really no one else business.
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Oh I wanted to add my cats are indoor only and always have been but the main thing is if they are declawed then they have no way to protect themselves I read if they go outside or accidentally get out.
As long as the have back claws they can climb a tree.
I've heard this and I suppose that it may be true, but there isn't always a tree around to climb, and defending itself is not necessarily limited to running away/escape. Sometimes instincts will dictate stand your ground and fight - but when your primary offensive weapon are front claws that you no longer have, you have a problem.
I'm not necessarily looking to get into a full debate over it - as I said, it is each owner's decision, but I think it's slightly shortsighted to conclude *back claws + a tree = ability to defend itself* As humans, we can logically conclude that might be the best survival option, but I'm not so sure that a cat relying on natural instincts rather than cognitive brain power can safely reach the same conclusion when faced with the imminent danger of a predator or even just another experienced territorial cat.
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When I had a cat, I had her front paws declawed. I did this for one reason. Everytime we went to the vet she buried her claws in my skin. She had some health problems so we had to make periodic visits to the vet. I got tired of bleeding.
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I don't have a cat so I never had to deal with that issue.
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Yeah, I don't believe in declawing cats. It's unnatural. I get the scratching is a pain in the neck, but it's not as abnormal is removing a part of their anatomy.
Using that logic I guess you would think it is wrong to have them neutered? I am not sure why people get so upset with what other people do concerning their pets? My cats are declawed. They also have a really good life.
That's a false equivalency for one thing. I'm not against neutering pets. It serves a function. Controlling the pet population. Declawing cats is basically an act of convenience. People don't want their furniture (or themselves) scratched up. I think it's wrong to put a cat under the knife for a trivial reason such as that. You get a cat, you know what you're in for- otherwise don't get a cat.
And for the record, I'm not suggesting that people who declaw their cats are "horrible" people and the cats lives are "ruined" or something. I have my opinion on the topic and gave it. That's all.
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Oh I wanted to add my cats are indoor only and always have been but the main thing is if they are declawed then they have no way to protect themselves I read if they go outside or accidentally get out.
That's one of the main reasons I've heard against declawing. If they get out (and let's face it 97% of them do, even if they're housecats) they'll have no chance for self defence.
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Oh I wanted to add my cats are indoor only and always have been but the main thing is if they are declawed then they have no way to protect themselves I read if they go outside or accidentally get out.
As long as the have back claws they can climb a tree.
That's kinda like saying. "it's ok if I get in a fight with my arms amputated. I still have my feet so I can run away!" lol
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If I had to get a cat, I always thought it would be nice to have a declawed one. However since I learned it's less like having nails cut and more like finger amputating surgery, I understand it's pretty hard on the cat and I would feel too bad to have it done.
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I don't have a cat but I've heard you're not supposed to declaw them. As an animal lover, I would say it seems wrong to declaw them.
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:menorah: :santa: :snowflake: I have seen cats that don't have their front claws any more, they seem happy cats. I would think that if the cat has some destruction, I would declaw the cat. Just cause you would spend more replacing items vs having the issue fixed. If the cat isn't an issue I would leave the claws. :menorah: :santa: :snowflake:
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i cant imagine having one declawed..i have 2..one scratches and the other doesnt..but they are both inside/outside cats..and their claws are their only defense against attackers...i understand why people do it though.