Our 5-month old kitten is going to have an "operation" soon...

And it's not just for spaying.

I love my parents, but their ignorant and offhand attitude towards declawing makes me see them in a very dim light whenever I allow myself to think about it. I feel so sad for the two-- about to be three-- cats I've seen recover from this.

It's no wonder why the US is one of the sparse few countries in the world that still allows declawing. I tried telling my mom that, as well as informing her of the fact that it takes off the first digit of all the fingers as well as leaves the cat with no form of defense should it find itself lost outside. But she only references the furniture, and reassures me that our first cat is "doing just fine." And often still standing with one paw held up.

I lurked on a couple of message board discussions about declawing. Any mention of the desire for it to be outlawed was often met with an outraged, "Should we not be free to do as we please with our animals?"

What a thing to desire the freedom to do!

I am not a fan of new laws. So lets go with an old one in this case. Animal cruelty. The best thing you could do would be to remove the cats, blame it on a rabid Pit Bull.... I seriously why people get a pet that needs "modification". De-clawing is a lazy solution to training. I have only had a couple of cats. They left furniture alone after realizing that getting squirted sucks. Tell you parents they are bad humans. Tell them God is a cat. Do whatever you have to do to allow them to live as they should.

BTW cats should not be indoor only. It is like owning a bird with no ability to fly. Damn people suck.

Animal cruelty, yes!
My parents' word is law. They simply see not a speck of anything wrong with it.
We were all set to train our first cat, even got him a scratching post, but the horrible person of a vet they talked to before his neutering asked them if they wanted to throw in declawing along with it, and they said yes. It's all about money, isn't it? God, I so wish I could slap that person for basically undoing my efforts by treating the option as nothing more incidental than "would you like an extra whatever with your meal?"
Gaaaah!

reply to post by EllaMarina


It's all about the up-sell for some Vets. If I asked my Vet to do something like that it would be the last time I would be welcome. Sorry your parents are such ummmm errrrr crappy cat owners.

(that took some rewriting)

"what a thing to desire the freedom to do"

well said.

i liken declawing to ripping a humans fingernails out with a pair of pliers.

AKA torture

don't let them do it. the cat will never be the same.

I get furious when I hear that people get a cat and then have it declawed. What a sick, cruel thing to do to a kitty. Not only is it mutiliation (akin to a person getting their fingers chopped down to the first knuckle), but it causes them pain when they scratch in the litter box, it causes them psychological problems because their main form of protection is removed, and it causes them to walk in a weird way which destroys their spinal column.

Every cat I've ever known who was declawed turned out to be a biter. They are quick to bite and usually have mental problems, this is to make up for the fact that they've no claws anymore. They cannot climb, or stretch and scratch like they NEED to do.

I cannot stress enough what a twisted and awful thing it is to do to a cat, just to save some crappy furniture. If your parents care that much about their stuff, they can either give the kitty to somebody who won't declaw them, or they can put sticky tape on where they don't want the kitty to scratch, and get them a good scratching post instead.

I have had many rescue kitties, and currently there are 9 in our house. They use their scratching posts, we have no problems with furniture scratching, because the older ones remember the sticky tape. We also use a spray bottle with water for the occasional kitty misbehavior.

Declawing should be against the law. If I were you, I would steal the kitty and make sure it gets a home where it won't be declawed. I feel that strongly about it. Worst thing you can do to a cat. Might as well lock it in a tiny cage and never let it out. Their claws are everything to them!! Don't let it happen!!

reply to post by FissionSurplus


Oh god, I wish so much that I could change their minds!
Karma visited my mom one evening when our first cat Jazzy gave her an almighty bite on the arm. It took forever to heal, and I'm not sure she doesn't still have trouble with it.

I had many cats declawed, just the front claws. Every cat I ever owned ruined, rugs, curtians, furniture... that was before I actually knew what was involved in the declawing. Now they have something where they do something to a muscle I think where the cat can't let its nails out. They also sell nail caps. I think they're rubber. Ask your vet for options.

Forgot to add, not a single one of my declawed cats ever walked funny or seemed in any pain or would bite. Didn't take them long to be back to jumping around and playing like always. But there are other options now.

reply to post by Night Star


I just rewrote this post about six times. My opinion of people that de-claw cats is quite low. I truly wish I could take stars and not just give them.

And that's about as nice as I can say it.

Originally posted by Night Star
I had many cats declawed, just the front claws. Every cat I ever owned ruined, rugs, curtians, furniture... that was before I actually knew what was involved in the declawing. Now they have something where they do something to a muscle I think where the cat can't let its nails out. They also sell nail caps. I think they're rubber. Ask your vet for options.

Then why have cats at all?

I've always wanted a horse, but I don't want to be kicked. Perhaps I can just have the tendons in their back legs surgically severed so they won't kick me, although they'll still be able to walk. No disrespect to you personally, but that's the first thing I thought of when I read your post.

Cats have claws, and they have teeth. To mutilate an animal to make it more friendly to your home environment means, to me, that perhaps you should consider something else, like a tiny dog. Cats are the least domesticated pet humans have. The wildness, and the need to hunt and climb, are part of their psyche.

reply to post by EllaMarina


Removing the claws from a cat?

That is treason to the Catstitution's 2nd amendment!

~_~ How can it hunt if it cannot grip into the backs of it's prey? Just not fair, really.
It's very easy to train a cat how to use it's scratcher, play with it every day right next to the scratcher: problem solved.

Originally posted by Night Star
Forgot to add, not a single one of my declawed cats ever walked funny or seemed in any pain or would bite. Didn't take them long to be back to jumping around and playing like always. But there are other options now.

If you had your fingernails ripped off it would heal and you would eventually not be in pain. Doesn't mean it wouldn't hurt like hell when it was done. I have never declawed any of my cats. If you can't train them, and can't handle furniture damage, don't get one. Cat ownership is a responsibility, and there are drawbacks.

reply to post by EllaMarina


I have one cat and the thought of declawing her never entered my mind. She likes to go outside and her defense is those claws. She does not scratch the furniture after a few squirts of water from a watergun. I did have her fixed when she was a year old but thats because I felt that she nor I wanted kittens.
I have a dog and he is just a little mutt dog but the other thing that drives me crazy is cropping tails and ears on dogs. Why do we think we need to improve on mother nature? Really come on.
I have 3 horses I have their hooves trimmed every 3 months but I do not have shoes put on them just to ride out here in the country, they do not need it I really think that even though it does not hurt the horse it was really not meant to have nails pounded through their hooves and metal attached to them and they get along just fine without it.
Good luck to you

I too believe it's cruel to the cat to remove it's natural defense but I'm in one of those moods so allow me to play Devil's Advocate for just a moment.

What about cat scratch fever? No, not the Ted Nugent song but the actual disease caused by cat scratches and bites.
What if de-clawing the Cat was a way to ensure no one contracted this disease?

Cat scratch disease is an infection with Bartonella bacteria that is believed to be transmitted by cat scratches and bites.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Cat scratch disease is caused by Bartonella henselae. The disease is spread through contact with an infected cat (a bite or scratch), or contact with cat saliva on broken skin or the white of the eye.

Symptoms
A person who has had contact with an infected cat may show common symptoms, including:
Bump (papule) or blister (pustule) at site of injury (usually the first sign)
Fatigue
Fever (in some patients)
Headache
Lymph node swelling (lymphadenopathy) near the site of the scratch or bite
Overall discomfort (malaise)

Less common symptoms may include:
Loss of appetite
Sore throat
Weight loss

Cat scratch disease

If you notice a crusty infection in a bite or scratch from a cat you need to look for additional symptoms of the disease. The most common symptom is swollen glands under the neck. Many people also get a low grade fever and feel like they have the flu with weakness, nausea, chills, loss of appetite and a headache. If the victim does not get well within in a few days they may develop a very high fever. Pneumonia could develop, or a rash that looks like the measles, as well as other complications. There have been cases of severe infection that have led to encephalitis, amputation and even death due to a cat bite.

What Is Cat Scratch Fever?

So it can be contracted through biting or scratching and can possibly lead to AMPUTATION and even DEATH!?

Maybe we need to remove their teeth also.......just kidding.

I hate when people declaw cats, they're easily smart enough to be trained not to scratch furniture. I have 2 outside cats and from time to time I go outside to have a cigarette. Being as it's cold outside, I wear a long duster coat that's very durable. Sometimes my one cat likes to stand up on the side of my coat and hold on with her claws so I can scratch her neck. When I'm not wearing the coat, she knows not to use her claws because it hurts. All I have to do is gently touch her paws and she understands she's hurting me and stops using her claws.

Cats know full well their claws hurt and do damage, because they're built with them to kill things and fight. All they need is some simple training. Like another poster said, get a little squirt gun, or maybe a can of nails to shake at it when it claws furniture. You could also greatly benefit by getting or making the cat a scratching post.

My cats were very happy and playful and full of love. Most were rescues. They were all indoor cats and safe and loved dearly. I didn't know back then exactly what was involved in the process. I gave them scratching posts and did the water bottle thing to no avail. Maybe they were thick headed, I dunno. All of my cats were pampered and adored and they adored me back.

They were given pain medication and slept good. They were usually jumping on things the next day, some the very day they came home. If it was that painful they wouldn't be doing that. Not saying that it wasn't painful at all, but they wouldn't be jumping if it was as horrible as everyone makes out. I didn't say I'd do it again. I would try those rubber nail things you glue on or something. But no one here can say I don't love cats or that my cats were miserable. You didn't know them or see them. Happy, playful, content and loving cats, everyy single one of them!

Originally posted by Night Star
But no one here can say I don't love cats or that my cats were miserable. You didn't know them or see them. Happy, playful, content and loving cats, everyy single one of them!

I would never be so foolish as to claim that. You did what you thought was right. I think you lacked all the information at the time. I can feel the love you have for them. I would be so bold as to say most cats would wish for such a loving environment.

reply to post by FissionSurplus


Why have cats at all? I love them with a passion. My last (and only cat right now) was rescued from a wooded area. She was a 6 month all white persian kitty who was deaf, had a bad ear infection, infested with fleas, matted fur and absolutely terrified of everyone and every thing.

She would hiss and growl like a wildcat. I spent every day for weeks just lying next to her on the floor without trying to pet or scare her, just to let her know I wasn't going to harm her. I would turn the lights on and off before entering a room and when leaving to try to communicate. Then I used hand signals. One day while lying beside her I tried to pet her and she purred.

I had spent months with this little kitty having her trust me enough to groom her and it paid off. That was years ago and she turned out to be the most loving and trusting little thing.

Another rescue I had was abandoned and so tiny I had to bottle feed it. He grew up to be a big strong loving cat.

Another would have been euthenized had I not adopted her that day.

I could go on but I won't. Lets just just say I have had many years of joy, love nd laughter sharing my life with animals and they lived long and happy lives.

Originally posted by OccamsRazor04

Originally posted by Night Star
But no one here can say I don't love cats or that my cats were miserable. You didn't know them or see them. Happy, playful, content and loving cats, everyy single one of them!

I would never be so foolish as to claim that. You did what you thought was right. I think you lacked all the information at the time. I can feel the love you have for them. I would be so bold as to say most cats would wish for such a loving environment.

Correct and thank you so much for understanding!!!!!!!!!