Can cats be declawed?

Re: Can cats be declawed??

Oh dear.
I really, really hope you don't get them declawed Marge - I'm glad you have changed your mind. Declawing is totally inhumane. I can't believe the unregistered poster "Christine" ...getting her cats declawed and keeping then inside constantly. People like that shouldn't be allowed keep pets. I have two cats myself, a brother and sister, and they love being outisde...and are fond of getting lazy inside by the fire too! There are particular trees in the garden that they love scratching, and we also have a patch of catnip that they are crazy about They do tend to sit on top of the cars though - they especially love getting on them just after they have been driven so they can sit on the bonnet which will still be warm from the engine running.

Re: Can cats be declawed??

Don't know what planet I was on earlier when I posted as I left out the main point I intended to make; that when Homer was inside all day he would get notions about scratching the carpet on the stairs or the arm of the couch. Every time he did, I picked him up and put him at his scratching post and he got the message eventually. Maybe Marge could try that.

Rebecca

Re: Can cats be declawed??

I grew

Re: Can cats be declawed??

Tarquin said:

I grew up with our cat being a house cat and I don't think it was right. At home at that time, we all had the best of intentions, my parents house has farming families on either side, with no regards for animals as pets and several cats were killed viciously by these farmer's dogs. Then my sister found this tiny wild (probably feral) kitten years ago, brought her home and my mother insisted that if she was going to be kept, that she had to be a house cat. Kit Kat is now 13 and seems contented enough but she goes mad with frustration at times when she sees a bird outside she wants to hunt or the leaves blowing. She was never declawed, however, my mother willing to put up with scratches on the furniture. Our vet said its best to declaw them as kittens and only if they are being kept indoors, he had offered to do Kit Kat as a kitten but my mother refused.

Whatever about the declawing, I wouldn't have a cat house bound, that is also cruel in its own way. And you live in constant fear of them getting out (an open window or door) and knowing they wouldn't survive, through you imprisoning them to begin with.

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I wasn't going to bother replying to this because frankly I'm sick to the teeth of arguing with people, but what the hey. For further info and extensive scientific/veterinary links on what I'm about to say, search for other 'discussions' on this topic I've been involved in here.

Keeping cats indoors is in no way cruel. Current veterinary best practice in the US, and increasingly in Britain, is that keeping cats indoors at all times is the only responsible way to keep cats. Ireland, as usual when it comes to matters of animal welfare, is a generation behind. Please do a google for indoor cats, and actually read up on some of the expert opinions, before spouting off about 'cruelty' etc.

Also, when talking about animals, it helps to avoid anthropomorphisation.

On the subject of declawing, any vets I have met would likely drop someone as a client who requested that their cat be declawed. It is amputation and mutilation purely for human convenience.

If your furniture is that precious, you should not have any animal, nor for that matter children, given the damage kids can do.

Re: Can cats be declawed??

Keeping cats indoors is in no way cruel

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How do you know this? How do the 'experts' know this?

Unless you can become a cat, or directly tune into a cat's brain I can't see how any conclusions can be made one way or another. (This is not quite anthropomorphisation)

Re: Can cats be declawed??

Sherman said:

Also, when talking about animals, it helps to avoid anthropomorphisation.

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Anthro-who?

Anyway Marge I'm sure you've made the right decision in not doing it...and I've enjoyed reading the thread because sometimes I feel people just don't understand or appreciate animals as pets, and look at all these people who do, so that's all for the good!

Our cat started to scratch our new couch just as I got the wrapping off it, I sprayed her with water in the face immediately as she did it, and I tell yah, she didn't go back for seconds! A little sprayer for the plants did the trick nicely... and a tree or scratching post, even in the garden helps. We have a palm and the cat just looooves going up, all claws out for a good scratching! She used to sit on neighbours car all the time and he never complained about scratching so it must have worked.

Best of luck with it, but if you get frustrated remember...

"one small cat changes coming home to an empy house to coming home."

so you're twice blessed!

Re: Can cats be declawed??

Nope, we did not get our cats declawed. I grew up with a dog so getting cats was a steep learning curve. I hadn't realised that declawing cats was basically handicapping them. We have two happy cats that kept the mice at bay coming from the unoccupied house next door. That would have been a bit difficult without claws!!

Re: Can cats be declawed??

umop3p!sdn said:

How do you know this? How do the 'experts' know this?

Unless you can become a cat, or directly tune into a cat's brain I can't see how any conclusions can be made one way or another. (This is not quite anthropomorphisation)

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I used to have a cat (she died a year and a bit ago, and still miss her!)
She was a house cat. We live in an apartment, and she used to "walk" my sister to the lift when she was leaving to school in the mornings....but not too far from our door.If she heard the door closing behing her, she would run towards to door, and if it was already closed, she would start meowing and scratching the door until we open it....She didn't like going out at all. We have a balcony (it's a fourth floor, so we were afraid of her jumping trying to catch birds) Only once I saw on the rail, trying to catch a bird, I almost have a heart atack, because i thought she was going to jump!!! She loved being outside in the balcony, looking for a bit of sun, always sit in the warmest part of the house (next to the heater pipes!).
When I moved out from my parents house, and I couldn't look after her when they were on holidays, the started taking her with them. They go to a house in the country, where the door are always open, and she would never leave the garden!! She was just to well look after to go wandering anywhere else.
I would like to get another cat soon, and i'll do my best to "house" train it, so that there is not need for him/ her to go outside!
I think it's no cruel at all living the cats ouside. What it's cruel is not having then in or out....depending on what suits the owner!

Re: Can cats be declawed??

^ interesting. I think bloke cats tend to like to roam a bit more.

Re: Can cats be declawed??

umop3p!sdn said:

^ interesting. I think bloke cats tend to like to roam a bit more.

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Only when intact. Neutering usually ends any urge to roam widely, and also usually prevents spraying/territory marking.

Re: Can cats be declawed??

If you own a cat and let it out to roam around the place you should make sure it doesn’t kill anything. The same goes for dogs or any other pets. If de-clawing is what it required to guarantee this then that is what should happen.

Re: Can cats be declawed??

Purple said:

If you own a cat and let it out to roam around the place you should make sure it doesn’t kill anything. The same goes for dogs or any other pets. If de-clawing is what it required to guarantee this then that is what should happen.

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I take it your car never murders any insects or anything while driving around, right? Anyone considering declawing should have their own fingernails & toenails removed first to find out how good an idea it is?

Re: Can cats be declawed??

RainyDay said:

I take it your car never murders any insects or anything while driving around, right? Anyone considering declawing should have their own fingernails & toenails removed first to find out how good an idea it is?

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You read my mind RainyDay.
We got out cat neutered (sp?) and I suffer so much when i saw her after the surgery....her eyes looking at me so sadly! But even for house cats it has to be done just in case!....
De-clawing a cat or a dog it's cruel, and i am of the opinion you shouldn't do to somebody (something) what you wouldn't like to be done to you.....
Have you ever scratched with your nails a really expensive clothing or curtains.....? Maybe then you should be declawed to becasue of that!

Re: Can cats be declawed??

Cati76 said:

You read my mind RainyDay.
We got out cat neutered (sp?) and I suffer so much when i saw her after the surgery....her eyes looking at me so sadly! But even for house cats it has to be done just in case!....

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Neutering and spaying has significant health benefits quite apart from the possibility (or certainty if your cat is female and has access to the outdoors) of unwanted litters. The life span of a cat or dog is significantly increased by neutering/spaying. Also, aggression, and the attendant certainty of territory fights etc., which through wounds sustained carry the risk of FIV, FLV etc. is greatly reduced.

Also, de-clawing is even more horrific than the human equivalent of removal of finger and toe nails. It is more like having your fingers and toes chopped off at the first joint on each finger/toe.

Re: Can cats be declawed??

umop3p!sdn said:

How do you know this? How do the 'experts' know this?

Unless you can become a cat, or directly tune into a cat's brain I can't see how any conclusions can be made one way or another. (This is not quite anthropomorphisation)

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In fairness, we know stuff about babies. You don't have to be able to talk to an animal to know what it does.

Re: Can cats be declawed??

Purple said:

If you own a cat and let it out to roam around the place you should make sure it doesn’t kill anything. The same goes for dogs or any other pets. If de-clawing is what it required to guarantee this then that is what should happen.

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Cats hunting and killing birds etc is a part of nature. I don't like it either and I even stopped my cat from killing a mouse twice but I understand why she does it. It's their natural instinct, just as birds eat worms and mice eat whatever it is mice eat...the only difference is cats are fed so they don't eat their kill, but that doesn't stop their natural instinct. Look at all that mankind kills just for sport, that to me is much more unnatural.

Re: Can cats be declawed??

Some vets will put mini caps on a cat's claws. Don't know how this sits in the cruelty stakes. Perhaps it leaves them with enough grip to climb and do normal cat things, while blunting the damage to furniture, so to speak. Don't know, but a vet will.

Re: Can cats be declawed??

This site has stuff about it.

[broken link removed]

Seems they do blunt cats self defence ability, so not for cats that wander in the great outdoors.

Re: Can cats be declawed??

A cat that has been brought up from kittenhood indoors eg in an apartment doesn't suffer. A cat that previously had freedom to roam will not be happy if kept indoors. I always understood that declawing was only for apartment-dwelling cats.
I'm glad my cat hunts! She gets rid of excess spiders indoors! (Excess, because she doesn't get them all). She's not a great hunter judging by 3 birds in 5 years.
The problem with training cats is that you do need to be around a lot of the time; otherwise they do the undesired behaviour when you're not there. Rebecca, my understanding of traininig animals is not to use their name as an admonition or they'll associate their name with being given out to, and think you're giving out when you're just calling them for supper - just a hint! (Tone of voice may help though)

Re: Can cats be declawed??

Gordanus said:

I'm glad my cat hunts! She gets rid of excess spiders indoors! (Excess, because she doesn't get them all). She's not a great hunter judging by 3 birds in 5 years.

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Cats don't have a great hunting instinct. If they haven't be thought to hunt by their mother, they won't make great hunters. This is yet another good reason not to take a kitten away from the mother too early.