What are your thoughts on declawing your cats?

 

When we first got our 2 cats (around 7 years ago or so), we decided to declaw them. But now, we got a kitten last year, and my sisters don't want to declaw her. Back then we declawed our first 2 cats, my sisters didn't know what declawing actually does to the cats. Now my sisters have researched it a bit more (since they're 21) and they found out it's actually very painful and it changes the cat and how they act. Also, it's banned in Europe. There's an alternative tho that my sisters wanna use: superglue these 'soft paw' plastic protectors on the nails.

 

Are your cats declawed? Is it really that inhumane to do it to a cat?

All of our cats were/are declawed. My wife had her two cats declawed long before we met and they seemed fine as well.

 

Our recent addition was a kitten that my wife got me for a birthday gift. We had her declawed when the vet said was the appropriate age. She was also fixed at the same time. As for personality changes, she didn't really change. She's as vibrant and energetic as always. Recovery was a small issue since we had to constantly monitor the kitten to make sure she didn't pull out her stitches. But it never became an issue. She still tries to claw things with her front paws so that behavior is still there regardless of the claws no longer present.

 

As for the protectors, claws continue to grow and "shed" so you'd be constantly putting new ones on, I would think.

 

I believe, it really comes down to a personal stance on this issue. If it's concerns about changes in behavior, it there is a change, as far as I've seen it's only been a slight change until they got used to not having front claws.

sisters said u have to put em on every month or so

My cat is not declawed, and like you, my wife and I researched it alot prior. The cats loses its tools to defend itself against anything. You can't let it outside at all because it can't climb trees to escape or swipe at a dog or another cat to protect itself. Our thoughts, were it takes a lot away from the personality of a cat. Cats have attitudes and if you are bothering them they let you know it. They use their tail movement and growl/hiss, but when they sit back on their hind legs and swipe at you and you get hit with the claws you know they mean it. They are using their natural instincts to defend them. Take the claws away and they have to just put up with whats bothering them or run away and go hide. We kept our cat clawed because we want that personality to exist in the cat. We don't want a pet that can't stand up for itself against kids, cats, dogs andthing else that it thinks is bothering. We have provided a spot where it can stretch its claws and use catnip on things its allowed to "play" with. She knows better to stretch on the furniture or walls.

I would never declaw a cat. It removes the first nuckle the cats paw and very painfull. I clip my cats nails once aweek since she was a kitten, start them early they dont mind when older. I've been clipping the cats claws now for 2 years and she's fine with it (Lady Thunder Cat)

I have seen the declawing process in person and its not pretty. I would only do it if they were really young. Clipping works but if you are a procrastinator then there are other alternatives. The claw caps work really good and the sticky pads for the corners of your furniture work really well. My time working for a vet helped a bunch. (actually not banned in europe by the way. My first cats were declawed in Italy)

Well, as you all know I have a lot of cats. I have never ever, nor would I declaw my cats. As Killian said, the cat loses its natural defense to defend itself. All my cats are indoor cats. But, if by chance they did get outside, how would they defend themselves? Plus, it is very painful to the cat, whether its done early or not.

A friend of mine had his cat declawed. I was terrified of that cat. He didn't have any front nails, so he made up for it in other ways. I was standing doing laundry, and the cat for no reason ran up to me, grabbed my calf with his front paws and raked his teeth down my leg. Needless to say I screamed. Very loudly I might add. But I think it was more painful then if he had just swiped me with his claws. Anyways I think it does change their personality in some way. I think they also have a tendency to bite more because that is their only defense left.

Imagine.... ripper, that someone comes and removes your fingernails, (all of them) and then takes the bone out of the joint on your first nuckles, and removes that...

 

consider a cat defending themselves like you using your mouse with your newly found hands..

 

it is painfull, it is creul and it is banned under UK animal protection law (cruelty to the animal) for a reason...

 

how would you agree with an animals tail being doced for aesthetic purpouses

hm Thanks for the comments all. I'll make sure I won't declaw a cat ever again

there is a new way of doing it which i did to my cat its done with a laser and is almost painless he was walking the next day like nothing happened. the only problem with the protectors is that the cats can pull them off and choke on them. the laser opperation cost about 150 usd

there is a new way of doing it which i did to my cat its done with a laser and is almost painless he was walking the next day like nothing happened. the only problem with the protectors is that the cats can pull them off and choke on them. the laser opperation cost about 150 usd

hm never heard of this operation before, when did it come out + is it entirely safe?

Still a nasty procedure, the grim gorey details are that they effectivly burn the nails/claws out with a cutting laser instead of cutting them out

I believe that's how my kitten was declawed. Recovery time didn't take long, just so until the openings where the claws were healed.

 

Our cats have always been indoor cats. They knew not to go outside and don't try to. My kitten will wait near the door for you to come in (if you're outside) but she's never once tried to go out the door.

 

Some of you make it sound like it wrong to do this. And in your eyes, it may be. But my kitten is still as playful as ever and she loves to "fight" with me when we play. My daughter will be taught how to play with our cat (we no longer have the two older cats since they passed).

 

But, I still say it's a matter of personal opinion.

I was once told that it compares to having your fingers cut off at the upper joint. I have had a cat for 15 years and she isn't declawed

hm never heard of this operation before, when did it come out + is it entirely safe?

its something that they have had around for about 5-10 years now but its just started to become common in the last few years. its safer then the old way of doing it cuz theres no open area so it reduces the chances of an infection.

Imagine.... ripper, that someone comes and removes your fingernails, (all of them) and then takes the bone out of the joint on your first nuckles, and removes that...

 

consider a cat defending themselves like you using your mouse with your newly found hands..

 

it is painfull, it is creul and it is banned under UK animal protection law (cruelty to the animal) for a reason...

 

how would you agree with an animals tail being doced for aesthetic purpouses

Shotty said pretty much what I was going to say. I would never get any of my cats declawed. I just trim the claws it's not every hard to do. Just make sure you have the right claw trimming scissors to do it.

As far as their personality goes depends on the cat. Ive had two mainecoons and they have compeltely opposite persoanlitys thats a mainecoon thing. If you dont declaw them you can teach them to claw the right thing(didnt work with my second cat) or just cut them witch is what we do. You just hav to make sure you dont cut them to short.

Well, my wife is the one that's big on the declawing thing. I've never really dealt with it since most of my cats (growing up) were inside/outside cats. All of her cats have always been inside-only cats.

 

I wasn't about to argue with her on the issue, I knew better. But Spritzy seems just fine after she recovered from the operation. She's still loves to fight. We played for a bit this morning actually.

 

:thumbsup:

Indoor cat. Declaw.

 

Outdoors/indoor cat. Don't.

Indoor cat. Declaw.

 

Outdoors/indoor cat. Don't.

Even if the cat is straight indoor I still wouldn't get them declawed, because when they play with their cat toys they like to use their claws to grab the toy and throw it around. And pounce on it. I have my cat Oliver trained to take a treat out of the container with his paw and to do it he uses his claws to grip the treat :thumbsup:

ditto Mac. i know its an unpleasant process, but its better than me strangling the cat that just shredded my sofa.

Ok.

 

Circumsition.

 

A cat wont know any better just as a guy doesnt b/c they dont have anything to compare to. More like no memory of it.

 

A cat therefore cannot, after declawning its front claws, destroy any furnishings. That is why I recommend Indoor cats having it done. Plus it is less of a liability for friends and family since they cannot get scratched as easliy.

Just get a Ninja cat. Problem solved.

 

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if you do it when there young there wouldnt be much pain due to nerve ending not fully developed yet. and think about it drugs keep the pain of the operation to none the only reason they keep the cats over night is to make sure bleeding stops. with that said i would declaw a indoor cat if it will never go outside, but if its and outdoor cat by all means it needs them claws.