declawed

I don't agree with declawing cats. It is possible to train a cat so that the clawing is minimal. Besides, I think that, when you get a cat, you are accepting all the stuff that comes with it, cleaning litter boxes, fur on everything, and the occasional frayed curtain or armchair. After all, children make spills, messes and destroy stuff all the time, but no one ever suggests that we cut off their fingers...

The declawing of cats has long been a subject of much controversy. When it comes to individual cat owners and individual vets, everyone has an opinion as to whether it's beneficial and harmless, or cruel and pointless. Being the owner of both a delcawed cat and a cat with claws intact, I have my own mixed views. I have heard that many veterinarians no longer offer or will not perform the procedure, as it is becoming more and more frowned upon and even banned in some areas. If we're talking about whether it's cruel or not, I know that the cats don't feel any pain during the procedure, but are extremely sore and groggy afterwards. Naturally, they're little world is completely different and they have a lot of adjusting to do. On the other hand, I believe it is cruel to declaw an outdoor cat who only occasionally comes inside, as you've taken away his main source of self defense. As cat owners, we have to take on the full responsibility of our pets. Declawing is really more of a convenience for us than of any real health benefit to the cats. It is our responsibility to train our pets, and it we are not up to the challenge, than we need not have pets. Training cats and dogs can be an exhausting, frustrating, and timely process, but it can be done with constant reinforcement, dicipline, and lots and lots of praise. Dogs owners face similar indoor catastrophies with their dogs chewing, ripping, scratching and barking, but you don't see dog owners declawing their dogs or removing their teeth. You do hear of instances where dogs must be debarked, however, and sometimes it is due to neighborhood annoyance. I once had a neighbor, and everyone around him complained about his dog's barking, so everyone (except my family) signed a petition ordering the man to either get rid of his dog or have it debarked. As far as health benefits surrounding declawing, it was beneficial for my cat, who had a genetic defect in both her front paws. On one paw she had six toes (one of which was deformed and the claw was stuck out and could not retract). On her other front paw she had seven toes (two of which could not retract). As a result, declawing her front paws was helpful for her happiness and overall health. Some cats have similar claw conditions or infections and so declawing is necessary, but it seems rather sad to take away one of the main aspects that makes a cat a cat, a carnivore....a predator :) No matter how small! As a result of her declawing, my cat has become more timid, and therefore she spends more time indoors and always comes in at night for safety reasons. I'm worried one of the stray neighborhood tom cats will beat her up if she has no way to really defend herself. My other cat is indoor/outdoor and occasionally will scratch up the carpet. However, we have learned to live around this, rather than to declaw him or make him solely outdoor, and have trained him to where it's been months since we've seen him scratch. Silly as it sounds, I've found that water in a spray bottle works well as a training tool. I've used this method to teach my one cat not to scratch, and the other to stay off the counter tops. Some people advise putting something undesireable in the water, such as lemon juice or vinegar, but my cats hate water enough as it is (yet are surprisingly still good about taking their baths when they get into something sticky or smelly). If you do decide to use this method, be sure you clearly label the bottle, so you don't accidentally grab the clorox cleanup or 409 and spray them in the face. It sounds a bit mean, but I think it's nicer than taking their claws away. I am no one to judge other pet owners. I believe everyone is entitled to their way of training or care of their pets, as long as they provide them will lots of love, a clean place to live and sleep, and fresh food and water daily. You can naturally do what you will with your cats and I will not think you mean or cruel. My only hope is that pet owners try to stay well informed on the proper care of their pets and thoroughly research any medical procedure before asking it to be done on their pet. Above all, talk to your vet, who is the greatest source of information for you and your furry children. If you don't feel comfortable with your vet, then by all means find a new one. You should feel as confident in your vet as you do with your own personal physician. Best of luck to you and your pets! Hope you find the answers you're looking for.

We usually get our cats declawed when they are small... but we ran into some financial problems when we got our last cat and never got around to getting it done. She has always clawed at stuff and has ruined a few items, but nothing major... but we got new carpet a few weeks ago and she is scratching it all up! So, we're thinking of having it done.... She's 7 now and I feel bad having her get it done now that she's older, but it will be so nice not to have to worry about her ripping things apart any more...

Most definitely! It is inhumane and most unfair to the poor cat. Let those who are for this inhumane procedure undergo the same procedure just to see how it feels.

I dont think its cruel to declaw a cat if you are keeping it and keeping it indoors for its life. We have 4 cats, they were all declaw, front claws only just in case they get out. We had them done when they were 3 months old, and each one was fine after a couple days. They still think they have their claws, they don't act any different than any other cats.. Its really up to the owner to decide if thats what is best for his or her pet.

I had only one cat declawed. He was about 4 months old, the vet I went to stated that it was kinder to do it when they were younger so that they could adapt earlier. I have never done it to another cat. You can teach them to not claw furniture and other things. If the cat happens to get out then it has no protection from dogs, other cats or wild animals. If the cat is clawing furniture, there is now claw covers that you glue on their claws so that they don't damage anything if the cat tries to sharpen their claws or mark their territory. It is far kinder than having the claws removed. Think about it, how would you like to go in and have the doctor cut your fingers open and remove your finger nails? Think about the pain afterward and then decide if it is really a kind thing to do.

A cat should be at least 100 before it is de-clawed all the best urban

I think it is very wrong to declaw a cat. Its like cutting off the tips of your fingers. They never really get over it. It is very painful for them and I think inhumane. There are several alternatives to declawing such as training the cat, clipping the nails or applying plastic nail tips.

Get nail caps.

Do not declaw your cat! It is inhumane.