Declawing Your Cat What Is Your Opinion On This Issue?

I am surprised that your vet will do this. It is a very painful operation which involves amputating the last phalange on each of the cats toes. Please do NOT inflict this on your cat, get scratching posts and try to make sure that he uses them. Getting your furniture scratched though is part and parcel of having a cat. You can get new furniture your cat can't get new toes once it has been mutilated. Sorry to come on a bit strong here, but this is a subject that really gets me worked up.

Have you tried a scratching post or box? I sprayed my furniture with ammonia and used two sided sticky tape on all the places I could attach it. Be carefull with the ammonia it's very strong and can ruin furniture.

Getting a cat declawed is really a bad idea. It leaves cats defenseless and it's painful. Have you really seen what they do during the surgery? I wouldn't wish it upon my enemy. With that being said, you can provide cats a way to naturally sharpen their claws at home. Scratching posts or even those cardboard scratchers that Walmart and pet stores sell is a good idea. I bought one for my cat to get her to stop scratching and she loves that thing. She knows what it's for and I do catch her trying to scratch up other things around the house but a stern NO or the sound AATT usually stops her. The boxes come with catnip to sprinkle on them to attract cats naturally to it. They don't cost much so it wouldn't be difficult to buy a few to keep several places around the house. I strongly urge you to skip the surgery and try other means to allow your cat to get the scratching time it needs in more productive manners.

Declawing cats is mutilation and it's cruel. It's a lazy solution to a problem that can be easily solved by providing appropriate scratching places and positive training for your cat. Cats that are declawed can develop litter box problems because after being declawed they may find the litter to be uncomfortable to dig in. They can also develop foot and leg problems, since losing part of their toes shifts the way their feet balance and can cause strain to their muscles. Declawed cats can also develop other personality and behavioral problems such as antisocial behavior. Overall, the procedure is a bad idea and carries too many risks. What you really need to do is get your cat some scratching posts or pads. Sisal fabric (not sisal rope!) works best. If your living area is large, get several scratching surfaces spread around the house. If you live in a tiny apartment like I do, one good-sized scratching post will probably suffice. It's tempting to put the scratching surfaces in dark corners where they won't be visible, but this usually doesn't work. Your cat wants to be part of the living space, and that's why he scratches in your primary living space. Put his scratching post next to the couch or whatever else he scratches. Punishing your cat for scratching in bad places won't help- you need to use positive reinforcement. Encourage your cat to use the scratching post by praising him or giving him treats when he does. Play with him nearby the scratching post so that he associates it with positive things. If you want to try to deter the cat from things you don't want him to scratch, you could try spraying vinegar or lemon juice. Cats detest both, and neither is as harsh or smelly as ammonia. The double-sided tape suggestion is a good idea, too. Cats hate feeling sticky things, so if you make his favorite scratching places sticky, he'll leave them alone. Good luck!

I'm so totally against the idea of declawing cat's claws it's not funny. A lot of people don't understand what it really is...it's NOT just removing the claws but is in fact an amputation up to the first joint..think of it this way, it would be in comparison of a surgeon removing your fingers up to the first joint. Many cats suffer personality problems after being declawed as well...some can become lethargic while others downright aggressive since they don't have their main form of defense anymore. In many European countries they have actually banned declawing which should say something about how even vets think this is a bad for cats

HOW DARE YOU THINK YOU HAVE A DECISION ABOUT DECLAWING A CAT. don't do it. whether they are indoor/outdoor, there might be the chance your cat will end up outside for whatever reason. the claws are protection from other predators. if you're worried about your furniture, then you don't deserve a cat. my vet WILL NEVER DECLAW CATS. she's adamant and will do whatever -- aside from shooting the person asking -- to get that person out of her clinic. tell you what: let's declaw you first just so you know how it feels. it's a torture used years ago. how would you feel if your nails were taken out??? and if you decide to declaw your cat, i wish bad things for you in the cat's name.

try looking at the links in this discussion http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/1948964.aspx

Well let me just say this. Look at the person who told you not to have the cat declawed, the groomer. Why because if your cat was declawed they would lose you as a customer. Most indoor cats are declawed and they are just fine after having it done, and your funiture will be scratch free. The cat can also harm peole with claws even accidentaly. I believe indoor cats should be declawed, outdoor cats need their claws. Just make sure to put a collar on your cat with your home address and phone number on it so it can be quicly returned to you if lost. Every time our cat got out someone would bring him home to us with in an hour.

We have had our last 2 cats declawed. Neither had any difficulty. Since neither was ever allowed to go outside, there was never any danger that they would need their claws for self defense. I really believe that having their claws removed probably saved their lives. Had one of them started clawing the furniture or torn curtains, my husband would have thrown them outside to fend for themself, or more probably, taken them back to the pound where they would have been put in the gas chamber.

Our furniture is torn to pieces thanks to our cats, but we wouldn't think of getting them declayed. Their safety is more important to us than the furniture.

Personally, I wouldn't declaw a cat, but I have the luxury of having lots of time to spend training a cat. For the record, I have a cat who was considered too feral to ever be tamed by the local experts. I was told that I would be lucky if he didn't destroy my home within a week. I've had Quincy for almost 2.5 yrs now, & he hasn't destroyed anything yet (he even has the same scratching board he's had from day 1). He lets me trim his claws, will go happily into his carrier if I tell him to go to Kennel, & does all sorts of tricks. I think by keeping him occupied, it's decreased his need to scratch furniture. Oh, he also knows what furniture he's allowed on & what furniture is off-limits. As for not liking the carrier, do you usually take him to the groomer in the morning? If so, don't give him his breakfast, but give him his most favorite wet food when he gets there, so that the groomer becomes the happy place to go visit.

Hi Cherryd41, I read some of the responses and I am sooooo glad I did. I too, was thinking about declawing my female cat. She was ferral and about to die when I stoled her from my girlfriend's neighbor. He wasn't feeding her or giving her any water. He kicked her over the fence into my girlfriends yard and, that was the last straw. I got a box and stoled her. She's a great cat but she rips up everything. Curtains, couches, beds, comforters, walls, screens. She actually shredded a dress that was in the closet. It gets very frustrating. I have 4 scratching posts and she uses them too. One day I came home and, she was hanging upside down from my bedroom chandelier. Lord only knows how she got up there or, how long she was hanging there. She has destroyed evey plant in my home but, after reading some of the responses, I know that I will not declaw her. Btw, amonia, lemon juice and vinegar don't work either. Good luck with your problem and if you manage to find a solution, please let me know.

The idea of declawing your cat is very bad cause the claws are the gift for them..Without them it would be hard for them to live...instead of declawing them you could buy some pads and keep it on to your cat's feets or simply just keep him into a special place...

Declawing my cat was an option, but only the front claws. They can still climb and do things their nature intended them to do. My cat didn't take well to nail trimmers so I really would have no other option. I think maybe a one-time operation is better than putting your cat through a gruesome session of nail trimming every week or so.

My mother worked many years for a veterinarian and our cats were declawed. (They were inside cats.) The younger they had this procedure done, the quicker they recovered. One poster mentioned that cats get such joy from scratching and stretching their toes and claws . . . well, that is the reason people give in to the declawing . . . because their joy of scratching can be very destructive. Yes, there are lots of methods and lots of scratching posts, etc., but some cats still are still destructive no matter what their owners try, so they resort to the declawing. I do feel it is worse on older cats who have grown up using their claws, and I feel the pain, shock and recover is worse on older cats, so if the owner is going to do it, I think they should do it while the cat is young. If you've ever noticed, declawed cats do still stretch their toes and do the "scratching" motions and seem to love it . . . even without claws . . . and without the damage. They can still climb trees with their back claws, they can still defend themselves with back claws and teeth, and they can still catch mice. They can still run and play, proving the pain is only temporary. Declawing or not declawing is a hard choice for pet owners. My daughter got lucky because she had a kitty that would sit quietly and sweetly, even purr when "I" would trim the kitty's claws for her. If only EVERY cat would do that . . . problem solved!

Nope, the spray doesn't work. Please don't declaw him, you'd be cutting of the last joint of his toes. In addition to not being able to defend himself, he has to learn to walk differently. In addition to scratching posts placed in judicious spots and teaching him to use scratching posts, how about: claw caps ultrasonic device to keep him off the sofa (stopped my cat from peeing places I didn't want him to) squirting him with water when he claws in inappropriate places Good luck!

my late cat was declawed and she was indoors all the time. and my current cat is not declawed and he is also indoors all the time. either way, they did well. my late cat was very happy and my current cat is very happy. they both loved me a lot, either way. just remember if u declaw a cat, make sure the cat doesnt go out by accident. it might not be able to survive. and if u decide not to declaw, just get your cat scratch boards and scratch posts. my current cat loves them and is tearing them apart. they are his favorite toys, and he hasnt scratched any furniture. he prefers his scratching toys. also, my current cat also loves his cat tree, which he sleeps and lounges in it for hours, like his tower. and cat trees usually have a carpet covering which cats can scratch too. i placed it in front of the window since pets love window seats. so he stays busy all day and night. he doesnt even scratch me, even though i tease him a lot and bother him on purpose. right now, he is sitting calmly by my feet as i type this.

Declawing FACTS: FACT: In a survey of 276 cat owners, 34% reported post-surgical discomfort in their cats while 78% reported primarily tenderness. 5 FACT: The most recent and most long-term study found that 33% of declawed cats developed behaviour problems after surgery. 18% of cats had an increase in biting habits or intensity of biting after being declawed. 6 FACT: In another study, 16% of declawed cats developed behavior problems, and more declawed (55%) than intact (45%) cats were referred to a vet teaching hospital for behavior problems.7 FACT: Eleven cats (4%) developed or had worse behavior problems post-operatively. Despite positive attitude toward declawing, 5 clients reported that their cats had developed litterbox and biting problems.8 FACT: Behavior problems are a primary cause of cats being relinquished to shelters. In one study, when all factors were accounted for, overall odds of being relinquished to a shelter was almost double for declawed cats as intact cats (1.89 compared to 1.00). Inappropriate elimination was twice as common in declawed (52.4%) as intact cats (29.1%) 9 Retrospective survey of 887 cat owners from private practices. Clients were asked to fill out a survey on the incidence of aggressive behaviors in their cats. Similar proportions (60/252, 23.8%) of declawed vs. (168/613, 27.4%) intact cats bit family members; 2.3% of each seriously enough for medical attention10 FACT: written survey of private practice clients (data for 276 of the cats supplied). Owners reported that 94 (34%) cats had discomfort post-surgically, primarily tenderness (78%). 157/233 (67%) recovered fully within three days, and 96% within two weeks. Cats done 1 yr had more post-surgical discomfort; 102/246 (41%) were still allowed outdoors. One (0.4%) cat had difficulty bearing weight for at least four months, and another (0.4%) developed a house soiling problem. Ten (4%) reported a increase in biting or harder biting

In my opinion, and only my opinion. It is a hirrible thing to do to a cat. It is along the lines of pulling out a humans fingernails. You would not want someone to do that to you would you? I think not. If your cat is a indoor cat then there is no need to have them removed. I know alot of people will disagree with me. Like I said this is my own personal view on this subject. It helps them when they strech there spine and that kind of thing. I have 3 cats and would never do that to any of them and they are all indooor cats. Do what you feeel is best for you and your cat.

Please understand I'm not trying to say you're a bad person or anything -- just trying to educate you. First of all, realize that declawing your cat involves the AMPUTATION of your kitty's first joint so that the claws can't grow back. It's very painful, and your cat now knows he has no other defense except his teeth. As an amputee myself, (and even before I lost my leg) I would never, ever unnecessarily amputate/remove any part of any animal's body, if only because of the phantom pain they would be subject to for the rest of their lives. (and believe me, phantom pain is worse than the amputation itself) However, I understand there's a new procedure whereby the claws can be cut so that you're happy and the cat doesn't have to suffer amputation. Please look into it. I understand your concern for your belongings, but at the risk of sounding like a tree-hugger, PLEASE don't do this to your cat. You're right: if he ever gets out, he'll have no defense.