declawing cats
By jep_toyo
@jep_toyo (1606)
Philippines
February 13, 2007 7:49am CST
How does declawing work and when is the best time to get a cat declawed?
13 responses
@Anakata2007 (1785)
• Canada
13 Feb 07
I don't support declawing either. I'v heard it's very painful to the cat and that it makes them feel as if theyve had an important body part amputated. Basically after being declawed they are as vulnerable as rabbits. However, if your cat is clawing everything in sight this isn't fun either. My vet once suggested getting covers for the cats claws instead of declawing them. You might want to check this out. I neer had to do it. I bought my cats a scratcing post and put catnip herb on it everyday. They never clawed anything else ever again.
@Drazzilb (308)
• Canada
13 Feb 07
The way declawing works is they take a cat's nail clipper and clip their nail right down to the bone. This would be the equivalent of pulling your nails out of your fingers. I have done volunteer work at a vets and seen this done. I do not support declawing. I currently have 4 cats and they all have their claws.
3 people like this
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
13 Feb 07
I don't agree with declawing cats, I think it is cruel, nature has given them their claws for reasons and they need to have them, if humans can't live with what they do with their claws then a cat is not the best choice of pet for them, nature knows best. LOL
@rosie_123 (6113)
•
13 Feb 07
Please don't have your cat declawed. It is a barbaric, and disgusting practice, that is illegal here in Europe, and I think everywhere in the world aoart from rte States, because it is so cruel. The declawed cat will not only be in pain, but will be able to defend him/herself against predators, dogs, or other cats. He won't be able to climb trees to escape, or do any of the other things cats do for fun, and relaxation. Thanks for reading this.
@trinidadvelasco (11401)
• Philippines
14 Feb 07
I believe that you'll get the best answers on these issues from a veterinarian. Some people may give you advises which will prove to be damaging to your pet. It may prove much more costly than consulting one.
@1983tyler (507)
• United States
13 Feb 07
I don't believe in declawing. I've heard it's like cutting off all your fingers at the first knuckle. My cats use their claws like fingers. They pickup their food, pull things towards them, and tap on windows with their nails. Nail covers work great. I've used them and it stops the cat from scratching furniture. You just glue them on the cat's nails. You can even get them in different colors. And it doesn't hurt the cat if they swallow one.
3 people like this
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
14 Feb 07
As soon as we find our pets including cats to be making a mess and starts destroying fabrics and stuff, I think that's the time for declawing. Yes, cats can be very annoying when they start scratching just anything in the house. They like to sratch curtains, couches, varnished furniture, walls, just anything so declawing is the best answer.
@5000ml (1923)
• Belgium
25 Mar 07
I'm sorry, but you can train your cat not to scratch your precious furniture. You can also clip their nails. I have never understood this whole declawing thing, in Europe several countries have banned it and in the others people have just learnt to live with cats and their claws! I'd go as far as to say that you wouldn't be able to find a single vet who'd willingly declaw any cat as it's incredibly cruel. A cat needs its claws, imagine your fingernails being ripped away! Declawing a cat is the same as removing the first part of our fingers, do you think you'd be able to live happily like that? Often owners have gotten their cats back with their personalities completely changed and nothing will bring their happy cat back again.
Also consider the fact that if by bad luck the cat become a stray their only defence will be their teeth and that means letting the opponent get far too close to them.
1 person likes this
@p3halliwel2005 (3156)
• Philippines
14 Feb 07
I don't declaw my cat I guess it is the owners choice when they should start declawing their cats.
@fortunatelee (170)
• United States
14 Feb 07
I do not support declawing, it is cruel and inhuman.
At one time I had rented a shared townhome and one person had tried to convince me to declaw my cat Mr. Max A. Million and I wouldn't hear of it.
I think that was a very good choice because the place that I lived at after that had three dogs. Max stood up for himself and it was not uncommon for Mr Max to put the dogs in their place by giving a bop on the nose.
One day he was being attacked by a german shepard and got up on his hind legs, bopped the german shepard on the nose twice. The german shepard turned tail and ran away whimpering.
Cats need their claws. Max used his quite effectively to save his own life.
1 person likes this
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
23 Feb 07
I was there when we had our 1st cat declawed and will never do it again. They cut out the bone the nail is attached to during declawing, equivelent to having your fingers cut off at the first joint. Then they are expected to walk on there very sore feet. Think about how it would feel if someone cut all your fingers off and then made you use you hands to do dishes or something w/o gloves on. I had nightmares for 3 days afterwards. Since then, my cats all use a scratching post that's about 3' tall. They love to stretch up it or jump to the top of it and attack it with their claws.
@Gemmygirl1 (2867)
• Australia
25 Mar 07
I would say to do it when they're young but personally i don't think it's a very nice thing to do, so i'm not for it at all.
1 person likes this
@RetiredArmyMan (74)
• United States
6 Jun 07
NO never ever get your cat declawed!!! That is so imhumane and very very painful! What they do is not only take the claw off but all the way down to the first knuckle! That's extremely painful for any cat and it's cruel. Besides, what if the cat got outside, how in the world could it defend itself? I have 7 cats right now and I wouldn't dream of doing that to ANY of them. Get scratching posts for them to stretch and claw on.
