Thomas Dock, Vet. Technician
Thomas Dock, Vet. Technician
Male, 44
Indianapolis - IN
Interests: animals, Reading (sci-fi and fantasy), Pet health education, genetics, Biology, zoology, evolution, immunology
Male, 44
Indianapolis - IN
Interests: animals, Reading (sci-fi and fantasy), Pet health education, genetics, Biology, zoology, evolution, immunology
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Declawing cats
Jul 06, 2009 07:48AM
- 59 comments
I am going to get back to the pet food blogs momentarily, but I wanted to take a quick moment to talk about declawing cats. This was a blog idea first put forth by JoyRenee, commenting in my introductory blog. In my experience in practice as well as with the NUMEROUS cats I have kept over the years, I think I can give you a pretty good understanding of the reasons behind both sides of this debate.
Removing the cat's front claws, or onychectomy, is a procedure performed only by veterinarians. While there are various methods used (Resco, disarticulation, laser, etc), the goal is to remove the claw and the third digit of the toe. Many people opt for declawing their cats as a means to protect their furniture or even their skin!
Opponents of declawing state that it is unnatural, cruel, and causes medical and behavioral changes in the cat. Some strong opponents have even been able to ban declawing in certain cities across the United States. Many European countries, parts of Australia, New Zealand and Japan all ban declawing.
The first thing we must understand is WHY do cats scratch. Cats will sink their claws into a variety of inanimate objects in order to stretch, to mark territory, to sharpen the claws and to removed the outer layer of the claw that may be flaking away slowing. Pet owners report that cats seem to prefer certain fabrics when scratching (such as the easy to destroy vertical weave of many draperies!). Cats, of course, will also use their claws as a defenses mechanism, swatting at opponents or raking with their rear claws. Because many juvenile cats haven't learned how to play "nice", their play swatting and raking can sometimes take a toll on the owner's skin, or, worse, the skin of a young child.
Many people turn to declawing simply because they are not aware of, nor are they told about other options. These other options include training, tendonectomy, Soft Paws and simply routine nail trimming.
For a lot of cat owners, taking the time to train the cat seems futile. Opinions vary as to the "trainability" of cats, but experts do agree that an appropriate training program can keep a cat from scratching on unacceptable objects. First, a suitable substitute must be provided - scratching post, cat condo, etc. Next, owners need to be able to provide some sort of punishment for scratching on unacceptable items without being associated with the punishment. Squirt bottles can work if the cat is unaware that the owner is doing it. More often, booby traps need to be set up so that the cat is startled even when the owner is not around.
Owners should also encourage and praise the cat for using the appropriate objects, like a scratching post. Catnip is useful for this!
Tendonectomy is a surgical procedure that clips the tendon that extends the claw from the cat's foot. Now, the cat keeps the claws but can't extend them. Owners need to realize that the cat will still need nail trims routinely throughout its life.
Soft Paws are acyrlic nail caps that are glued in place over the cat's nails. By creating a blunt tip, the Soft Paws keeps the cat from causing any damage, to furniture or people. In my experience, these worked ok, but needed replaced quite often. I don't think I saw more than a dozen cats with Soft Paws during my time at the veterinary clinics.
So...what about the opposite viewpoint? Do cats experience immense pain and exhibit behavioral changes after a declaw?
To date, no scientific study (and there have been several) has been able to document behavior changes in cats after they have been declawed. According to one survey, almost three quarters of the people asked had a better relationship with their cats after the declaw.
Pain is a different story. Seeing a cat waking up from anesthetic and a declaw procedure can be a trying experience for a new veterinary employee. Thankfully we understand so much more about the control of pain, pre-operatively, peri-operatively and post operatively now! With appropriate pain relief on board, many cats wake up comfortably. When lasers are used for declaws and the surgeon is well experienced, many of these cats wake up ready to play!! From my own experience, I had one of my recent cats (Fozzy) declawed conventionally and another one (Jazzy) declawed with a laser. Jazzy was up and batting at toys within a few hours after surgery while Fozzy did seem to mope and act sore for about 24 hours post op. So, bottom line is...if declaws are done, pain relief must be used!
Declawed cats do lose a signficant portion of their defenses when you remove the claws...but don't consider them completely defenseless. I have seen at least two of my declawed cats climb trees and telephone poles without a second thought and the raking motion of the rear legs could still cause some deep scratches to anyone trying to pin down a cat! I have always recommended that owners of declawed cats keep them inside for their own safety!
Choosing to declaw your cat should be a decision made between you and your veterinarian. I don't believe that the government should step in (as they did in West Hollywood) and I believe that other options should be considered, if feasible to the owner. An elderly owner with fragile skin may not have the time to go through training, SoftPaws or other options. Similarly, a family with toddlers might also have a more difficult time waiting for other options to work. (I currently have a 21 month old son who wears his cat scratches like a badge of honor!). I also think that you shouldn't decide to declaw a geriatric adult cat unless there are no other options.
Bottom line...if declawing keeps the cat in a good loving home versus the cat having to live outside with less attention and affection, then I believe that declawing is appropriate if done by a veterinarian and the cat is given appropriate pain relief. If you are able to use other options (as I have done with my current cat, Vulcan), then you should find that you, your cat, and his claws can all live in harmony!
Removing the cat's front claws, or onychectomy, is a procedure performed only by veterinarians. While there are various methods used (Resco, disarticulation, laser, etc), the goal is to remove the claw and the third digit of the toe. Many people opt for declawing their cats as a means to protect their furniture or even their skin!
Opponents of declawing state that it is unnatural, cruel, and causes medical and behavioral changes in the cat. Some strong opponents have even been able to ban declawing in certain cities across the United States. Many European countries, parts of Australia, New Zealand and Japan all ban declawing.
The first thing we must understand is WHY do cats scratch. Cats will sink their claws into a variety of inanimate objects in order to stretch, to mark territory, to sharpen the claws and to removed the outer layer of the claw that may be flaking away slowing. Pet owners report that cats seem to prefer certain fabrics when scratching (such as the easy to destroy vertical weave of many draperies!). Cats, of course, will also use their claws as a defenses mechanism, swatting at opponents or raking with their rear claws. Because many juvenile cats haven't learned how to play "nice", their play swatting and raking can sometimes take a toll on the owner's skin, or, worse, the skin of a young child.
Many people turn to declawing simply because they are not aware of, nor are they told about other options. These other options include training, tendonectomy, Soft Paws and simply routine nail trimming.
For a lot of cat owners, taking the time to train the cat seems futile. Opinions vary as to the "trainability" of cats, but experts do agree that an appropriate training program can keep a cat from scratching on unacceptable objects. First, a suitable substitute must be provided - scratching post, cat condo, etc. Next, owners need to be able to provide some sort of punishment for scratching on unacceptable items without being associated with the punishment. Squirt bottles can work if the cat is unaware that the owner is doing it. More often, booby traps need to be set up so that the cat is startled even when the owner is not around.
Owners should also encourage and praise the cat for using the appropriate objects, like a scratching post. Catnip is useful for this!
Tendonectomy is a surgical procedure that clips the tendon that extends the claw from the cat's foot. Now, the cat keeps the claws but can't extend them. Owners need to realize that the cat will still need nail trims routinely throughout its life.
Soft Paws are acyrlic nail caps that are glued in place over the cat's nails. By creating a blunt tip, the Soft Paws keeps the cat from causing any damage, to furniture or people. In my experience, these worked ok, but needed replaced quite often. I don't think I saw more than a dozen cats with Soft Paws during my time at the veterinary clinics.
So...what about the opposite viewpoint? Do cats experience immense pain and exhibit behavioral changes after a declaw?
To date, no scientific study (and there have been several) has been able to document behavior changes in cats after they have been declawed. According to one survey, almost three quarters of the people asked had a better relationship with their cats after the declaw.
Pain is a different story. Seeing a cat waking up from anesthetic and a declaw procedure can be a trying experience for a new veterinary employee. Thankfully we understand so much more about the control of pain, pre-operatively, peri-operatively and post operatively now! With appropriate pain relief on board, many cats wake up comfortably. When lasers are used for declaws and the surgeon is well experienced, many of these cats wake up ready to play!! From my own experience, I had one of my recent cats (Fozzy) declawed conventionally and another one (Jazzy) declawed with a laser. Jazzy was up and batting at toys within a few hours after surgery while Fozzy did seem to mope and act sore for about 24 hours post op. So, bottom line is...if declaws are done, pain relief must be used!
Declawed cats do lose a signficant portion of their defenses when you remove the claws...but don't consider them completely defenseless. I have seen at least two of my declawed cats climb trees and telephone poles without a second thought and the raking motion of the rear legs could still cause some deep scratches to anyone trying to pin down a cat! I have always recommended that owners of declawed cats keep them inside for their own safety!
Choosing to declaw your cat should be a decision made between you and your veterinarian. I don't believe that the government should step in (as they did in West Hollywood) and I believe that other options should be considered, if feasible to the owner. An elderly owner with fragile skin may not have the time to go through training, SoftPaws or other options. Similarly, a family with toddlers might also have a more difficult time waiting for other options to work. (I currently have a 21 month old son who wears his cat scratches like a badge of honor!). I also think that you shouldn't decide to declaw a geriatric adult cat unless there are no other options.
Bottom line...if declawing keeps the cat in a good loving home versus the cat having to live outside with less attention and affection, then I believe that declawing is appropriate if done by a veterinarian and the cat is given appropriate pain relief. If you are able to use other options (as I have done with my current cat, Vulcan), then you should find that you, your cat, and his claws can all live in harmony!
Another consideration is cost. Veterinary treatment is expensive! Of course, so is replacing your furniture...
My anecdote is that I have had success training my cats appropriate places to scratch, walk (i.e not on the kitchen counters), etc. A water bottle worked well for me, and when that wasn't handy a loud hiss to punish the bad behavior substituted fine. I trained my husband's older, rambunctious cat to stay off the counters this way. A good scratching post in an obvious place is a must. (I made mine from scrap wood and carpet, just change the carpet once a year or so.)
-LMC
My anecdote is that I have had success training my cats appropriate places to scratch, walk (i.e not on the kitchen counters), etc. A water bottle worked well for me, and when that wasn't handy a loud hiss to punish the bad behavior substituted fine. I trained my husband's older, rambunctious cat to stay off the counters this way. A good scratching post in an obvious place is a must. (I made mine from scrap wood and carpet, just change the carpet once a year or so.)
-LMC
Thank you for this. My sister-in-law was a veterinarian assistant/technician and she gave me the same information. We've tried training our very intelligent Siamese but he likes to be sneaky and will even look for us before stretching and clawing the couch (he wouldn't go near the scratching post). He's already torn up our brand new crib when one of my little children accidentally let him in the nursery. Not to mention all the times he tears my kids up in play. He's a smart, sweet cat but those claws are insane (and razor sharp, even a day after clipping!).
A cat may not be the best choice of a pet, if you have young children or expensive drapery/furniture. I'd rather wait until my child is older, than amputate my cat's toes.
Same with a dog. A dog can jump up and knock a child over. They are unsanitary. They can sometimes nip, to the point it really hurts. They destroy expensive furniture.
I've had cats in the past when my children were little. We declawed one, and he suffered very badly. We decided not to declaw any others, and I just had to be super watchful. Since it was my decision to bring cats in to the house when I had small children, it was my (and my husbands) responsibility to protect the children, and teach them how to love and play responsibly with the kitties.
But everyone has their own view on this.
Same with a dog. A dog can jump up and knock a child over. They are unsanitary. They can sometimes nip, to the point it really hurts. They destroy expensive furniture.
I've had cats in the past when my children were little. We declawed one, and he suffered very badly. We decided not to declaw any others, and I just had to be super watchful. Since it was my decision to bring cats in to the house when I had small children, it was my (and my husbands) responsibility to protect the children, and teach them how to love and play responsibly with the kitties.
But everyone has their own view on this.
Peekawho...I am glad to hear that you are taking the relationship between your children and your pets so seriously. Many people just think that pets and kids will get along and don't bother to monitor the play behavior or discipline either "child" when necessary.
And, what you say about teaching kids to love and play responsibly holds true for declawed kitties as well as those with claws.
Tell me about your cat that suffered very badly...
And, what you say about teaching kids to love and play responsibly holds true for declawed kitties as well as those with claws.
Tell me about your cat that suffered very badly...
Declawing my cats, was one of the hardest decision I ever made. It is paramount to cutting the ends of your own fingers off. I knew that it would be terribly painful for my babies. I did everything I could to prevent them from jumping down from a chair during their healing period. I put strips of newspaper is their cat box, so the litter would not hurt their "stumps." It took about 10 days before they could walk without any obvious discomfort.
All of these cats that I had declawed, were adopted from the animal shelter. I know that I saved their lives and gave them a loving and caring home to live in. Because they were so destructive on furniture or even we humans, I made the decision to have their front claws removed. All of these cats were kept indoors for their own safety. I am an animal lover that thinks that my cats will live longer if kept inside, away from outside dangers. I not only keep them safe, but keep birds and other small animals from being caught and killed by my cats.
It was a trade off for these babies. I know I caused them pain during the initial healing period. They seemed to adjust very quickly and were back to normal in no time. Oh by the way, they still try to sharpen "their claws" on the furniture. You can declaw a cat, but you can't take away their natural intinct to mark their territory or groom "their claws."
Heather
All of these cats that I had declawed, were adopted from the animal shelter. I know that I saved their lives and gave them a loving and caring home to live in. Because they were so destructive on furniture or even we humans, I made the decision to have their front claws removed. All of these cats were kept indoors for their own safety. I am an animal lover that thinks that my cats will live longer if kept inside, away from outside dangers. I not only keep them safe, but keep birds and other small animals from being caught and killed by my cats.
It was a trade off for these babies. I know I caused them pain during the initial healing period. They seemed to adjust very quickly and were back to normal in no time. Oh by the way, they still try to sharpen "their claws" on the furniture. You can declaw a cat, but you can't take away their natural intinct to mark their territory or groom "their claws."
Heather
This horrifys me ... it is banned in England and many parts of Europe, its like folks who de bark..I wonder why bother having a pet at all...Okay its a free country and this is my opinion...
Certain cats are defintely more trainable than others, I have one 2 1/2 year old that knows 25 commands (listens 80% of the time), goes for walks anywhere, loves going for car rides and is off leashed train for commands as long as I am within 20 feet.
My 17 year old I have been working with for 15 years and still can't get her to stop pooping in the flower bed!! If you scold her when she goes in the flower bed, bring her inside and place her near the flower bed, she goes and pouts upstairs and goes for a nap! (my guys are indoor/outdoor being on a harness and leash and tied down in our front lawn).
If you don't want to have some damage or work on the training of an animal, than go with a hamster or something. Cats come with claws, period. All behaviour needs to be channeled, what if an elderly person can't train a cat, what happens if it starts to mark the walls? Just get rid of the cat.
What don't we just cut off the hands of our children because they are always grabbing things they shouldn't??
I understand in extreme cases, sometimes declawing is necessary but come on people put in the effort to train the cat, and the kids (I work at a pet store and MOST kids are horrible to animals because they haven't been TAUGHT how to react around them).
My 17 year old I have been working with for 15 years and still can't get her to stop pooping in the flower bed!! If you scold her when she goes in the flower bed, bring her inside and place her near the flower bed, she goes and pouts upstairs and goes for a nap! (my guys are indoor/outdoor being on a harness and leash and tied down in our front lawn).
If you don't want to have some damage or work on the training of an animal, than go with a hamster or something. Cats come with claws, period. All behaviour needs to be channeled, what if an elderly person can't train a cat, what happens if it starts to mark the walls? Just get rid of the cat.
What don't we just cut off the hands of our children because they are always grabbing things they shouldn't??
I understand in extreme cases, sometimes declawing is necessary but come on people put in the effort to train the cat, and the kids (I work at a pet store and MOST kids are horrible to animals because they haven't been TAUGHT how to react around them).
This was long ago.
He bled off and on for days, walked around leaving little blood tracks everywhere.
He meowed constantly.
Didn't want to walk for quite a while, and limped when he did walk. For several days.
We didn't do the others after that. With pets and kids, you'll have some collateral damage. Its just understood.
He bled off and on for days, walked around leaving little blood tracks everywhere.
He meowed constantly.
Didn't want to walk for quite a while, and limped when he did walk. For several days.
We didn't do the others after that. With pets and kids, you'll have some collateral damage. Its just understood.
I am curious about the tendonectomy. We had always declawed the front claws on our cats but the last couple we got we chose to stop doing that. One of these with her claws was given to friends and currently we have an older declawed cat and a younger clawed one. The younger one had been abandoned by her mother as a wee kitten and we rescued her. She never learned proper kittie ettiquette (she always has her tail up like a kitten, always has her claws out and sounds like velcro across the carpet, and pees standing up with her tail raised so it flies out the entrance and onto the floor). We have learned to deal with her destructive behavior but she is very rough on our other older girl. Perhaps the tendonectomy (if not painful) might be something to improve our other cat's lot in life. Can you tell me more about the procedure?
Tendonectomy, to Swampy, sounds way more cruel than a laser declaw.
Now its true that animals differ like humans. Swampy's cat hates dogs -- she will attack them if they come near. However, if a raccoon wants to eat her cat food, she is fine with that.
Here is the bottom line. If your cats are clawing your children, they are trying to tell your children something. Animals know when they feel pain or are being touched too hard. Seems like pretty effective discipline to Swampy, swift and sure.
The humans are in charge, they have choices about what they do and how they live. But animals under your care have no such choices.
Swampy didn't respond to the original journal, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have an opinion on the matter. Instead of declawing -- which will simply permit the children to roughhouse the cat without punishment -- give the cat to someone else who has no children and can take care of it. When the children grow and become mature enough to handle it, they can have a pet that more appropriately fits their personality.
Now its true that animals differ like humans. Swampy's cat hates dogs -- she will attack them if they come near. However, if a raccoon wants to eat her cat food, she is fine with that.
Here is the bottom line. If your cats are clawing your children, they are trying to tell your children something. Animals know when they feel pain or are being touched too hard. Seems like pretty effective discipline to Swampy, swift and sure.
The humans are in charge, they have choices about what they do and how they live. But animals under your care have no such choices.
Swampy didn't respond to the original journal, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have an opinion on the matter. Instead of declawing -- which will simply permit the children to roughhouse the cat without punishment -- give the cat to someone else who has no children and can take care of it. When the children grow and become mature enough to handle it, they can have a pet that more appropriately fits their personality.
I grew up in a home where all our cats were declawed and have had several cats declawed since then and have NEVER experienced a behavior change or pain beyond the first week or so of healing. I understand that there's a lot of strong feelings out there but I think we need to be careful not to harshly judge someone who has chosen to declaw their cats. It does NOT mean we don't love our cats or that we shouldn't have cats. I had many rescue cats growing up who turned out to be very loving cats. I have rescued cats since moving out and the one I have now is the sweetest, most loving cat I've ever had who even lets you rub her belly, which most cats don't do! And yes, she's declawed.
Please, let's not start judging people and saying they shouldn't have cats if they declaw or that they don't love and take good care of them. Even the good doctor on here said he declawed his cats. I have talked with vets extensively on this subject and they all have said they've NEVER seen a behavior change in any of the cats and that they all healed nicely and did fine.
The main problem I had was in keeping my cat from jumping that first week. I have a cat now who jumps very high up on top of my china cabinet and catches moths and eats them, which shows her stalking and playing instincts are still the same.
I wouldn't presume to tell people that they should declaw all cats. I think it's a personal choice that we shouldn't be made to feel guilty or horrible about making. Thank you.
Please, let's not start judging people and saying they shouldn't have cats if they declaw or that they don't love and take good care of them. Even the good doctor on here said he declawed his cats. I have talked with vets extensively on this subject and they all have said they've NEVER seen a behavior change in any of the cats and that they all healed nicely and did fine.
The main problem I had was in keeping my cat from jumping that first week. I have a cat now who jumps very high up on top of my china cabinet and catches moths and eats them, which shows her stalking and playing instincts are still the same.
I wouldn't presume to tell people that they should declaw all cats. I think it's a personal choice that we shouldn't be made to feel guilty or horrible about making. Thank you.
As expected, this posting opened the proverbial can of worms. And, as expected, everyone has a strong opinion and a lot will depend on the individual experience one has had.
swampy and others who commented about children...there is something that you might be missing in your "all or nothing" comments about pets and kids. Many pet owners now have their animals before they have children and are almost as attached to those pets as their own kids. For some people, declawing a cat to keep it in a home is the lesser of two evils. Given the state of the economy right now and the millions of cats already in shelters, how can you be sure that the treasured pet you are giving up because you won't declaw him/her will find a home? Is declawing a worse evil than euthanasia? Similarly, a cat who is declawed still has pretty potent weapons with his/her teeth and rear claws. They will let the kids know when enough is enough.
It is true that we as humans have the option of choices that our pets often don't have...but, we also have tampered with nature and changed any number of traits among our animals (e.g. bulldogs with flat faces, monstrous Mastiff, cattle without horms). It is up to us to insure that those animals are well-taken care of. By this logic (to me) this means that if I, as a pet owner, chose to declaw my cat, it is now my responsibility to go to further lengths to keep that pet safe since a priimary defense mechanism is now gone.
Again, as April has pointed out, everyone has an opinion and we should respect those opinions on both sides of the fence. My main purpose of the post was to explain what declaws are, what other options are available and factors to consider before declawing.
Trudie: Here is some information from the University of Illinois about tendonectomies.
A new alternative to declawing is a surgery called a tendonectomy. It is performed by making a small incision on the pad side of each toe and removing a piece of the tendon that allows the claw to be extended, thus preventing scratching. A tendonectomy can be performed on cats of any age. It is much less painful. Even older and overweight cats walk fine the day after surgery. There is also much less bleeding because no major blood vessels are severed.
With a tendonectomy, the nails will continue to grow, but because the cat can no longer scratch, the nails will not be worn down. If the nails are not trimmed, they could grow in a circle and eventually grow into the pad of the foot, causing pain and possible infection. Owners who choose a tendonectomy must be willing to keep the nails trimmed so that this does not happen. Otherwise this procedure is just as effective as declawing.
swampy and others who commented about children...there is something that you might be missing in your "all or nothing" comments about pets and kids. Many pet owners now have their animals before they have children and are almost as attached to those pets as their own kids. For some people, declawing a cat to keep it in a home is the lesser of two evils. Given the state of the economy right now and the millions of cats already in shelters, how can you be sure that the treasured pet you are giving up because you won't declaw him/her will find a home? Is declawing a worse evil than euthanasia? Similarly, a cat who is declawed still has pretty potent weapons with his/her teeth and rear claws. They will let the kids know when enough is enough.
It is true that we as humans have the option of choices that our pets often don't have...but, we also have tampered with nature and changed any number of traits among our animals (e.g. bulldogs with flat faces, monstrous Mastiff, cattle without horms). It is up to us to insure that those animals are well-taken care of. By this logic (to me) this means that if I, as a pet owner, chose to declaw my cat, it is now my responsibility to go to further lengths to keep that pet safe since a priimary defense mechanism is now gone.
Again, as April has pointed out, everyone has an opinion and we should respect those opinions on both sides of the fence. My main purpose of the post was to explain what declaws are, what other options are available and factors to consider before declawing.
Trudie: Here is some information from the University of Illinois about tendonectomies.
A new alternative to declawing is a surgery called a tendonectomy. It is performed by making a small incision on the pad side of each toe and removing a piece of the tendon that allows the claw to be extended, thus preventing scratching. A tendonectomy can be performed on cats of any age. It is much less painful. Even older and overweight cats walk fine the day after surgery. There is also much less bleeding because no major blood vessels are severed.
With a tendonectomy, the nails will continue to grow, but because the cat can no longer scratch, the nails will not be worn down. If the nails are not trimmed, they could grow in a circle and eventually grow into the pad of the foot, causing pain and possible infection. Owners who choose a tendonectomy must be willing to keep the nails trimmed so that this does not happen. Otherwise this procedure is just as effective as declawing.
Having grown up in a country where declawing is illegal, I really cannot understand why anyone would adopt a cat and then subject them to such a cruel surgery. Having a cat is not compulsory, and those who lack the patience to train cats to use a scratch post should not adopt one. Literally millions of people worldwide have babies, furniture, compromised immune systems and all those other "justifications" that people trot out, yet we manage to live happily with cats and their claws.
"The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated." Mahatma Gandhi
"The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated." Mahatma Gandhi
Whomever "invented" this surgery must certainly not be a veterinarian who took the oath to "do no harm" when they graduated from school. I have seen far too many cats whose behavior has been negatively impacted. From inappropriate elimination to biting and becoming more aggressive, post surgery, it seems to me that there is a very high risk of causing cats to change their behavior from the impact of the surgery.
I adopted a cat that had been declawed. She chewed up all my window shades and window shades into lace. No.. we did not extract her teeth. We knew that she had a behavioral problem which began shortly after she was declawed and her owner gave her up for adoption because she was ruining her beautiful home. Should she have de-fanged her?
If furniture is more important to someone than the quality of life that their cat lives, I suggest a stuffed animal for them. Cats were born with claws for a reason. They need their claws for balance and for stretching.
There is nothing in the surgery that provides any therapeutic assistance to a cat. All the surgery provides is convenience for the owner. It is purely a cosmetic procedure to save precious furntiure and carpets. It is an established fact that many cats are surrendered to shelters after stopping using their litter boxes and biting.
The USDA has banned declawing and defanging big cats in the USA. Big cats can do far more damage with claws than their little cousins but sane and humane people have once and for all humanely permitted these big cats their claws. There must be a darned good reason don't you think?
Shame on veterinarians for continuing to declaw cats. It is totally uncalled for under any circumstances.
I adopted a cat that had been declawed. She chewed up all my window shades and window shades into lace. No.. we did not extract her teeth. We knew that she had a behavioral problem which began shortly after she was declawed and her owner gave her up for adoption because she was ruining her beautiful home. Should she have de-fanged her?
If furniture is more important to someone than the quality of life that their cat lives, I suggest a stuffed animal for them. Cats were born with claws for a reason. They need their claws for balance and for stretching.
There is nothing in the surgery that provides any therapeutic assistance to a cat. All the surgery provides is convenience for the owner. It is purely a cosmetic procedure to save precious furntiure and carpets. It is an established fact that many cats are surrendered to shelters after stopping using their litter boxes and biting.
The USDA has banned declawing and defanging big cats in the USA. Big cats can do far more damage with claws than their little cousins but sane and humane people have once and for all humanely permitted these big cats their claws. There must be a darned good reason don't you think?
Shame on veterinarians for continuing to declaw cats. It is totally uncalled for under any circumstances.
Is it cruel to circumsize our sons? If so, I'm guilty. I had both of my sons circumsized. They are both happy and healthy.
I appreciate this journal so much and your thoughts on the matter. I hope the comments on here don't discourage you from feeling free to write any more journals. I really, really wish people would be more respectful and try to refrain from personal attacks and judging though.
I know that I am a good owner and love my cats. And my cats are happy, healthy, playful and loving. That's the most important thing to me.
I appreciate this journal so much and your thoughts on the matter. I hope the comments on here don't discourage you from feeling free to write any more journals. I really, really wish people would be more respectful and try to refrain from personal attacks and judging though.
I know that I am a good owner and love my cats. And my cats are happy, healthy, playful and loving. That's the most important thing to me.
Mr. Dock, I know you said you were new and happy and excited to be here. I just wanted to personally welcome you and express that I am happy to meet you too, and to welcome you to the site. I look forward to more journals and your thoughts on matters that are dear to us, our pets. God bless you and all you do.
I can't imagine what it would be like to have the first joints of my fingers amputated. It makes me cringe just to think of it and it makes me cringe that anyone could do this to their cat. We have always had indoor cats and they have scratching posts and pads. We also made sure that our stuffed furniture was made of microfiber so the cats can't get their claws in it easily. Also made sure our carpet was not claw friendly. I cut my cats' nails every week or whenever I feel that even one is too sharp.
Patience is a virtue and if you have cats or dogs you have to learn to be patient and teach them rules. Some cats won't learn not to scratch. Well, tough luck...live with it. It's like a marriage, when you adopt an animal it becomes your family and it's "For better or worse."
If a cat scratches a child I would want to know what did the child do to the cat to get scratched? If you know a cat
is very feisty and lashes out, treat it with respect and give it more space and check where it doesn't like to be touched.
If all this is too much for you, get a stuffed animal because you are obviously not a real cat lover who only thinks of their wellbeing and happiness.
Patience is a virtue and if you have cats or dogs you have to learn to be patient and teach them rules. Some cats won't learn not to scratch. Well, tough luck...live with it. It's like a marriage, when you adopt an animal it becomes your family and it's "For better or worse."
If a cat scratches a child I would want to know what did the child do to the cat to get scratched? If you know a cat
is very feisty and lashes out, treat it with respect and give it more space and check where it doesn't like to be touched.
If all this is too much for you, get a stuffed animal because you are obviously not a real cat lover who only thinks of their wellbeing and happiness.
You guys do realize that this vet tech said his own two cats were declawed, right? I think you are all being very rude here and it's personally embarrassing me to be a part of it. He is new to the site and I hope that he will feel welcome here.
Again, Mr. Dock, I thank you for your journals and look forward to seeing more of them. Thank you.
Again, Mr. Dock, I thank you for your journals and look forward to seeing more of them. Thank you.
Well, when people say we shouldn't be allowed to be cat owners, that we're cruel if we declaw them, that we should just have stuffed animals instead, that we love our furniture more than our cats, etc.,then yes, I'd say that's pretty judgmental, and harshly so.
Thank you to everyone (and I do mean everyone) who is commenting. Knowing that you have read the blog is a great joy to me and I hope I can continue to bring a sense of spirited discussion along with accurate and trustworthy pet health information.
In my very first blog here I mentioned that I think that they "whole animal" needs to be treated when dealing with sick or injured pets...the four legged one with the illness and the two legged one that cares for the pet and pays for the treatment. In a similar way, that statement holds true with declaws as well. If this surgery can keep a four-legged cat in a loving home where it is provided with affection, love, medical attention, exercise and a great diet, then I think it is valid. If the cat is going to lose its home, its indoor privileges or potentially its life because of its claws, then I think that is a very sad situation.
Is the surgery necessary or does it provide therapeutic assistance to the four-legged animal? No...but does it help the two legged animal...potentially.
Does the surgery cause behavior changes? There is no scientific proof of this and again, both animals could benefit from a closer relationship. (see the original post above about relationships between cats and owners after declaw). In fact, you could say that because of a declaw, the human-animal bond is stronger in some cases.
Jeanluc: Just a quick point...it is not always the child who does something to the cat to warrant being scratched or bitten. In some cases (referred aggression) the cat lashes out at whatever is closest. And, let me ask you this if I may: does your argument about a real cat lover being concerned about the well-being of the pet hold true for spaying and neutering as well? Isn't it in the best interest of that pet to reproduce? Are intact animals happier than neutered pets?
Again, thanks to everyone for reading. In most cases, we will never sway an opinion about this topic from one extreme to the other, but I can provide you with the facts as I have seen them in practice and as noted in scientific journals. Everyone deserves their opinion...just make sure that any facts you want to state have solid backing. Having had both declawed and clawed cats, I can tell you that all of them have made me a happy pet owner!
In my very first blog here I mentioned that I think that they "whole animal" needs to be treated when dealing with sick or injured pets...the four legged one with the illness and the two legged one that cares for the pet and pays for the treatment. In a similar way, that statement holds true with declaws as well. If this surgery can keep a four-legged cat in a loving home where it is provided with affection, love, medical attention, exercise and a great diet, then I think it is valid. If the cat is going to lose its home, its indoor privileges or potentially its life because of its claws, then I think that is a very sad situation.
Is the surgery necessary or does it provide therapeutic assistance to the four-legged animal? No...but does it help the two legged animal...potentially.
Does the surgery cause behavior changes? There is no scientific proof of this and again, both animals could benefit from a closer relationship. (see the original post above about relationships between cats and owners after declaw). In fact, you could say that because of a declaw, the human-animal bond is stronger in some cases.
Jeanluc: Just a quick point...it is not always the child who does something to the cat to warrant being scratched or bitten. In some cases (referred aggression) the cat lashes out at whatever is closest. And, let me ask you this if I may: does your argument about a real cat lover being concerned about the well-being of the pet hold true for spaying and neutering as well? Isn't it in the best interest of that pet to reproduce? Are intact animals happier than neutered pets?
Again, thanks to everyone for reading. In most cases, we will never sway an opinion about this topic from one extreme to the other, but I can provide you with the facts as I have seen them in practice and as noted in scientific journals. Everyone deserves their opinion...just make sure that any facts you want to state have solid backing. Having had both declawed and clawed cats, I can tell you that all of them have made me a happy pet owner!
When I lived up North I had a cat that would stay in the house, yet in the evening would go out for the night. He was trained to go potty out side as well. We had several acres. So, there was no need to declaw him and in that respect, would have been cruel to do so.
Now I live on a busy street and Florida has several animals that can hurt my kitty. Therefore she is a housecat only. I rescued her from the local humane society and they had had her for several months. I think in her situation, declawing makes sense. I think that is far kinder than allowing her to be put down or killed because someone else did not or could not care for her.
We have our animals spayed and neutered as it is in everyones best interest and declawing is another option based on the lifestyle of the cat. Hopefully, when we get an animal it is a lifetime committment to them, in other words, till death do us part. If we have this committment to our animal, declawing depends on where and what area kitty resides, is he a housecat, does he go wandering outside etc. I personally think if you do not have that committment to an animal and you might get rid of him at some point then by all means do not de claw him. I you have made that committment, it depends on his lifestyle and yours and should always be considered as an option.
I think the only thing that is cruel is people who invest in an animal, or take it in and then turn it out a year or two later. In that respect a declawing would be cruel to the cat. IMO
Now I live on a busy street and Florida has several animals that can hurt my kitty. Therefore she is a housecat only. I rescued her from the local humane society and they had had her for several months. I think in her situation, declawing makes sense. I think that is far kinder than allowing her to be put down or killed because someone else did not or could not care for her.
We have our animals spayed and neutered as it is in everyones best interest and declawing is another option based on the lifestyle of the cat. Hopefully, when we get an animal it is a lifetime committment to them, in other words, till death do us part. If we have this committment to our animal, declawing depends on where and what area kitty resides, is he a housecat, does he go wandering outside etc. I personally think if you do not have that committment to an animal and you might get rid of him at some point then by all means do not de claw him. I you have made that committment, it depends on his lifestyle and yours and should always be considered as an option.
I think the only thing that is cruel is people who invest in an animal, or take it in and then turn it out a year or two later. In that respect a declawing would be cruel to the cat. IMO
I had a cat that died 18 years ago (at the age of 20). He had to have surgery on his bladder and would tear his stitches out when he was healing. The vet tried many things to get him to stop. He got an infection due to the clawing. I ended up having him declawed to stop from hurting himself. Mind you, this was when it was rather barbaric. No lasers, etc. He healed really fast and never had any behavioral changes. Since then I have had all 3 of mine declawed. Two of the 3 were done with lasers. It is a huge difference! Both of them were playing and running full speed from the time they hit the door. Two are indoor and my 17 y/o is in and out. She is old now, but in her prime killed moles, birds, etc w/o claws. She climbed trees. She even got into a few scaps where I went to bail her out in the middle of the night and she had already run the other cat off.
I feel like no house is a home until it has a cat. I have never been without one (or 2 or 3, lol) My leather furniture is thankful that there are no claws in it. My cats have never not used their littler box, nor have they shown any other type of changes. I have heard people say that. But, 4 out of 4 of my declaws never had incident.
I feel like no house is a home until it has a cat. I have never been without one (or 2 or 3, lol) My leather furniture is thankful that there are no claws in it. My cats have never not used their littler box, nor have they shown any other type of changes. I have heard people say that. But, 4 out of 4 of my declaws never had incident.
Welcome to MH and thank you for your blogs.
Hi. I also worked as a vet. teck years ago and have seen both sides of the fence on this topic. We used to try to explain to people that had cats that once it was done, their cat should NOT be allowed to go outside at all due to the fact they could no longer protect themselves once it is done. It is also painful to the cat for a couple days. (Nothing as bad as what dogs go threw with cropping of the ears just for show.) We also recommended leaving the claws on the rear feet.
Fact is circumstances change situations sometimes. Let's say you have a cat that likes to scratch and play rough. You just found out your Gramma or Mother or whatever has to move in with you due to health reasons and bleeds/ bruises easily. What are you going to do? You love both more than anything in the world.......Hmmm. You have some choices:
1. Tell your family member they can't come to your house......yea right.
2. Get rid of your cat, in which you would miss as much as a family member or more.
3. Get your cat soft paws, a tendonectomy, lock it in a different part of the house while they're around or declawed.
Another situation is the cat is destroying your home and your spouse says "it's me or the cats" due to the destruction! I had a beautiful mahogany poster bed that my cats have totally destroyed. (My husband hates cats literally now.) Then what????? It's easy to say the cats stay, until the actual situation arises. I've actually seen cats put down because the owner didn't want to declaw them and would decide on euthanasia instead on a healthy loving cat. It's really sad! The shelters are over packed already. I've also seen divorces. LOL
I think it's great though to bring up such subjects openly. It may open a can of worms; but, it just may help some people out that don't know of any other alternatives than giving their loving pet away or worse yet putting them to sleep. ;~(
P. S. (I personally by the way keep my cat's in a couple rooms upstairs now with their claws intact...but...they never come out when the husband is at home.) My one cat is very wild with all people except me. With me she is very loving. All are happy now and they have their special cat room that they love with an artificial tree to scratch on along with my poor old poster bed covered with their toys everywhere.
Sorry so long.
Hi. I also worked as a vet. teck years ago and have seen both sides of the fence on this topic. We used to try to explain to people that had cats that once it was done, their cat should NOT be allowed to go outside at all due to the fact they could no longer protect themselves once it is done. It is also painful to the cat for a couple days. (Nothing as bad as what dogs go threw with cropping of the ears just for show.) We also recommended leaving the claws on the rear feet.
Fact is circumstances change situations sometimes. Let's say you have a cat that likes to scratch and play rough. You just found out your Gramma or Mother or whatever has to move in with you due to health reasons and bleeds/ bruises easily. What are you going to do? You love both more than anything in the world.......Hmmm. You have some choices:
1. Tell your family member they can't come to your house......yea right.
2. Get rid of your cat, in which you would miss as much as a family member or more.
3. Get your cat soft paws, a tendonectomy, lock it in a different part of the house while they're around or declawed.
Another situation is the cat is destroying your home and your spouse says "it's me or the cats" due to the destruction! I had a beautiful mahogany poster bed that my cats have totally destroyed. (My husband hates cats literally now.) Then what????? It's easy to say the cats stay, until the actual situation arises. I've actually seen cats put down because the owner didn't want to declaw them and would decide on euthanasia instead on a healthy loving cat. It's really sad! The shelters are over packed already. I've also seen divorces. LOL
I think it's great though to bring up such subjects openly. It may open a can of worms; but, it just may help some people out that don't know of any other alternatives than giving their loving pet away or worse yet putting them to sleep. ;~(
P. S. (I personally by the way keep my cat's in a couple rooms upstairs now with their claws intact...but...they never come out when the husband is at home.) My one cat is very wild with all people except me. With me she is very loving. All are happy now and they have their special cat room that they love with an artificial tree to scratch on along with my poor old poster bed covered with their toys everywhere.
Sorry so long.
We had a number of cats thoughout my childhood. Out of all of them, we had one of them declawed. Actually it was my Mom's cat. She decided to get him declawed because she lived in a condo, and he was always scratching up the furniture. I have to say, we noticed a huge difference in his behavior after the surgery. He became really mean. He would bite a lot, and just wasn't a friendly cat at all. He seemed miserable after being declawed. I'm not sure if it was because of the surgery, or if he would have ended up being a mean cat anyways. Who knows how much of it has to do with his natural personality. I just remember noticing such a huge change in behavior after the surgery. I don't have anything else to compare to, since he was the only cat that we had declawed.
Now I don't have to worry about making that decision...we have a dog.
Now I don't have to worry about making that decision...we have a dog.
this is my first time in this forum but i found this posting very interesting! my cat who is approx. 5 absolutely loves those cardboard scratchers that you can get at wal-mart that lay on the floor. they come with catnip that you sprinlke onto the cardboard. he loves it and very really every strays from scratching there, occassionally he will use the carpet, ocassionally. he would not touch the scratching post! the cardboard is only a couple bucks and definaltly worth a try!
This is an issue that comes up on the forum frequently. Yes, there's no study that shows any sort of behavior change in a percentage of declawed cats. The again, it isn't exactly a study I can see being done easily while keeping the groups uncontaminated by external influences.
I have found from my experience in animal rescue (we got a lot of cats, more so than dogs) that declawed cats tend to have what would be negative behavioral characteristics when we pick them up.
Then again, these are cats that have either been abandoned on the streets or are being picked up from homes where some level of abuse tends to have taken place, so we aren't exactly seeing the positive side that could come from declawing.
Animals often do adjust to amputation or permanent disability much better than humans do.
I oppose declawing, but I also oppose many other practices that are done to animals that involve modifying them to fit human convenience. I find the entire concept distasteful and presumptuous. Of course, I'm also a realist, so I recognize the need for us to do so.
I prefer that humans keep such modifications to a minimum.
I have found from my experience in animal rescue (we got a lot of cats, more so than dogs) that declawed cats tend to have what would be negative behavioral characteristics when we pick them up.
Then again, these are cats that have either been abandoned on the streets or are being picked up from homes where some level of abuse tends to have taken place, so we aren't exactly seeing the positive side that could come from declawing.
Animals often do adjust to amputation or permanent disability much better than humans do.
I oppose declawing, but I also oppose many other practices that are done to animals that involve modifying them to fit human convenience. I find the entire concept distasteful and presumptuous. Of course, I'm also a realist, so I recognize the need for us to do so.
I prefer that humans keep such modifications to a minimum.
I found a kitten on my porch last August and tried to find her a home. I was unable to do so because so many people are losing their homes that they are not taking in new pets or getting them from a shelter. So, we she is now our cat. We did not have her declawed when we had her spayed because a rescue person asked me not too just in case she went to a home that would require she be outdoors and so we didn't. We adore her and she is now a part of the family and I could not imagine her not being a part of this family - she belongs here now!
My mother lives with us and has COPD, immune deficiencies, heart issues, and is not supposed to get infections. Katy is really careful not to use her claws on our furniture and uses the little house we have for her to claw on - she also does not use her claws when playing with the other cats, who are declawed. But, when she plays and runs around my mother she sometimes scratches her even with her claws clipped. So, it is necessary for us to now consider having her declawed.
According to some, I should just drop her off at a shelter and hope she finds a home rather than have her declawed? She's now a part of this family!!!
I'm sorry, but I do respect the view to not declaw, but I would hope to receive the same respect in my choices. I give my cats a loving, kind, peaceful home to live in and feel I'm a good "human Mommy" to them!
My mother lives with us and has COPD, immune deficiencies, heart issues, and is not supposed to get infections. Katy is really careful not to use her claws on our furniture and uses the little house we have for her to claw on - she also does not use her claws when playing with the other cats, who are declawed. But, when she plays and runs around my mother she sometimes scratches her even with her claws clipped. So, it is necessary for us to now consider having her declawed.
According to some, I should just drop her off at a shelter and hope she finds a home rather than have her declawed? She's now a part of this family!!!
I'm sorry, but I do respect the view to not declaw, but I would hope to receive the same respect in my choices. I give my cats a loving, kind, peaceful home to live in and feel I'm a good "human Mommy" to them!
I'd prefer we left all natural appendages on our animals, and instead worked around them, or if there was any danger (to young children, etc) refrained form keeping a cat.
The only exception I suppose, is neutering. Leave tails, claws, dew claws, etc.
By the way I grew up with a menagerie, never had any terrible injuries from cats or dogs even as a two year old. I was trained how to behave properly around them. I listened.
The only exception I suppose, is neutering. Leave tails, claws, dew claws, etc.
By the way I grew up with a menagerie, never had any terrible injuries from cats or dogs even as a two year old. I was trained how to behave properly around them. I listened.
I have read this journal and i have to say i am not easily offended but some of these comments have really offended me. I inherited my cat after my dad died, he is declawed and an indoor cat. I do not appreciate some people telling us that we dont deserve or shouldnt have cats if we declaw them. I will be more than happy to give anyone of you my address and you can come and look for yourself and you will see a very very loved cat who is content and happy. My human children are grown and gone now and my cat and the beagle are my babies.......When we were young we were taught to respect our animals, not mistreat them or mishandle them. I remember taking my grandsons hand when he was 6 months old and showing him how we pet animals.......We are all entitled to our beliefs and for us who believe in declawing shouldnt be branded for doing so........sara
Ok guys, I am also or should I say was a cert. animal tech as well as the nice gentleman is here. I have done these declaws don't let them fool you. I have seen a change in the way a cat walks, stands, even hold there legs differently. I believe it is baned in so many countrie for a reason. If you are so worried about your stuff or you small children, It is really simple. DON"T GET A CAT!
It is very inhumane and a selfish thing to do.
Get a dog
It is very inhumane and a selfish thing to do.
Get a dog
To HelpinUtah,
Is it possible you could try to train your cat not to put out her claws when she climbs on a human? Cats are trainable. It does depend on their individual character. It might be worth trying, rather than let her go, as you are so fond of her now. You could train her by reward and praise. I don't know for certain it would work, but she might be able to learn that(?)
Is it possible you could try to train your cat not to put out her claws when she climbs on a human? Cats are trainable. It does depend on their individual character. It might be worth trying, rather than let her go, as you are so fond of her now. You could train her by reward and praise. I don't know for certain it would work, but she might be able to learn that(?)
To Sara,
I don't particularly agree with de-clawing. That's just the wild way I am. But I wouldn't suggest for one minute that you or anyone else who has chosen (or in your case it was already a done deal) -to have their cat de-clawed doesn't LOVE that cat and care for it !
I don't know you very well at all. But what I can definitely sense about you is you care a whole lot about your animals! :-)
I don't particularly agree with de-clawing. That's just the wild way I am. But I wouldn't suggest for one minute that you or anyone else who has chosen (or in your case it was already a done deal) -to have their cat de-clawed doesn't LOVE that cat and care for it !
I don't know you very well at all. But what I can definitely sense about you is you care a whole lot about your animals! :-)
Tom- I ended up going to PetSmart tonight and buying my cat a huge cat condo (the carpet covered things they can crawl in and climb up). Siamese love high places (he's currently curled up in his new digs as I type this). Hoping this helps keep him from at least clawing up the couches and we'll continue to work on training him to not play so rough with the kids. He is only 1 1/2 yrs old so hopefully he'll mellow out as he gets older. Right now he plays just like a little boy would!
Thanks again for all your information!
Thanks again for all your information!
Ginger:
I understand what you're saying, but Katy is just so playful that she forgets about her claws when running around like cats like to do. She sometimes runs over my mother and leaves ugly scratches. It's interesting because she does NOT scratch our furniture and because we do have declawed cats I think she think they don't use theirs when playing and so she doesn't use them when playing with them. We just have not been able to stop her from using her claws when excitedly running around the house. I will not give her up at this point. She is so part of this family and has become a "daughter" to me. I have never had children and my cats are to me "my children." The local rescue person in our town told me she would rather see her declawed and in a happy environment than without a home or put to sleep because someone else won't take her. It's very difficult to find homes for these little love bugs right now. So, my alternative is declawing her. I haven't taken this lightly, but I find it necessary to keep her in our home. I will admit that I have some selfish reasons - I love her and now that she's part of my family do not want to lose her.
I understand what you're saying, but Katy is just so playful that she forgets about her claws when running around like cats like to do. She sometimes runs over my mother and leaves ugly scratches. It's interesting because she does NOT scratch our furniture and because we do have declawed cats I think she think they don't use theirs when playing and so she doesn't use them when playing with them. We just have not been able to stop her from using her claws when excitedly running around the house. I will not give her up at this point. She is so part of this family and has become a "daughter" to me. I have never had children and my cats are to me "my children." The local rescue person in our town told me she would rather see her declawed and in a happy environment than without a home or put to sleep because someone else won't take her. It's very difficult to find homes for these little love bugs right now. So, my alternative is declawing her. I haven't taken this lightly, but I find it necessary to keep her in our home. I will admit that I have some selfish reasons - I love her and now that she's part of my family do not want to lose her.
ginger.
Thank you.......the beagle and S are my life and i would be so lost without them.....sara
Thank you.......the beagle and S are my life and i would be so lost without them.....sara
I didn't read all the posts, so possibly someone already talked about this, however.......
I have 2 cats that are my babies. I got one as a kitten and opted not to declaw, the other was 6 or 7 when I adopted her, and I am pretty sure vets won't declaw at that age even if we wanted to (which I wouldn't have). I use a product called SoftClaw that I buy at my veterinarians office. They are basically plastic caps glued over the claws. They are completely painless and have saved my furniture and carpet. The cat's don't mind them at all, and still make clawing motions. The grow off in about 2 or 3 weeks, and we just replace them. Very inexpensive and easy to use. I love them! The fact that my Vet recommended them leads me to believe they don't do any harm, and as I said, they defiantely don't seem to bother them at all. A great solution in my mind.
I have 2 cats that are my babies. I got one as a kitten and opted not to declaw, the other was 6 or 7 when I adopted her, and I am pretty sure vets won't declaw at that age even if we wanted to (which I wouldn't have). I use a product called SoftClaw that I buy at my veterinarians office. They are basically plastic caps glued over the claws. They are completely painless and have saved my furniture and carpet. The cat's don't mind them at all, and still make clawing motions. The grow off in about 2 or 3 weeks, and we just replace them. Very inexpensive and easy to use. I love them! The fact that my Vet recommended them leads me to believe they don't do any harm, and as I said, they defiantely don't seem to bother them at all. A great solution in my mind.
Declawing cats is now banned or considered extremely inhumane in at least 37 countries. The USA and Canada are far behind the rest of us in the civilised world who understand that cats are born with claws because they need them. I'm a retired vet nurse in England and even before declawing was banned here by the Pet Welfare Act in 2006, I never knew a vet who would do the procedure.In fact in the 40 years I worked with many vets only once were we asked by a client about declawing. The vet explained the procedure,the pain the cat would suffer and the possible physical and mental consequences to the cat and the client soon changed her mind about putting her pet through the operation.
We manage nicely in our country, with our cats with claws, along with our babies, children, frail folk, furniture and all the other excuses people use to have a cat declawed. Anyone who doesn't like it that a cat comes with claws or anyone too lazy to train their cat to use a scratching post, simply doesn't get a cat !
Our Rescue Shelters are not full of declawed cats,un-rehomable and condemned to death because of behavioural problems due to declawing.
According to the AVMA declawing is supposed to be a last resort operation for serious scratching problems. It's shocking that some vets will agree to declaw kittens....they might not even scratch at all when adult,they haven't even had chance to learn to use a scratching post, they are deprived of their rightful claws... just incase .....surely that can't be right ! Neuter/declaw packages are even offered by some vets,like some Supermarket deal !
Incredible !!
We manage nicely in our country, with our cats with claws, along with our babies, children, frail folk, furniture and all the other excuses people use to have a cat declawed. Anyone who doesn't like it that a cat comes with claws or anyone too lazy to train their cat to use a scratching post, simply doesn't get a cat !
Our Rescue Shelters are not full of declawed cats,un-rehomable and condemned to death because of behavioural problems due to declawing.
According to the AVMA declawing is supposed to be a last resort operation for serious scratching problems. It's shocking that some vets will agree to declaw kittens....they might not even scratch at all when adult,they haven't even had chance to learn to use a scratching post, they are deprived of their rightful claws... just incase .....surely that can't be right ! Neuter/declaw packages are even offered by some vets,like some Supermarket deal !
Incredible !!
This whole biased article is based on human selfishness and laziness. There is no justification for taking a perfectly formed creature and adapting it for your convenience. I live in England and have had cats most of my life, those cats have lived happily amongst children, dogs and the elderly and have never used their claws on any of them to such an extent that I would have considered amputating their toe ends. As for furniture, maybe from time to time it has been scratched but in my home the emphasis has always been on love and tolerance, I wouldn't mutilate a child for scribbling on the wall, I would use kindness and patience to teach that it is unacceptable. And that is the way to train cats, with kindness and imagination. I can't see that USA cats are any different in their intelligence level to English cats who learn very easily. Without the need to spray water at them I might add. Whichever way you declaw a cat it is painful and unnatural for the cat, and has far reaching consequences, and never forget that cats will do anything to hide the fact that they are in pain.
Time and time again I hear " What about my furniture?" "What about my drapes?" "What about my dog's eyes? "My Kids?" " My granny?". My answer to that is so fundamental and simple that it is blindingly obvious: If you can't cope with a cat that is as nature made it then you are not the type of person who should ever consider owning a cat" Finito!
Time and time again I hear " What about my furniture?" "What about my drapes?" "What about my dog's eyes? "My Kids?" " My granny?". My answer to that is so fundamental and simple that it is blindingly obvious: If you can't cope with a cat that is as nature made it then you are not the type of person who should ever consider owning a cat" Finito!
Thomas Dock: Why do you try to compare sterilisation with declawing? As a vet tech, you are surely aware that sterilisation reduces or eliminates the risk of animals developing certain forms of cancer later on in life. Repeated pregnancies or heat cycles have a debilitating effect on a cat's health, and in some cases pyometra can be fatal.
Declawing has no benefits whatsoever to the cat's health. It is almost always done for owner convenience.
Declawing has no benefits whatsoever to the cat's health. It is almost always done for owner convenience.
Now I have really read it all! How can anyone compare circumcision for a human to declawing for a cat? Circumcision is performed for health benefits for male infants, and sometimes in adult males with medical problems.
http://www.circinfo.com/benefits/bmc.html
But there are absolutely no health benefits for a cat whatsoever. For some excellent articles about declawing and potential serious behavioral problems, please take a moment to visit these articles as well.
http://www.pawproject.com/html/faqs.asp
http://www.declawing.com/htmls/declawing.htm
If there are any health benefits for the cats themselves by declawing, I am certainly not aware of them.In fact, I am only aware of health problems and behavioral problems that are the result.
http://www.circinfo.com/benefits/bmc.html
But there are absolutely no health benefits for a cat whatsoever. For some excellent articles about declawing and potential serious behavioral problems, please take a moment to visit these articles as well.
http://www.pawproject.com/html/faqs.asp
http://www.declawing.com/htmls/declawing.htm
If there are any health benefits for the cats themselves by declawing, I am certainly not aware of them.In fact, I am only aware of health problems and behavioral problems that are the result.
I'm from the UK and utterly astonished at how it is considered "normal" to declaw cats in the USA and Canada. How did surgical amputation become an automatic alternative to humane training? When did this happen? Why am I reading comments from people who consider a cat to be unhomeable if it has claws? The evidence I have read about rehoming declawed cats points very strongly to the opposite being true - that declawed cats that have been surrendered to shelters (due to behavioural issues/litter box avoidance/biting) are frequently euthenased because their behaviour post declawing makes them unhomeable.
It looks like some people have forgotten that the domestic cat is a mammal capable of feeling pain and emotion and are viewing the cat as commodity, an item for human convenience and entertainment. If that's the case, then pro-declaw people are missing out big time on the true and whole beauty of the cat.
I am trying to understand the rationale behind this wholesale surgical alteration of an animal that is perfect as it is. Mr Dock, you say that there is no scientific evidence to prove that declawing causes changes in behaviour. I would suggest that you extend your reading to the field of ethology, plenty of evidence there to illustrate just how this traumatic procedure affects felines - especially the big cats.
I'm concerned that you diminish the evidence of cats suffering severe pain/disability post surgery. Is it that vet techs are taught the very old fashioned and now widely discredited notion that cats don't feel pain like other animals/humans? or is it, as I suspect, you just aren't trained to read the whole animal when it comes to assessing pain? Maybe acknowledging the pain that these cats are in would just be too painful for you? When we see suffering, our humanity takes over, it connects to us, it hurts us. I know that those working in the veterinary field have to protect themselves somewhat from this pain, or they would be unable to continue in that field. But, at the end of the day, why are you doing the job if you cannot fully acknowledge the full spectrum of pain responses that an animal has to unnecessary, risky and frankly cruel surgery?
I have kept cats all my life. Our culture here (and lack of major predators) means that our cats have access to the outdoors during the day as they wish. My cats have their claws as nature intended. If my cats come into contact with young children, those children are supervised and taught the proper, respectful way to handle cats. No child or elderly person has been shredded to pieces by my cats. No one I know has been shredded up either. In the UK, we appear to hold the value of our furniture well below that of the welfare of a living, sentient being.
Could it be that somewhere in this culture you have of using surgery as a quick fix instead of taking time to train animals humanely, you have all forgotten the basic tenet of all - First Do No Harm?
It looks like some people have forgotten that the domestic cat is a mammal capable of feeling pain and emotion and are viewing the cat as commodity, an item for human convenience and entertainment. If that's the case, then pro-declaw people are missing out big time on the true and whole beauty of the cat.
I am trying to understand the rationale behind this wholesale surgical alteration of an animal that is perfect as it is. Mr Dock, you say that there is no scientific evidence to prove that declawing causes changes in behaviour. I would suggest that you extend your reading to the field of ethology, plenty of evidence there to illustrate just how this traumatic procedure affects felines - especially the big cats.
I'm concerned that you diminish the evidence of cats suffering severe pain/disability post surgery. Is it that vet techs are taught the very old fashioned and now widely discredited notion that cats don't feel pain like other animals/humans? or is it, as I suspect, you just aren't trained to read the whole animal when it comes to assessing pain? Maybe acknowledging the pain that these cats are in would just be too painful for you? When we see suffering, our humanity takes over, it connects to us, it hurts us. I know that those working in the veterinary field have to protect themselves somewhat from this pain, or they would be unable to continue in that field. But, at the end of the day, why are you doing the job if you cannot fully acknowledge the full spectrum of pain responses that an animal has to unnecessary, risky and frankly cruel surgery?
I have kept cats all my life. Our culture here (and lack of major predators) means that our cats have access to the outdoors during the day as they wish. My cats have their claws as nature intended. If my cats come into contact with young children, those children are supervised and taught the proper, respectful way to handle cats. No child or elderly person has been shredded to pieces by my cats. No one I know has been shredded up either. In the UK, we appear to hold the value of our furniture well below that of the welfare of a living, sentient being.
Could it be that somewhere in this culture you have of using surgery as a quick fix instead of taking time to train animals humanely, you have all forgotten the basic tenet of all - First Do No Harm?
I think what it boils down to here is, what you believe in. Definately if you think de clawing is torturous, inhumane, etc, you are not going to do it and nor should you. However with that said, do you not think you owe the other view some tolerance here? If there is a choice of declawing an animal to give it a good home where it can live out its life in a loving caring home or getting uthenized. Would you prefer the cat to be put down? Altho people may not agree on declawing or not, surely you must agree that the procedure does allow more kittys to be adopted and kept in the home. We have many many cats in the world that are in a life and death situation in shelters. If it helps one get a home, im all for it, as the alternative to me is what is cruel.
It is not right that people should be judged for doing this. They love thier animals and put out great expense to take care of them. It is appalling to me that you make those people feel like they are monsters somehow. If you do not believe in it then do not do it. But unless you can give all the homeless kitties in the world a home. Then allow people their views as well. Please?
It is not right that people should be judged for doing this. They love thier animals and put out great expense to take care of them. It is appalling to me that you make those people feel like they are monsters somehow. If you do not believe in it then do not do it. But unless you can give all the homeless kitties in the world a home. Then allow people their views as well. Please?
Being a Canadian, I need to correct a few of the statements made here by our friends living in the UK. Declawing is no longer acceptable here. Although it is still legal as far as I know, there are not to many vets who will do it. When I adopted my older cat from the Humane Society I signed a form agreeing to not declaw, crop tails or anything like that. I don't know anyone who declaws.
That being said, I have to agree with many others. I would rather see a cat declawed and in a loving home then with claws and in a shelter until euthenasia. We have to remember to respect each other's beliefs. You can strongly disagree, I don't like the idea either. But I am not going to think someone is a horrible or less then fit animal owner for making a choice like that. This blog was written in order for everyone to express their opinions....and rightly so.
That being said, I have to agree with many others. I would rather see a cat declawed and in a loving home then with claws and in a shelter until euthenasia. We have to remember to respect each other's beliefs. You can strongly disagree, I don't like the idea either. But I am not going to think someone is a horrible or less then fit animal owner for making a choice like that. This blog was written in order for everyone to express their opinions....and rightly so.
Again, I am most appreciative of everyone's comments and their interest in this topic. And, as I imagined, even mentioning the word "declaw" is controversial enough!
Bottom line here, has Teko has mentioned, is that those who believe declawing is ok in order to help keep cats in loving homes will never convince those who believe declawing is evil and vice versa. So, we are simply going to have to agree to disagree on this point. (Believe me, there will be many more topics that will be as controversial as this one!!)
Joy...I have your little Siamese enjoys his new condo...all of my Siamese have loved their condos and "cat trees".
MicheleCat: I apologize that the written word doesn't convey all of the nuances of the spoken word. In comparing neutering with declawing I was facetiously trying to point out that having all of the body parts you came into this world with does not necessarily mean that you are unhappy or that the cat's well-being is compromised. I would challenge anyone to prove to me or anyone that a cat without claws is less happy than a cat fully armed. Also, with current pain relief medications and analgesic techniques, I believe that our cats come through this surgery as well as any other surgery. If the point of avoiding declawing is to prevent pain in our pets, then why do we routinely neuter all of these animals as well. Those surgeries have their own associated pain, yet no one is crying out to stop neutering all the animals. As far as preventing cancers, you are right...many cancers, like mammary tumors, are much less likely to happen in fixed animals. However, there are studies showing that neutering some breeds, like Rottweilers, before 1 year of age is likely to increase the possibility of osteosarcomas. My point is not to debate the merits of neutering your pet (it should be done if you aren't planning on breeding), but to show that you need to have both sides of the argument to make a decision that is best for you and your pet.
Everycat: If you could forward those references you mentioned about the big cats, I would appreciate it. I also wanted to let you know that I have not diminished the fact that declawed cats feel pain after surgery...everyone has pain after any surgery. But, current analgesic techniques and the availability of newer pain relief medications has made it possible to minimize that pain to levels that are likely tolerable to the cat. If the pain was extreme, we would not see cats playing with toys hours after their declaw surgery. And, as has been mentioned by several people here, we do see that often. At the clinics I worked at, we were among the very first veterinary hospitals in our area to provide analgesic relief for any surgery and we promoted a multi-modal method of attacking pain. In fact, I developed a 4 hour training session for our employees to help them identify painful animals, score their pain, and take actions to help minimize the animals distress.
Troublesniffer: Thank you for those links...those pages look to be most interesting and full of information. I have not read the entire page yet, but I will. I also noticed that Dr. Gary Landsberg, a noted behaviorist is quoted in one of the answers. Since he is a close acquaintence of mine, I will be sure to ask him about these reports. The only problem I have with the site so far is that it is very biased towards anti-declawing. If you read through the site, you see words like "normal movement and function are severed", "crippling effects" and "extreme pain". To me, these words are used in an attempt to emotionally sway people. I do like the journal citations she has and I will definitely follow up with those articles to see if they help to shed light on this discussion.
Again, thanks to everyone. I am going to let you all continue to banter about this subject, but it is time for me to move on to something new. Watch for a new blog coming up later this week!!
Bottom line here, has Teko has mentioned, is that those who believe declawing is ok in order to help keep cats in loving homes will never convince those who believe declawing is evil and vice versa. So, we are simply going to have to agree to disagree on this point. (Believe me, there will be many more topics that will be as controversial as this one!!)
Joy...I have your little Siamese enjoys his new condo...all of my Siamese have loved their condos and "cat trees".
MicheleCat: I apologize that the written word doesn't convey all of the nuances of the spoken word. In comparing neutering with declawing I was facetiously trying to point out that having all of the body parts you came into this world with does not necessarily mean that you are unhappy or that the cat's well-being is compromised. I would challenge anyone to prove to me or anyone that a cat without claws is less happy than a cat fully armed. Also, with current pain relief medications and analgesic techniques, I believe that our cats come through this surgery as well as any other surgery. If the point of avoiding declawing is to prevent pain in our pets, then why do we routinely neuter all of these animals as well. Those surgeries have their own associated pain, yet no one is crying out to stop neutering all the animals. As far as preventing cancers, you are right...many cancers, like mammary tumors, are much less likely to happen in fixed animals. However, there are studies showing that neutering some breeds, like Rottweilers, before 1 year of age is likely to increase the possibility of osteosarcomas. My point is not to debate the merits of neutering your pet (it should be done if you aren't planning on breeding), but to show that you need to have both sides of the argument to make a decision that is best for you and your pet.
Everycat: If you could forward those references you mentioned about the big cats, I would appreciate it. I also wanted to let you know that I have not diminished the fact that declawed cats feel pain after surgery...everyone has pain after any surgery. But, current analgesic techniques and the availability of newer pain relief medications has made it possible to minimize that pain to levels that are likely tolerable to the cat. If the pain was extreme, we would not see cats playing with toys hours after their declaw surgery. And, as has been mentioned by several people here, we do see that often. At the clinics I worked at, we were among the very first veterinary hospitals in our area to provide analgesic relief for any surgery and we promoted a multi-modal method of attacking pain. In fact, I developed a 4 hour training session for our employees to help them identify painful animals, score their pain, and take actions to help minimize the animals distress.
Troublesniffer: Thank you for those links...those pages look to be most interesting and full of information. I have not read the entire page yet, but I will. I also noticed that Dr. Gary Landsberg, a noted behaviorist is quoted in one of the answers. Since he is a close acquaintence of mine, I will be sure to ask him about these reports. The only problem I have with the site so far is that it is very biased towards anti-declawing. If you read through the site, you see words like "normal movement and function are severed", "crippling effects" and "extreme pain". To me, these words are used in an attempt to emotionally sway people. I do like the journal citations she has and I will definitely follow up with those articles to see if they help to shed light on this discussion.
Again, thanks to everyone. I am going to let you all continue to banter about this subject, but it is time for me to move on to something new. Watch for a new blog coming up later this week!!
Great post in helping us understand both sides of the story! All 4 of my cats are front declawed and I love their company and even though they dream of going outside, they seem to be happy indoors. :-)
I admit I haven't read every comment here. This has stirred up quite a hornets nest. What I didn't notice were many comments about simply keeping the nails trimmed. The vet tech mentioned this but I don't see many "votes" for this option. We've always done that with our cats. It took awhile for them to get used to the idea.
Our most recent cat from the Humane Society was so angry and offended that my husband had to wear welding gloves to hold her while I clipped. We started out with just clipping 2 nails, letting her go and giving her treats. Over several months she somehow learned that this nasty little thing we do to her doesn't hurt and she gets cookies. She's very tolerant now. No more welding gloves for us and no scratches around the house from her.
But don't get me started on letting cats outdoors. My tail will frizz and I'll start hissing. :-)
Our most recent cat from the Humane Society was so angry and offended that my husband had to wear welding gloves to hold her while I clipped. We started out with just clipping 2 nails, letting her go and giving her treats. Over several months she somehow learned that this nasty little thing we do to her doesn't hurt and she gets cookies. She's very tolerant now. No more welding gloves for us and no scratches around the house from her.
But don't get me started on letting cats outdoors. My tail will frizz and I'll start hissing. :-)
Actually (not meaning to be rude to anyone here) we can easily find out more or less what it feels like for the cat. Ask a sympathetic surgeon to surgically remove our fingernails and toenails.....and see how we feel about it, both post-op, and after a few months. We might even get to like it??
I think it is time to take myself out of the dog and cat forums.......obviously i dont deserve to have my cat or dog. My cat is declawed and nuetered and the beagle has been spayed......sara
My cat jumped in my lap and wanted to be petted out of nowhere in the middle of reading this. She doesn't usually do that.
Hey, Sara! I am not having a personal 'dig' at you or trying to hurt you! No way! Just because I hate the whole thing about taking cats' claws off, doesn't mean I am right, now does it?
Also, like I said before your cat was already de-clawed when you got her anyway. And also, like I said, you love your critters!
I will definitely shut up about this now. Please don't think I meant anything personally to you. OK?
Also, like I said before your cat was already de-clawed when you got her anyway. And also, like I said, you love your critters!
I will definitely shut up about this now. Please don't think I meant anything personally to you. OK?
I (a board-certified surgeon) just would like to comment on one specific point: the pain cats endure after a declaw.
Comparing declaw to amputating fingers in people is simply ridiculous. It's an old, classic, overused scare-tactic.
Would you compare abdominal surgey in a cat or dog and a human? Of course not. Dogs often jump in the car a fwe hours after they've had abdominal surgery. People are probably in pain in a bed for several days, and can barely walk.
Would you compare knee or hip surgey in a cat or dog and a human? Of course not. Pets often start to use the leg hours to days after surgery. People are probably in pain in a bed for several days, and can barely walk.
Similarly, we don't cut babies hands off (see comment above) and we don't cut people fingers off (see comment above), if anything because kids don't end up abandoned if they steal a cookie. And last time I checked, cats don't use a cell phone all that often, and they don't spend they days typing in chat rooms. They can live a perfectly happy, comfortable, indoor life after a declaw.
We perform surgeries that should be far more traumatic and painful that a declaw.
So again, I just would like to comment on one specific point: the pain cats endure after a declaw.
I don't think that declawing a cat is inhumane in some very specific, well chosen cases.
However, I firmly believe that improper pain management is inhumane. After all, we manage far worst cases successfully (fractures, leg amputations, spinal surgery...) from a pain management standpoint, so one would believe that pain management wouldn't be any more difficult for a declaw procedure.
A reasonable protocol could include:
1. application of a "pain patch" the night before
2. before surgery, local anesthesia around the foot (similar to the local injection you get at the dentist)
3. before surgery, an injectable anti-inflammatory drug
4. before surgery, injectable "kitty morphine"
5. after surgery, the injectable anti-inflammatory drug and the "kitty morphine" are continued every 6-8 hours.
6. To go home, the anti-inflammatory drug and "kitty morphine" are continued by mouth for 7-10 days.
We have made immense progress in pain management. There are profesionnal journals, seminars, associations dedicated to that sole purpose. Well, let's use these drugs and techniques!
If such a protocol is not offered (which I would suspect it is not commonly), or if the client can't afford the added cost, then we are dealing with a different issue, -not whether declawing is humane or not. I have witnessed many cats managed this way, including my own, and they seemed pretty content and had a good appetite. If anything, they were "high" on morphine...
I recently read an article written by a general vet about this topic. It was so well written, that I thought I would quote a few sentences:
* "(...) More than 30 years later, I have declawed thousands of cats and I am still waiting for a pet owner to tell me that he or she regretted having it done."
* Some say that "declawing is unnecessary and if the cat had a choice, it would not want its nails removed. (...) I'm sure that if cats had a choice, they wouldn't want their sex organs removed either."
* "I also suspect that they would rather be outdoors hunting than confined in a small apartment or home all day."
* "When done correctly, declawing results in few complications and minor, very temporary discomfort and is much less painful than many other common procedures."
Ditto.
Signed: Phil Zeltzman, DVM, DACVS
A board-certified surgeon who does NOT perform declaws.
www.DrPhilZeltzman.com
Comparing declaw to amputating fingers in people is simply ridiculous. It's an old, classic, overused scare-tactic.
Would you compare abdominal surgey in a cat or dog and a human? Of course not. Dogs often jump in the car a fwe hours after they've had abdominal surgery. People are probably in pain in a bed for several days, and can barely walk.
Would you compare knee or hip surgey in a cat or dog and a human? Of course not. Pets often start to use the leg hours to days after surgery. People are probably in pain in a bed for several days, and can barely walk.
Similarly, we don't cut babies hands off (see comment above) and we don't cut people fingers off (see comment above), if anything because kids don't end up abandoned if they steal a cookie. And last time I checked, cats don't use a cell phone all that often, and they don't spend they days typing in chat rooms. They can live a perfectly happy, comfortable, indoor life after a declaw.
We perform surgeries that should be far more traumatic and painful that a declaw.
So again, I just would like to comment on one specific point: the pain cats endure after a declaw.
I don't think that declawing a cat is inhumane in some very specific, well chosen cases.
However, I firmly believe that improper pain management is inhumane. After all, we manage far worst cases successfully (fractures, leg amputations, spinal surgery...) from a pain management standpoint, so one would believe that pain management wouldn't be any more difficult for a declaw procedure.
A reasonable protocol could include:
1. application of a "pain patch" the night before
2. before surgery, local anesthesia around the foot (similar to the local injection you get at the dentist)
3. before surgery, an injectable anti-inflammatory drug
4. before surgery, injectable "kitty morphine"
5. after surgery, the injectable anti-inflammatory drug and the "kitty morphine" are continued every 6-8 hours.
6. To go home, the anti-inflammatory drug and "kitty morphine" are continued by mouth for 7-10 days.
We have made immense progress in pain management. There are profesionnal journals, seminars, associations dedicated to that sole purpose. Well, let's use these drugs and techniques!
If such a protocol is not offered (which I would suspect it is not commonly), or if the client can't afford the added cost, then we are dealing with a different issue, -not whether declawing is humane or not. I have witnessed many cats managed this way, including my own, and they seemed pretty content and had a good appetite. If anything, they were "high" on morphine...
I recently read an article written by a general vet about this topic. It was so well written, that I thought I would quote a few sentences:
* "(...) More than 30 years later, I have declawed thousands of cats and I am still waiting for a pet owner to tell me that he or she regretted having it done."
* Some say that "declawing is unnecessary and if the cat had a choice, it would not want its nails removed. (...) I'm sure that if cats had a choice, they wouldn't want their sex organs removed either."
* "I also suspect that they would rather be outdoors hunting than confined in a small apartment or home all day."
* "When done correctly, declawing results in few complications and minor, very temporary discomfort and is much less painful than many other common procedures."
Ditto.
Signed: Phil Zeltzman, DVM, DACVS
A board-certified surgeon who does NOT perform declaws.
www.DrPhilZeltzman.com
I would never trust anyone, no matter how brightly DVM appears in the moniker, who claims that for "more than thirty years...blah, blah, blah. I appreciate the fact that Dr. Zeltzman doesn't mutilate cats and that the question of what the cat wants is not the point, but neutering has a huge benefit for society, declawing cats is just for vain people who want a moving statue in their house! As far as research is considered , note that "among 218 cats relinquished to a shelter, more (52.4%) declawed cats than non-declawed cats (29.1%) were reported by owners to have inappropriate elimination problems." That's a FACT. I urge people who would consider this barbaric procedure banned in about 36 countries to consider the position of the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights: "A major concern that the AVAR has about declawing is the attitude that is evident in this situation. The cat is treated as if he or she is an inanimate object who can be modified, even to the point of surgical mutilation, to suit a person's perception of what a cat should be. It would seem more ethical and humane to accept that claws and scratching are inherent feline attributes, and to adjust one's life accordingly if a cat is desired as a companion. If this is unacceptable, then perhaps a different companion would be in order."
Bob Wagers, AB, MA, MLS, PHD (See, I have letters after my name too!)
Bob Wagers, AB, MA, MLS, PHD (See, I have letters after my name too!)
One more thing. People seem to believe that cats that are declawed are less likely to wind up in shelters or abandoned. This is not the case. Shelters report higher percentages of declawed cats than appear in the general populations. After people declaw their cat, the cat sometimes develops nasty habits such as not using the litter box, biting, depression. Where do you think that cat winds up? And don't think that these gentle cat mutilators would hesitate to toss the cat outside where he is helpless. Happens all the time. This isn't a matter of "which drapes look better?" Declawing IS animal cruelty.
I think all the anti-declaw hype is just outta hand. I have 5 cats that are all declawed. All of them done by my vet who is big on pain management. So yes, there is a few days of post op, but then again I had them fixed and that is a few days of post op too. Do you think fixing a cat isn’t painful? But yet everyone is ok with that! None of my cats, including my two bengal cats changed personality. (I read somewhere that bengals will become extremely aggressive if declawed---what trash!) I have 5 very sweet cats. Oh and Montag.. ALL my cats use the litter box, no one bites and I can tell you that my 5 silly cats are certainly not depressed!! They all still 'scratch' and none of them seem to know the difference. The biggest change; I’m not chasing them with water bottles or other means to save my furniture or rugs. What I have is a house full of fun playful little cats living the easy life and a cat mommie who has a blast watching them do what ever they want without a care!
Oh and Montag, if your cat has an elimination problem.. maybe you should take them to the vet. I can pretty much guarantee they have a urinary infection. Perhaps if you gave your cats regular healthcare, you'd find that the issues your having are not because they are declawed, its because they have a medical issue! I talked to a shelter volunteer once that said every declaw cat they had, had this issue. When I asked if they took them to the vet, well no of course not, they just assumed it was because of the declaw and would rather let the cat suffer with an infection than give up their convictions!
Im certainly not saying declaw every cat. It is a personal choice. We bring pets into our homes as pets. It benefits us and them. If your fine with your furniture or children being scratched, then by all means keep the claws. But don't take out your ignorance of the procedure out on the rest of us who know its benefits to both the sanity of the owner, and the freedom it provides our cats to have a happy stress free home without humans trying to train them. Cats just dont want to be trained to do anything!
I think a better discussion should be on people who buy cats to breed. Four of my cats are shelter cats, one is a stray I found living on my deck after her student parents tossed her out of their apt and moved back home at the end of the semester. I have purebred cats that I got at shelters. People paid big money for these cats and then didnt bother to have them vetted or fixed. Why don't we get off the backs of people who declaw their cats and get on the backs of breeders who care more about making money than where their kittens go!
Oh and Montag, if your cat has an elimination problem.. maybe you should take them to the vet. I can pretty much guarantee they have a urinary infection. Perhaps if you gave your cats regular healthcare, you'd find that the issues your having are not because they are declawed, its because they have a medical issue! I talked to a shelter volunteer once that said every declaw cat they had, had this issue. When I asked if they took them to the vet, well no of course not, they just assumed it was because of the declaw and would rather let the cat suffer with an infection than give up their convictions!
Im certainly not saying declaw every cat. It is a personal choice. We bring pets into our homes as pets. It benefits us and them. If your fine with your furniture or children being scratched, then by all means keep the claws. But don't take out your ignorance of the procedure out on the rest of us who know its benefits to both the sanity of the owner, and the freedom it provides our cats to have a happy stress free home without humans trying to train them. Cats just dont want to be trained to do anything!
I think a better discussion should be on people who buy cats to breed. Four of my cats are shelter cats, one is a stray I found living on my deck after her student parents tossed her out of their apt and moved back home at the end of the semester. I have purebred cats that I got at shelters. People paid big money for these cats and then didnt bother to have them vetted or fixed. Why don't we get off the backs of people who declaw their cats and get on the backs of breeders who care more about making money than where their kittens go!
DVM - but declawing is NOT just removing the nails. I have met so many people who have had their cats declawed and are surprised to find it's not just the claws that are removed - not fair, not honest!
I've done cat rescue for years. Declawed or not, cats get thrown out of their homes and this year is especially bad.
I think it's a shame that some people think cats have only have two options - amputation or homelessness. Too bad education is not more of an option. www.catsinternational.org explains not only declawing, but how to work with your cat so this is not necessary. It's not more difficult than potty training a puppy but for some reason, people think puppies (and kids) are more worth the time and effort to teach.
I've done cat rescue for years. Declawed or not, cats get thrown out of their homes and this year is especially bad.
I think it's a shame that some people think cats have only have two options - amputation or homelessness. Too bad education is not more of an option. www.catsinternational.org explains not only declawing, but how to work with your cat so this is not necessary. It's not more difficult than potty training a puppy but for some reason, people think puppies (and kids) are more worth the time and effort to teach.
I am a little late on this post, but I have just recently been "exposed" - to to speak- of a declawing incident. My granddaughters college roommate decided "they" needed a cat, which is fine if they really care about the adopted pet.
About the first thing the roommate did was have him declawed. I was horrified and I felt so sorry for my granddaughter because she had to go along to the vet for the surgery. Poor kitty was bloody and pain drugged. She knows how opposed I am to declawing, so I am surprised she even told me, but i think she needed to share her distress. I have four cats and only one is declawed and I did not do that to here. She had already been modified when she showed up in the neighborhood alone, hungry and cold (20 degree weather!) Whoever she had belonged to definitely had no feelings what so ever about her care. When I adopted my second cat I asked my veterinarian bout having her declawed because she was really destroying my living room chair. My vet highly discouraged declawing and told me that it was cruel and that any declawed cat would experience pain any time it jumped down from a high spot. The end of the bone would literally push through the end of their stubs. She suggested the soft paws and so I tried those, but gave up after a few times because my kitty didn't like me holding her down to get them on her! I then went with the water spray bottle, it helped some. But the best thing I did was to buy a very tall kitty condo/tower with tall scratching posts! All my cats love it! In fact I have had to replace some of the posts! My 2nd naughty kitty still tries to sneak a scratch at my living room chair, but I am planning to make a slipcover for it so she can't get to the fabric that she loves so much! I doubt I could EVER have a cat declawed--to me it just seems mean and cruel and torturous. Anyone who thinks they want a pet should keep this in mind...................what if it were the other way around....? The new cats had the option to have YOUR fingers cut off!
About the first thing the roommate did was have him declawed. I was horrified and I felt so sorry for my granddaughter because she had to go along to the vet for the surgery. Poor kitty was bloody and pain drugged. She knows how opposed I am to declawing, so I am surprised she even told me, but i think she needed to share her distress. I have four cats and only one is declawed and I did not do that to here. She had already been modified when she showed up in the neighborhood alone, hungry and cold (20 degree weather!) Whoever she had belonged to definitely had no feelings what so ever about her care. When I adopted my second cat I asked my veterinarian bout having her declawed because she was really destroying my living room chair. My vet highly discouraged declawing and told me that it was cruel and that any declawed cat would experience pain any time it jumped down from a high spot. The end of the bone would literally push through the end of their stubs. She suggested the soft paws and so I tried those, but gave up after a few times because my kitty didn't like me holding her down to get them on her! I then went with the water spray bottle, it helped some. But the best thing I did was to buy a very tall kitty condo/tower with tall scratching posts! All my cats love it! In fact I have had to replace some of the posts! My 2nd naughty kitty still tries to sneak a scratch at my living room chair, but I am planning to make a slipcover for it so she can't get to the fabric that she loves so much! I doubt I could EVER have a cat declawed--to me it just seems mean and cruel and torturous. Anyone who thinks they want a pet should keep this in mind...................what if it were the other way around....? The new cats had the option to have YOUR fingers cut off!
Hi.
I am from England I love my Cat. What I find appalling about the attitude of this site is that you would even put forward the idea that the idea of amputating a cats limb for the sake of how your sofa looks. The answer is not declaw or not declaw it should be dont keep a cat as pet if your furniture is more important. You are not responsible enough and you do not respect another life enough to look after the needs of an animal if it means abusing them so they and your sofa look pretty.
I am sorry to be blunt but its time that America put its ugly capitalism to one side and , like it does in so many other areas, stood for the rights of all. That includes cats.
If your house is more important. Dont be abusive. Dont be selfish. Dont buy a cat.
Nick
England
I am from England I love my Cat. What I find appalling about the attitude of this site is that you would even put forward the idea that the idea of amputating a cats limb for the sake of how your sofa looks. The answer is not declaw or not declaw it should be dont keep a cat as pet if your furniture is more important. You are not responsible enough and you do not respect another life enough to look after the needs of an animal if it means abusing them so they and your sofa look pretty.
I am sorry to be blunt but its time that America put its ugly capitalism to one side and , like it does in so many other areas, stood for the rights of all. That includes cats.
If your house is more important. Dont be abusive. Dont be selfish. Dont buy a cat.
Nick
England
following on quickly from what I just wrote (this is a very emotive subject) I meant to say "the attitude of some of the comments on the site - not the attitude of the site itself." The site is a good site that offers good information.
This subject always makes me so angry. I cant see why there is a need for discussion. When taking into consideration amimal rights its a no - brainer.
Nick
England
This subject always makes me so angry. I cant see why there is a need for discussion. When taking into consideration amimal rights its a no - brainer.
Nick
England
What amazes me here is the incredibly rude comments from the "anti-declawing" people on here. Interesting that the rest were polite. I'm especially appalled at Montag who was so disrespectful and rude to the doctor on here. How arrogant to act like you know better than a DVM who has had years of training, schooling and experience.
Let's keep the rude, hateful, judgmental comments off of here and try to respect each other's opinions whether we believe in it or not. To suggest that an owner who declaws is not as good of an owner and shouldn't have pets is ridiculous. I know plenty of people who didn't declaw but don't treat their cats as well as those of us who do have declawed cats. I have a friend who didn't declaw yet her cat is an indoor/outdoor cat and has had 3 pregnancies, 2 of which where the kittens died, before I begged her to let me fix the poor cat. She has not kept up with the yearly shots with her either. But I hold my tongue because it's not my cat and I'm not going to be arrogant enough to tell her how she should treat her pets. I know they love their pets. They were just raised differently than I and had pets on a farm where they didn't receive veterinary care, etc., and I have no right to tell her how to raise her pets. I do try gently remind her of things or mention things in passing but am careful how I come across.
I would like to see the same respect here. I think we can all learn from each other if we are willing to open up our minds as well as our ears and really listen and try to understand each other. I believe we all love and take care of our pets the best that we can and that's really all that should matter.
Let's keep the rude, hateful, judgmental comments off of here and try to respect each other's opinions whether we believe in it or not. To suggest that an owner who declaws is not as good of an owner and shouldn't have pets is ridiculous. I know plenty of people who didn't declaw but don't treat their cats as well as those of us who do have declawed cats. I have a friend who didn't declaw yet her cat is an indoor/outdoor cat and has had 3 pregnancies, 2 of which where the kittens died, before I begged her to let me fix the poor cat. She has not kept up with the yearly shots with her either. But I hold my tongue because it's not my cat and I'm not going to be arrogant enough to tell her how she should treat her pets. I know they love their pets. They were just raised differently than I and had pets on a farm where they didn't receive veterinary care, etc., and I have no right to tell her how to raise her pets. I do try gently remind her of things or mention things in passing but am careful how I come across.
I would like to see the same respect here. I think we can all learn from each other if we are willing to open up our minds as well as our ears and really listen and try to understand each other. I believe we all love and take care of our pets the best that we can and that's really all that should matter.
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