Declawing

[Catman]

Over the years of life I have had and known many cats. As a kid growing up, none were declawed. At some point along the road of life that switched and declawing was automatic, like vacinations and being fixed. Now I no longer do it. The point of explaning this is that I lived with many cats both ways for many years.

In my expeirence, I have never noticed a change in behavior. I've never seen anything to indicate the cat was in pain, or that they even knew the difference. They would still knead at a spot before laying down. Still go through the motions of scratching furniture, etc. And to my surprise, they could still climb up a tree as if they still had claws.

With all due respect to the anti-declawers, I don't support declawing or view it as wrong. I believe one should persue whatever course of action provides for the best relationship between the owner and the cat.

Keep in mind, people tattoo themselves, put piercings in all kinds of strange places, have their tongue split, get breast implants, etc, etc. I would never get a tattoo or piercing and might question the mentality of some of those that do, but I do not view it as a barbaric mutilation of the body. To each his own.

Peace

 

[admin]

Over the years of life I have had and known many cats. As a kid growing up, none were declawed. At some point along the road of life that switched and declawing was automatic, like vacinations and being fixed. Now I no longer do it. The point of explaning this is that I lived with many cats both ways for many years.

In my expeirence, I have never noticed a change in behavior. I've never seen anything to indicate the cat was in pain, or that they even knew the difference. They would still knead at a spot before laying down. Still go through the motions of scratching furniture, etc. And to my surprise, they could still climb up a tree as if they still had claws.

With all due respect to the anti-declawers, I don't support declawing or view it as wrong. I believe one should persue whatever course of action provides for the best relationship between the owner and the cat.

Keep in mind, people tattoo themselves, put piercings in all kinds of strange places, have their tongue split, get breast implants, etc, etc. I would never get a tattoo or piercing and might question the mentality of some of those that do, but I do not view it as a barbaric mutilation of the body. To each his own.

Peace

Ah, but anyone who goes the tatoo or piercing bit, does so voluntarily...cats don't have a choice and if they did, I'm sure they would not want their claws removed.

When I was in my early 20's and didn't know any better, I declawed the two cats I adopted from the shelter...their personalities changed...Smokey began biting - hard and Cloud became a frightened boy...so never again...but I believe as trish does and would rather see a cat declawed than rehomed...that being said, I would make sure all scenarios were tried before allowing it, since it is in my contract that it is not allowed unless I am contacted first...

 

[Trish Allearz]

Well, I have many tattoos and my tongue is pierced and so is my nose- and well, I've been known to have a hanky panky type of piercing too at one point in my long life... Doesn't mean I'm going to take my newborn child and ask for them to tattoo him.

Take a look at the structure of a NAKED cat foot after it's been declawed and I can guarantee- anyone who cares about cats will rethink your idea of a declaw. It utterly deforms the foot.

I would also like to ask- how long did you have these cats? Because my issues with my girls developed as they AGED.

I'm not an anti-declaw person. I'm a truth-type person. I'm not going to sugar coat things for you. I'm not 110% anti-declaw, but 99% of the time, it is an unnecessary and yes, cruel, surgery.

 

[Per Lausund]

We´ve had this discussion before, haven´t we? Of course removing the end joint of all your fingers doesn´t hurt. Ask any amputee. I do it to myself regularly, saves me trimming my nails. Gets hard typing, but I´m sure that can be remedied by voice-recognition software.
Our neighbors son kicked a door the other day, I hear they are removing his foot to stop it happening in future. And it is an excellent cure for secretaries who misstype. Remove their fingers, and no more misspelt words from THAT secretary, and often the others sharpen up as well.
For foul language, amputate mouth. Lower jaw first, as a warning, then tongue. That fixes it.
Thinking bad or inappropriate thoughts? Well, the h...

Seriously folks, trimming claws is perfectly possible, as is not getting a cat. Declawing is a possibility that should be avoided as far as possible, and it should be called finger/toe amputation, not declawing. One effect of declawing is certain: it hurts like hell (justified language here!)(try snipping the tip of your own finger just a teeny weeny bit and feel!).


per

 

[Kimmyqitty]

Sorry not a funny thing to disfigure, but you are a comedian! Just the first few lines reading and I was sooooo laughing!

 

[jungle boy]

We´ve had this discussion before, haven´t we? Of course removing the end joint of all your fingers doesn´t hurt. Ask any amputee. I do it to myself regularly, saves me trimming my nails. Gets hard typing, but I´m sure that can be remedied by voice-recognition software.
Our neighbors son kicked a door the other day, I hear they are removing his foot to stop it happening in future. And it is an excellent cure for secretaries who misstype. Remove their fingers, and no more misspelt words from THAT secretary, and often the others sharpen up as well.
For foul language, amputate mouth. Lower jaw first, as a warning, then tongue. That fixes it.
Thinking bad or inappropriate thoughts? Well, the h...

Seriously folks, trimming claws is perfectly possible, as is not getting a cat. Declawing is a possibility that should be avoided as far as possible, and it should be called finger/toe amputation, not declawing. One effect of declawing is certain: it hurts like hell (justified language here!)(try snipping the tip of your own finger just a teeny weeny bit and feel!).


per

I agree, we never really know how much our babies suffer in silence after such amputations, but we can safely say it naturally must be VERY painful. And down the road, if they have pain EVERY time they jump and land on their stumps, they certainly can't speak to us to tell us. Perhaps there are some kitties who eventually recover and have no lingering issues, and perhaps there are some (or most) who suffer their entire 15-20 years on earth with us. Cats are very good at masking their pain and they may be in more pain than we will ever know. My brother in law had his first digit amputated on his hand after a work accident and it still hurts him when he bumps it, even after 10 years. Imagine having to walk on that and jump on it.

 

[Louie'sDad]

We´ve had this discussion before, haven´t we? Of course removing the end joint of all your fingers doesn´t hurt. Ask any amputee. I do it to myself regularly, saves me trimming my nails. Gets hard typing, but I´m sure that can be remedied by voice-recognition software.
Our neighbors son kicked a door the other day, I hear they are removing his foot to stop it happening in future. And it is an excellent cure for secretaries who misstype. Remove their fingers, and no more misspelt words from THAT secretary, and often the others sharpen up as well.
For foul language, amputate mouth. Lower jaw first, as a warning, then tongue. That fixes it.
Thinking bad or inappropriate thoughts? Well, the h...

Seriously folks, trimming claws is perfectly possible, as is not getting a cat. Declawing is a possibility that should be avoided as far as possible, and it should be called finger/toe amputation, not declawing. One effect of declawing is certain: it hurts like hell (justified language here!)(try snipping the tip of your own finger just a teeny weeny bit and feel!).


per

Same argument applies to male cats who stare. They should be punished for staring by having their b@IIs cut out.

 

[Kimmyqitty]

Come on guys, getting a little over the top. We all have our own opinions, but we are not the AR here. That is if. I'm reading these posts correctly.

 

[Dantes]

Come on guys, getting a little over the top. We all have our own opinions, but we are not the AR here. That is if. I'm reading these posts correctly.

This has nothing to do with animal "rights." AR wants nobody to have pets or adopt any animals. They're happier euthanizing animals than adopting them out.

If you adopt an animal, you have a responsibility to that animal. Making it suffer for your convenience--especially when alternatives are possible--is not fulfilling your responsibility to that animal. If you don't have the time or patience to train or groom nails, then you probably shouldn't adopt a pet or be responsible for an animal.

 

[Kristin]

This has nothing to do with animal "rights." AR wants nobody to have pets or adopt any animals. They're happier euthanizing animals than adopting them out.

If you adopt an animal, you have a responsibility to that animal. Making it suffer for your convenience--especially when alternatives are possible--is not fulfilling your responsibility to that animal. If you don't have the time or patience to train or groom nails, then you probably shouldn't adopt a pet or be responsible for an animal.

I think there are situations outside of convenience that go towards a declaw decision. I personally would rather declaw than rehome. I know with my big ol' DSH, when he was a kitten he was CRAZY! Bad breeding, bad parenting, and we didn't know much about cats at the time. The vet recommended euthanasia when we took him in a 6 months to be neutered because he was uncontrollable. Luckily he wasn't THAT bad at home...but he bit and would "claw" us. We got him declawed during his neuter because of his personality. If he hadn't been declawed, there is absolutely no way he would have been able to be rehomed, and he would have had to be put down.