STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

beachgirl · Kenneth Cole

Opinions?

lindsayp · Kenneth Cole

yes, but only if it is a strictly indoors cat. If it goes outside, it needs its claws to climb trees and to protect it from mean cats that want to beat it up.

luckylily · Gucci

I don't like it. Although I agree that some of the info on the web is a bit sensationalized, I'm surprised to hear that a vet would support it.

I would only do it if my cat had a scratching problem and I had already unsuccessfully tried other behavior modification techniques.

theotherjess · Chanel

If you want to save your furniture, yes.

Elle · Hermes

NEVER! Declawing a cat is the same as cutting off a persons fingers at the first knuckle. When we bought our kitty, we actually had to sign a contract stating that we would not declaw, and if we did they could come take him away and keep our money!

We used a spray bottle to train our cat, and have also clipped his claws since he was little so he's very used to it. Actually, the only reason cats scratch furniture is because there isn't anything more appealing to scratch. A scratching post made of really nubby carpet/rope would be much more attractive to a cat than a couch if it was made available.

jacL · Coach

luckylily wrote:

I would only do it if my cat had a scratching problem and I had already unsuccessfully tried other behavior modification techniques.

Cats, if getting declawed, are supposed to get it done when they are young. By the time they get too old (a year maybe??) it is even worse for them.

My family has always gotten their cats declawed and my kitties right now are declawed, but I got them full-grown. After living with a veterinary student, I now believe it is wrong, but I don't think it is as bad as others make it out to be. Once cats are declawed though, they must stay indoor kitties (I used to take one of my cats out on the porch with me, on her leash...all she did anyway was sit on my lap and look at birds).

If you are getting a kitten, I think the best thing is to follow LMonet's advice.

lsubatgirl · Gucci

When I get my own cat I will have it declawed. My cat has torn up my parent's house and it doesn't matter how much we used a squirt bottle and aluminum foil. The window ledges, the speakers, the couch, the doorway, doors, all ruined!

We've talked to my vet and he believes in declawing and says that it is true it is less painful when they are young. It also isn't as bad as what people think and the kitty is only in pain for a day. I think its well worth the money to declaw than to have ruined furniture and fixtures in the house.

RyanJ · Coach

Sorry Lmonet, I basically repeated what you said but I didn't read your post first. I feel strongly about declawing and just wanted to post.

I work in a vet's office and it is as bad as it seems. It is the equivalent to cutting off a person fingernails or toenails. The vet actually amputates the part where the claw is. Unfortunately, vets say it is not as bad as it seems because there is a huge moneymaker in declawing. In most countries declawing is illegal, but we have not caught up to that yet. There are many negative effects and behavioral problems that are linked to declawing a cat. We have one vet at our office that will declaw cats, but she doesn’t declaw her own. When I aksed her why she said “Would you want you toes cut off?” She knows that it is wrong and painful for the cat, but she will still do it to other cats.

Vet's offices are still business and they still want to make money. If they told everyone how horrible it is and all the negative effects it can have then people probably would not declaw. There is a reason so many countries find it cruelty to animals and it is illegal. The animals may seem like they are only in pain for a day, but animals mask their pain. That is instinct. When my dog broke her hip we didn't know for almost a week. She limped a little and we thought it was her arthritis, but it was actually cancer. She had cancer in her bones and it broke her hip. She didn't whine or really act all that different. You can't tell me it didn't hurt her. Could you imagine walking around w/ a broken hip for a week? That would be horrible, but they don't show their pain because if they are weak then they will be killed in the wild.

There are many alternatives to declawing. My cat wears Soft Claws and we don't have a problem with her clawing. If you provide them w/ enough places to scratch then they won't use your furniture. We have two cats and about 10 different things for them to scratch on and we have never had a problem. I know people think that you need to save your furniture, but I think that keeps a cat’s toes is more important. Also, trim their nails at least one a week and it helps eliminate the scratching too. When Elliott is wearing the soft claws she doesn’t need her nails trimmed until they fall off, but w/ our kitten I trim hers about once a week. She has gotten use to it and it is not big deal. She knows that if she sits still then she will get a treat.

Here is Elliott sporting her pink Soft Claws.

-- Edited by RyanJ at 22:16, 2005-06-09

Drew · Gucci

I agree that it is as bad as they say it is. What other creature gets it's digits cut off? That is just absolutely a horrible practice.

I had cats that I allowed to scratch our furniture (college living w/free stuff), and then when I moved into my very own "1st" apartment I bought a carpeted scratching post and yelled at my cats if they scratched my new furniture. It was never a problem for me. They learned to scratch their post and not my furniture; we lived in harmony.

But, if they didn't respond well to the cat post I would have tried every possible method to stop the clawing. I would not resort to cutting off their digits; they didn't ask me to bring them in doors into my home; I take responsability for that and the consequences.

poptart · Coach

RyanJ, I agree 100% with everything you've said, and I also just wanted to say that Elliott is a gorgeous cat!