'Declawing a cat'

Declawing a cat

endora (24.45.126.104) -

I am thinking of getting a kitten but i worry about it scratching my toddler. Is declawing a cat really as bad as they say it is? What else could i do in its place to stop a kitten from scratching furniture and my toddler?

Comment #1 Lee from Montevideo, Uruguay -

I don't think it is so far. The front claws anyways. Just make sure the vet keeps your cat for a couple days. The vet here wasn't too anxious to do the declawing.

Talking to a local about it, it's more of an "american" thing to do.

Comment #2 Lucy (66.24.100.217) -

If the cat is going to be an outside cat I don't know if it would be a good idea. I definitely think it is a good idea in terms of the toddler. But I have always heard that if cats are going to be outside and they are declawed they won't have a way to defend themselves as well with no front claws. I don't have any cats this is just something a friend told me who does have cats. If it is going to be an indooor cat then definitely yes. You don't want your little one getting scratched and then being afraid of the cat.

Comment #3 Courtney (1) from The South -

Do not declaw a cat that spends anytime outside. That is the only defense they have against other animals. If you have an indoor cat that stays indoors 24/7 then I think it would be ok to declaw him/her.

Comment #4 endora (24.45.126.104) -

Is there another way to handle this problem then declawing them? It does sound cruel. I heard recently about something that goes over the nail and a vet can put it on. Has anyone else heard about this?

Comment #5 catlike from home -

Do a simple google search for declawing + cat (www.google.ca/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLG, GGLG:2006-42, GGLG:en&q=declawing+cat) and you'll see why you shouldn't even consider declawing your cat. It's absolutely horrible and it leaves your pet totally defenseless. Sure, you might never plan on letting your kitty go outside, but what happens if she escapes through an open window or if there's a natural disaster & the roof blows off (etc)??? Then she's go ZERO way to defend herself against other cats or dogs, it's hard for her to catch food, and she can't climb into trees or away from danger (for example, how many declawed cats died in New Orleans last year because they couldn't climb out away from the rising flood waters??).

No, even if you don't consider the actual surgery itself, declawing is truly barbaric thing to do to an animal that is so dependent on humans for its survival. It's like forcing your cat to wear a muzzle all day every day.

"But what about my sofa??", you ask. Well, buy something called Soft Claws (aka Soft Paws): www.claws.com - they're easy to apply & widely available rubber tips that you glue over your cats' nails (like the fake nails that some women wear). They aren't permanent and simply fall off the next time your cat sheds a nail layer . You can apply them yourself or have your vet do it for you. They're fantastic.

DON'T DECLAW.

Really. It's not fair to your cat - you can't promise that nothing will ever happen to your kitty, so don't take away his only way to protect or save himself.

Comment #6 catlike from home -

oops, sorry - the link for soft claws came out wrong. It should be www.softclaws.com

Check it out. They come in lots of funky colours and always get a big chuckle from guests (or vets) when they first notice that your cat has pink (or blue or yellow or striped) toe nails :)

Comment #7 Whiskers from Guest Room Bed -

Would you want your fingernails forcibly ripped out? Would you want the bones in your fingers removed to the first knuckle? That's about what happens to your cat when it's declawed. Declawing a cat is very inhumane. Try going to any shelter and saying the word declaw. Doubtful you will be allowed to adopt a cat. I'm just a little passionate about this.

Comment #8 Lee from Montevideo, Uruguay -

The same shelter that will rip reproductive organs out without thinking twice.

Comment #9 Turtle from Lily Pond -

Did I read that correctly? Lee are you saying that spaying or neutering a cat, which is absolutely humane, is somehow comparable to declawing? Do you even know what declawing is? Or what spaying or neutering is? And the benefits it provides?

Comment #10 Lee from Montevideo, Uruguay -

Both are cutting away natural, normal parts of the animal.

The "benefits" of both are just "benefits" for us. They are not benefits for the animals. Don't forget animals have survived for a very long time without any human intervention.

Comment #11 najdoyza from the mountains -

Yeah both are surgical procedures, but only a man would consider spaying or neutering an animal to be mutilation. Women have hysterectomies all the time and there are no significant problems if it is done properly and not done too young. That's a debate I had - and won - with the shelter where I got my Siamese. But while you wouldn't bat an eyelash at your wife having a hysterectomy, you would freak if she wanted to have all her fingers chopped back to the first knuckle. Get a grip dude and learn the difference between surgery and mutilation. Unless you intend to adopt millions of stray cats you have to understand that fixing them is necessary. A female adult cat has 3 stages of life - she's either pregnant, nursing, or in heat. It's not like dogs where there is a season. I wouldn't want to live that way!

Comment #12 Lee from Montevideo, Uruguay -

"no significant problems"... yet there is a significant alteration to the body.

Additionally, I don't believe that it would be considered normal for girls to get a hysterectomy as they reach maturity. A hysterectomy is normally done to resolve a medical problem.

Where fixing and/or declawing of animals is not done because the animal has any medical problem.

Comment #13 Kimmy from inside my igloo...brrrr -

Well if your cat is going to be an inside cat that I don't see why you wouldn't want to declaw the front paw only. Keep the back claws in for protection just in case it gets outside so it can protect itself and climb in case of danger.

Comment #14 Turtle from Lily Pond -

Kimmy, did you read anything about what declawing is? Why would you electively do that to your pet. Would you remove part of the bones in a dog's paws? Then why do it to a cat?

• Declawing! What You Need To Know

Comment #15 lily from deep south -

Personally I would never do it. All it really does is leave the animal defenseless. I would try the soft claws first and maybe that will work. Also get your kitten a scratching post. If it can find other things to scratch maybe it will leave your furniture alone.

Comment #16 Bizzy from Hamster Wheel -

I used to put Soft Paws on one cat. I had to have the vet do it because the cat wouldn't let me. The vet didn't like Soft Paws. There were problems with the nail cap not falling off and it causing the cat pain. I had to agree with the vet, but I needed to do something to minimize the damage the cat did to herself with her scratching.

Comment #17 rlones (75.38.110.132) -

i have tried the Soft Paws and my cat just takes them off i dont want to have to declaw her but what else can i do?

Comment #18 MK (77.253.13.158) - Wed Jul 30 18:23:52 2008

Declawing is very barbaric. If youdo this, maybe you should as well consider removing all teeth of your cat as it can use them.

You can not compare declawing with spaying. Declawing is just done for your convenience whereas spaying is also good for your cat. It prolonges cats life, spayed cat has smaller risk of breast cancer as well as pyometritis.

Comment #19 Mike (140.239.1.130) - Thu Aug 21 01:37:46 2008

I agree with Lee,

Spaying or Neutering a cat is just as barbaric as declawing your cat. How would you like for someone to take way your reproductive capabilities against your will?

What is crueler; a cat not getting adopted or a surgery carried out by a good veterinarian? Is it really better for a cat to be locked up in a cage for a significant period of time or be put on death row in several states?

I have had four cats in my life time, two of which I have now. The bottom line is that;

1) soft-paws do not work as they will come off about every 2-3 days and a fortune will be provided to soft-paws Company.

2) Yes, you can train a cat to use a scratching post but he/she will not think twice about using your couch or rug when it is sick of the 5 scratching devices it has. You can use water as a deterrent but they are smart enough the realize what they can get away with when your not around.

3) Is putting tape or foil over all your furniture a long term and practical deterrent?

3) A declawed cat will not be in danger by s

Comment #20 Mike (140.239.1.130) - Thu Aug 21 01:37:46 2008

I agree with Lee,

Spaying or Neutering a cat is just as barbaric as declawing your cat. How would you like for someone to take way your reproductive capabilities against your will?

What is crueler; a cat not getting adopted or a surgery carried out by a good veterinarian? Is it really better for a cat to be locked up in a cage for a significant period of time or be put on death row in several states?

I have had four cats in my life time, two of which I have now. The bottom line is that;

1) soft-paws do not work as they will come off about every 2-3 days and a fortune will be provided to soft-paws Company.

2) Yes, you can train a cat to use a scratching post but he/she will not think twice about using your couch or rug when it is sick of the 5 scratching devices it has. You can use water as a deterrent but they are smart enough the realize what they can get away with when your not around.

3) Is putting tape or foil over all your furniture a long term and practical deterrent?

3) A declawed cat will not be in danger by sneaking outside if you are responsible enough to look out for there safety.

4) Declawing should only be performed on kittens as it is far less traumatic for them and they bounce back quickly without any extra urge to bite.

6) Is piece of mind for your children worth it?

My two lovely cats are without front claws and enjoy the warm roof over there head, the great variety of 100% organic food (select cuts of meat and low grains like in the wild) they eat every day, playing with my wife and I, and keeping each other company. Both of my cats still run, jump, and climb without favoring the back or front legs.

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