This is from one of our fellow YA people, regarding the declawing of cats. Care to read it?

Question

This is in response to my message to him that declawing cats is inhumane and counts as mutilation.

Here's what he wrote:

"It's not 'mutilation', that's just emotonally charged propagandistic talk and itmeans nothing. Declawing is a routine procedure that's been performed millions of times. My sofa cost me $1500. My leather chairs, $300 each. The decision was a no brainer."

Now, am I overreacting or is this kind of casual cruelty something that we should have long ago come to accept in this country. I single us out as declawing is regarded as inhumane and unacceptable in other places, such as the UK.

Is a cat's intactness worth more than $2100 worth of furniture?

Is it okay to alter another creature without its health or well-being in mind simply to protect our material possessions?

I think not.

Am I just an overly sensitive cat person or is this really just unnecessary materialistic barbarism?

I don't know what I'm going for here either. It just seems like people are awfully blase about some certain things.

Answer 1

My view is if you want to have cats, you should expect them to claw things. It's part of life with pets. No one in their right mind would consider surgically altering a puppy so it wouldn't pee on their carpet.
I used to work at a vet clinic, and seeing a cat declawed was enough for me to never be tempted to subject my own pets to that. Just watching it made my fingers hurt.
When you get a cat declawed, the first joint of each toe is removed. If that's not mutilation, I'm not an animal lover.

Answer 2

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But declawing doesn't usually hurt the cat, and there is a reason for it, unlike tail docking, which is unecessary and pointless really. Some could argue that cats need thier claws to defend themselves outside. But I don't think a responsible cat owner should allow thier kitties outside to risk getting FIV or getting smashed by a car. You don't let your dog run around outside, why would you let your cat? So I don't take that as a valid point. (Not that you said that, but I thought it pertinent to the question)
When they declaw the cat, the cat is unconcious, and doesn't feel anything. However after the procedure sometimes the cat won't walk because they're feet are sore from it. But I think that if that occurs then it wasn't done right maybe.
But you can think whatever you want, but please don't judge other people for it. It's not as clear cut as neglect or beating your animal or other such abuse. And as such many people don't consider it inhumane. I've known a lot of people who had this procedure done to their cats and their cats live normally and are fine and happy as ever. These people are usually desperate and tried training their cats, and didn't want to get rid of them because they loved them, but couldn't afford new furniture either. Other people who have had it done disagree and regret it. Most vets will tell you that it's okay and that with proper care for a week, the cats are okay and back to normal. I usually trust vets. They wouldn't be vets if they didn't love animals, because they could have done something else to make more money, since vet school is about seven years and expensive.
I don't think a decision like that should be taken lightly though and all options should be weighed carefully first. And of course one should make sure that their vet is the best they can get. You don't want them screwing up and hurting your cat permanently. I think if at all possible, people faced with a problem such as this should try other options, such as training, or a scratching post, and should only be a last resort.

Answer 3

Look, I'm not sure what you are looking for here, but I have 3 cats. I never had any issues with them as far as clawing, etc. When I bought my 1st home they started destroying the carpets- and they did destroy my carpets and started to destroy my furniture, drapes, etc- and it's not because they were upset over the move as I had moved before. I went to every single cat website and tried countless ways to stop the destruction. Nothing worked. These cats were all adults- 3-5 years old all Siamese and very stubborn. Finding new homes for them would have been extremely difficult and I know one of them who is very shy, would perhaps never have recovered from being removed from my care. I made the decision to have them declawed. I was very upset and guilty over this, but it was my last resort. They had NO issues recovering from it. They WERE NOT depressed or anything. I don't want to live in a raggedy house. I have leather furniture and drapes that aren't ripped. We have an infant son that I don't have to worry about being harmed. I don't regret it at all- I was able keep my pets and they are happy.

BTW- we now live in the country and some of them go outside and bring home mice and other prey that they catch- so there goes that myth!

Answer 4

People do what they feel they need to do to get along with their pets. Not every pet is as trainable as you'd like them to be. Declawing isn't the only accepted practice. The Humane Society promotes spaying and neutering. If I were a boy cat I sure wouldn't want my ****s cut off but people do that to their male cats all the time. You can't get a boy cat to stop meowing, peeing on stuff, and chasing girl cats. And some cats will not stop tearing up stuff with their claws no matter what you try to do. So do they deserve to be put to sleep or turned loose to be a wild cat? I already know I have low tolerance for pets peeing and tearing up stuff so I haven't had a mammal pet in many years. I have a very well behaved toad right now. He's very cute and lovable :)

Answer 5

I just love it!! I understand both sides of the issue and I had previously own a cat and never had him declawed only because I felt that if nature wanted cats with no claws it would create them with none. Also, how can they catch mice with no claws? I also couldn't bear watching the process done. So what I did was get a scratch post and got a kids second-hand upholstered chair that it could go at it with all the energy it could muster. (^_^)

Answer 6

I would never consider having a cat declawed. Provide them with a place to scratch and they won't use the furniture. I have 2 cats but I bought furniture that could withstand the grandkids rather than the cats. LOL

Answer 7

I could never have a cat declawed. I even hate to clip a cat's claws, although it's perfectly harmless. But I am unable to condemn those who feel they have to do it. We have to learn to live with animals as best we can. It's not a perfect system.

As for the fellow who read you the price tags from his furniture, he probably winces if someone drops a used napkin in his car, too.

Answer 8

extremely confident, if I see some interesting or suspicious questions/solutions from somebody i'm going to check out their approximately me and at times even seek via their interest or maybe verify the call they have signed up with(which no person must be waiting to be certain yet there's a trick to it lol). Yeah that's a sprint stalkerish even though this is extremely powerful to nicely known trolls and benefit perception on human beings right here. such as you're a median Angel, what does that mean besides?

Answer 9

I understand why some people do it but I also understand the cat's point of view. I can't see why someone would mutilate a poor dumb animal. Why don't they just NOT have a cat, or get a stuffed cat?

I don't like my cats bringing in dead fish, rats, mice, voles, moles, snakes, squirrels, bats, rabbits, frogs, muskrats or birds either...but cats do what a cat is supposed to do!

(I have three cats, have always had cats, and have crummy furniture on purpose...me and the cats tend to tear it up.)

Answer 10

We had a cat declawed not because of scratching furniture but because he scratched us. He would chase after us and sock his claws into us and bite us. If we tried to play with him or hold him he would scratch us in the name of playing. He was given alot of medication and healed well and is a better cat now and seems just as happy. He never goes outside so he doesn't need to climb or defend himself