i have always heard it is inhumane to have cat's declawed. does anyone have any input on this subject?

Answer 1

It should be called DE-KNUCKLING because that's what it is. My philosophy is that humans have to adapt to the animals, not the other way around. I would never dream of putting my cats through the agony of anesthesia, surgery, and the recuperation period. Even if it was proved that the cat's personality doesn't change, I would not put him through that physical pain to make him "houseproofed." Further, I have never had a cat who was totally indoors. And further, I hate to neuter/spay my cats, but over the years I have accepted that fact of life. And even further, I don't like the fact that vets notch the ear when they alter a cat. I don't care what the Humane Society says...if you can get close enough to a cat to catch it, then you can see if the cat is neutered and there is no need to notch the ear. But I digress.

So, my vote is totally NO for declawing. I wouldn't cut off my kid's knuckles to stop him from picking his nose.

Here is a vet's web site you should read:

http://www.declawing.org

Answer 2

I agree with all the people who have already told you not to declaw your cat. I would just like to add that not all vets do the procedure properly. If they don't remove the entire tip of the toe, the nails can actually grow back later on. Also, even though the cats are on pain meds, from my personal experience working in an animal hospital, I've seen that the pain meds usually aren't very effective. In the clinic where I worked, the vet used a Fentanyl patch placed on the back of the cat's next, where the pain meds are continuously absorbed into the skin. Despite this, the cats always appeared to be in a lot of pain for at least a couple days after the surgery. This was probably because the fentanyl patches don't always adhere well to the cat's skin. If the patch doesn't stick to the skin on it's own, it doesn't work. You can't just tape or bandage the patch into place. Perhaps if another drug was used it might be different.

One more thing...many cats who are declawed become biters because they can no longer defend themselves with their claws. Trust me when I say it's much worse to be bitten by a cat than scratched.

Answer 3

Ah.... the well-known debate .... declawing is a hot topic in many areas. Some people say it is cruel and shouldn't be done and that's that. I do see declawing the whole cat is cruel; especially if the cat is an outdoors cat or manages to escape outside - at least he still has some claws as well as his mouth, growls, and hissing. I have no problems with declawing the front paws. I found nothing in that research that I did for a college report that says that declawing is bad for the cat's health and well-being; most cats don't suffer adverse effects. Have you noticed how fast your own nails grow? Your cat's nails grow fast too .... and, if kitty's an indoor cat, kitty's nails will need trimmed. And, by the time that kitty is around 15 years old, those nails start to get thicker and thicker. I don't know about your kitty, but my cat doesn't like me messing with his paws much and, for safety reasons, usually requires someone to restrain him while someone else does the trimming (he's declawed in the front). I have personally observed a few declawing procedures. The procedure is done under anesthesia and the animal is given pain meds. Also, the littlerbox is usually filled with paper for the first few days after the procedure. Declawing the front paws is safer for owners as well as the furniture, few cats experience adverse effects, and cats usually bounce back fast, never realizing that they don't have those front claws anymore.

Answer 4

Have you ever visited someone that has multiple cats? And all the cats have all their claws? I have. 99% of the houses do not have one object of furniture that is not shedded. The window coverings and window screens are ripped. The door jambs and window sills are scratched. Every where you look there are signs of cat damage. There were cat trees and posts in the homes too. They were used, but so was everything else in the house.

If you only declaw the front claws on a cat you eliminate all of the above behavior. The kitten should be declawed as young as your vet will do it. The younger the better. They are totally under sedation and given pain meds to take home. My kittens were running and jumping the same day of surgery.

I think that is much more humane than allowing cats to run outside and be killed by another animal or hit by a vehicle. I think it is more humane than not declawing and when the cat(s) tear up your house until you can't take any more, so you get rid of the cat by taking it to the shelter.By this statement I mean that so many people allow their cats to run outside if they have all the claws.

If none of the negative things I wrote above bother you. Then allow your cat(s) to do all of it. But I think it is better to give one or more cats a good, warm loving home and be able to maintain your home the way you want it than to allow cat(s) to tear it up and get rid of the cat(s).

Remember, your pets live with you, not the other way around. I would not allow any animal to destroy my house or my yard. But I would not allow a child to act in that manner either.
If you want to keep your cats for a long time and maintain your home, go get the front claws removed.


I don't know what this is about the notch in the ear thing. I have never heard of it before and I have never seen it before either. I also know if I asked my Vet not to do it, he would not do it.

Answer 5

Would you like to have your fingernails and toenails ripped out?
Every week, I see in the paper about a lost cat that escaped from the house and was declawed. How can it climb up a tree to get away from a big dog that wants to tear it apart? Other then biting which won't stop a large dog, it has no way to fight back if it should be cornered. Claws are what makes a cat a cat. I was told that sometimes a cat goes crazy after it was declawed.

Here is a trick to cut down on the clawing that a cat can do to your furniture. Cut the very tip of the claws back where it curves around. You will have to do this every month because the claws keep growing.

Answer 6

Would you like the tips of your fingers removed at the first joint? That is what they do when declawing a cat they dont just cut the claw off they remove the entire last bone which the claw is fused to, so imagine how painful it would be for you and then realize a cat feels the same thing. The British have it right they dont declaw thier cats!!

Read this for more info on views from around the world and what happens when you declaw a cat.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declawing

Answer 7

If a cat is declawed they are put under anesthesia and given pain meds for after, its similar to human surgery. The cat will be sore for a few days and its best to do when they are under 2 years old. Its not inhumane- if its done by a vet! Most people do front declaw only so the cat still has a way to protect itself if it needs to.
Let me tell you why I got my cat jimmy declawed- he kept leaving his claws out,hed get them stuck in things and cry for me to pull him out- I got them trimmed and it did not help- so they had to go, i think thats a lot nicer than if he had one get ripped off because I wasnt there to save him some time!

Answer 8

Declawing is actually the amputation of the last joint of a cat's toes. It is not a humane procedure. I personally witnessed a recuperating cat's agony, while visiting my hospitalized cat. The cat who'd been declawed was howling in agony. His bandaged paws were bloody and as he shook them, blood would spatter on the walls of his cage. It broke my heart! With the proper tools and some instruction from a person who knows what he/she is doing, trimming a cat's claws is not difficult. I do it all the time to keep my cats from getting their claws caught in window screens or other materials that can temporarily entrap them. There are also devices available to cover a cat's claws, so it can't harm your precious furniture. As for me, the heck with the furniture! I love my cats!!!!

Answer 9

Try clipping it's claws instead. I didn't declaw my cat, and she does really great. America is the only country that allows declawing. If you get your kitten from a certified breeder, most make you sign a contract saying they will not be declawed. It is unnecessary and painful. Would amputate all your fingers because you use them?

Answer 10

In my personal opinion, yes, declawing a cat is inhumane. My son declawed his cat and the cat got out and was fighting with another cat.....a cat that was a lot smaller.....the smaller cat kicked my son's cats hind end. Think if it were a dog. Dogs hate it when they are after a cat, and the cat turns and gets them in the nose with those little claws of theirs. Their claws are their only real form of defense. Just my opinion.