if you had your cat declawed, please answer?

Question

i had been contemplating having two kittens declawed - i even called the vet and asked about it - when i was first told that "they" like to discourage it. so i did some looking around and found out exactly what is involved in declawing. it took me 10 minutes of research and 2 seconds of thought to decide i didn't even want to think about having it done anymore... but i'm interested...

1 - did the vet ever explain to you what declawing was, exactly? it seems to me that would be the best way to discourage someone rather than say they don't recommend it.

2 - what kind of changes did you notice in your cat?

3 - did you ever regret having it done, or would you do it again?

Answer 1

I will never again have my cats declawed. If you get a cat you assume the risk, and understand that, your furniture and curtains and carpet are screwed forever. It is actually illegal in California to declaw, bob tails or crop ears. You are actually removing the cats finger up to the first nuckle. Screw that!

Answer 2

I rescue cats/kittens that have been dumped or left behind. I also get them from people that don't want them anymore for one reason or the other. I have had many declawed kitties and because of that I am against declawing totally. I have seen more issues and problems with the declawed cats than any of the others. Mostly they are biters and I am not talking about a nibble. But I have had a couple that would not use the litterbox and they did not have medical issues. They jump fine but could not climb as good as the others and would fall if they tried on steep inclines. When I adopt out a cat they have to sign my contract stating they will not declaw. I explain to them there are many humane ways to deal with scratching. Even my vet is now advising his clients that there are better and more humane ways and discourages this practice. Please reconsider for the sake of your cat and don't put them through unneccessary pain and suffering.

Answer 3

This will always be an ongoing debate about whether people should have their cats declawed or not. Personally, I don't see that much harm in it...and just to make people clear

IT IS NOT THE SAME AS HAVING YOUR FINGERS/NAILS RIPPED OFF.

When they remove the cats nail, they do remove part of the bone in the paw as well. But have ever noticed that they cats are put to sleep? That means they do not feel the surgery. And if they are given proper care, they heal quickly. If your vet just RIPPED the cats nails off then I think your going to the wrong vet.

I'm sorry but working for a shelter, I see way TOO MANY people abandoning cats because of their destruction. A simple surgery sounds much better to me then hundreds of homeless cats who even with claws cannot defend themselves against wild animals like coyotes.

My cat was declawed, he healed very quickly with little to no pain. And is my best friend. I couldn't have asked for a more playful, affectionate cat. I think those people whose cats become aggressive after being declawed need to look better at themselves and how they treat the animal rather then blaming it on a simple surgery.

Getting a cat declawed and/or spayed or neutered. Both are unnatural practices performed to protect us and the cats. Both can pose some risk. However, we spay and neuter cats for our own benefit. We don't want the world overpopulated with ferral cats so WE chose to take away the cats ability to breed.

So if you ask me folks there are a few to many double standards here.

Answer 4

I have had both of my indoor cats front declawed when they were young (under 1 year old) the vet explained it and I saw what my cats were doing with their claws. My male cat was actually getting caught in things so I had his claws trimmed and it was still happening. I ended up getting him declawed shortly after we got another cat and to be fair I had her declawed also. Neither of my cats had any negative effects they were both a Little sore for about 24 hours but they recovered very quick (quicker then the vet predicted) and I would do the same thing again! my cats have been happy and I see them "pawing" at things and i'm glad I can have nice furniture while still caring for animals. However I do have an outdoor only cat that is not declawed and I would never do that to any cat that goes outside regularly. outdoor cats need it for protection. Indoor cats learn to defend them selves with back claws and teeth. Declawing is not animal cruelty. Dumping a cat onto someone else and not caring for it is animal cruelty!

Answer 5

I have just been through this decision, it's a tough one. I would recommend checking out the University of Minnesota Vetinary School website they have a ballenced viewpoint that helped me make up my mind. After having five declawed cats in 30 years (with no problems) I am going to do my best not to have my new kitten declawed using "soft claws" and traning. However if after months of effort nothing works he/she will be my sixth declawed cat.

If you decide to declaw, check to see if your vet uses a Fental patch or other method of pain control after the surgery and for how long. Don't kid yourself declawing like any oprthopedic surgery is painful and the cat needs proper pain control.

Laser or scalpel, from what I found it comes down to the skill of the indivdual vet. A good experienced hand with a scalpel beats a rookie or hack with a laser. Often you get what you pay for and don't go to the least expensive vet, check them out as carefully as you would for your own surgery.

Did a vet explain it all to me?Any good vet should take the time for patient edicuation-it's an intergal part of the job.My vet spent alot of time with me last week on the phone helping me make up my mind and she declawed my last cat. If your vet will not answer your questions maybe you need to switch to another practice.

I have never had a problem when I declawed a kitten. No changes in behavior, biting,litter box or any others.

Would I do it again? Abslutely if I have to.

Answer 6

1- Yes, I am a vet tech, and helped with the surgery

2- the first one I had done got nicer after her declaw, the others showed no change.. One was done for her health, she was extremelly nasty tempered and it was euthanize her, knock her out daily for treatment, or declaw her. It was not a hard choice, and after the daily handling she got, she calmed WAY, WAY, down. I would have never handled her fully clawed. The others where either gotten already declawed, or done at an early age for the protection of my dogs. (I had Chinese Cresteds, their skin is very thin in some areas)

3- no, I did not regret it, but, I do not have any hairless Cresteds anymore, so unless I rescue another nasty tempered cat, I probably wouldn't do it again. I now own two cats, and I would not think of declawing them because they both try very hard to get outside.

Answer 7

My mother decided to have our young cat declawed after she started clawing the furniture. I was staunchly against it. As far as I know, the vet didn't say anything about it. My cat's feet look slightly different, not quite as rounded, and she doesn't seem to take flying leaps across the kitchen anymore (this could be because she's matured also). I think that she knows her feet are different. My mom's commented on that too. I personally wish she still had her claws, but I suppose what's done is done. When we got out older cat, we were required to sign a contract saying we wouldn't declaw her.

Answer 8

Well, my cats are declawed (and were when I got them), but I used to work in a veterinary hospital and I've been involved in declawings.

So I knew what it was when I got my cats.

In most cats, if they're declawed young enough, there's not a lot of change in them. Like babies who are born with malformations, they learn to get along.

I wouldn't do it if I had the choice. Just buy some scratching posts and learn how to use them and how often to recharge/change them.

Answer 9

I had to have my first cat declawed....I would never do it to the cat I have now. My first cat, the housing program I lived in back then made me get 'Sylvester' declawed....the caseworker, who also had cats, never told me about the alternative(claw caps) and just said 'declaw him or you have to get rid of him'...I live in different housing now, with my second cat, Tika...and I'll never have her declawed. When they're declawed, they BITE to defend themselves....and they sometimes become insecure which makes the problem worse.

But as I see in some of these posts, people value some piece of furniture more than their pets 'they're just animals'...honestly, the problems that come up with declawed cats can take a while to surface. Most of my furniture is 'crate' (This End Up) and is not easily destroyed by pets. There is an alternative to declawing, as I posted above.

Answer 10

1) Yes, they explained it to me. It is painful for the cat for a little while, but they heal up fast. I think getting a cat declawed is a good thing unless you live in the country or let it go outside a lot..
2) None really. He stopped clawing sh*t and I was happy with that. I could be more playful with him too because he couldn't claw me as hard.
3) I felt bad at first because he wore these little "mitts" for a while and it seemed like it hurt him somewhat. He was younger so he forgot about it after a few months. He always shook his feet though as if he still remembered having mitts on. I will do it with all my cats unless he/she goes outside a lot and needs to defend himself. Otherwise, a true house cat should be declawed IMO.

Answer 11

First I had my boy declawed and nuetered at the same time. And yes I do know what is envolved. After the surgery I took him homw the next day and he was fine. He is still the same...juts without front claws ...he's my baby...like one of my kids. He NEVER goes outside. so he doesn't need them for defense...he was basically shredding up my whole house. The vet I took him to has a cat that lives there too and they declawed him. His name is White Fang and he hasn't changed at all. And yes I do understand why you would ask this.