Do you think getting a cat declawed is cruel???

Question

My boyfriend's son (17yr.) says he is against it b/c they cut down to the first knuckel, is that true???

he is stricktly an indoor kitty

we rescued the cat, he got hit by a car and left for dead, now he is ours and we have two leather sofas and I daon't want my boyfriend to kill him(he wouldn't)

Answer 1

IF THE CAT GOES OUTSIDE, IT NEEDS ITS CLAWS

Answer 2

YES! It is very cruel! It is like someone cutting off the ends of your fingers. I have assisted in declawing surgeries and witnesssed the many complications afterwards. To be done correctly, they cut down to the first knuckle...if they just cut the claw off, it can grow back. Not only that, they can develop complications after surgery...they can open the paw incisions back up, the bandages can be too tight and actually kill the feet, etc. Afterwards, some cats remain painful for months and some never fully recover. I have also seen instances of cats that turn to biting the owners rather than using their claws. Also, if a cat is declawed it has NO DEFENSE against predators if it should ever get out of the house. From what I have seen and read about this procedure...there is almost no good reason to have this done.

Answer 3

yes, it is true.
i don't know how old this cat is... if it's a kitten, it's easy to train him to stay off the leather. for extra assurance, if you want, there are soft vinyl caps you can buy that fit over the claws so they can't hurt the leather while they're being trained.
if it's an older cat, you may have more trouble training him. then again, it may simply get the message after the first couple of times and leave the leather alone. you never quite know with cats. provide a scratching post and indicate that's where he should sratch. use capnip... it will help
either way, don't declaw. find some kind of protection for the sofas, get the claw caps, trim the claws (easy enough to do and your problem is solved, but be sure you know where to cut), and ultimately, find the cat another home if scratching is that big of a problem.

Answer 4

This is one of the most cruelist practices that you could subject a cat to!!If you are considering declawing your cat, please read this. It will only take a moment, and it will give you valuable information to help you in your decision.
First, you should know that declawing is pretty much an American thing, it's something people do for their own convenience without realizing what actually happens to their beloved cat. In England declawing is termed "inhumane" and "unnecessary mutilation." I agree. In many European countries it is illegal. I applaud their attitude.
Before you make the decision to declaw your cat, there are some important facts you should know. Declawing is not like a manicure. It is serious surgery. Your cat's claw is not a toenail. It is actually closely adhered to the bone. So closely adhered that to remove the claw, the last bone of your the cat's claw has to be removed. Declawing is actually an amputation of the last joint of your cat's "toes". When you envision that, it becomes clear why declawing is not a humane act. It is a painful surgery, with a painful recovery period. And remember that during the time of recuperation from the surgery your cat would still have to use its feet to walk, jump, and scratch in its litter box regardless of the pain it is experiencing. Wheelchairs and bedpans are not an option for a cat.
No cat lover would doubt that cats--whose senses are much keener than ours--suffer pain. They may, however, hide it better. Not only are they proud, they instinctively know that they are at risk when in a weakened position, and by nature will attempt to hide it. But make no mistake. This is not a surgery to be taken lightly.
Your cat's body is perfectly designed to give it the grace, agility and beauty that is unique to felines. Its claws are an important part of this design. Amputating the important part of their anatomy that contains the claws drastically alters the conformation of their feet. The cat is also deprived of its primary means of defense, leaving it prey to predators if it ever escapes to the outdoors.
I have also had people tell me that their cat's personality changed after being declawed. Although, the medical community does not recognize this as potential side effect. Please do NOT declaw a cat, it is EXTREMELY PAINFUL!!!! AND CRUEL!!!!

Answer 5

i'm completely in the direction of declawing cats, they are able to be expert incredibly without concern to no longer scratch fixtures with a squirt bottle. The attitude does not in basic terms remove their claw the two, it removes the same old joint of their paws, so it would desire to be comparable to having the utmost of you hands eradicated on the knuckle. The reason some cats claw toddlers is considering that they are diverse pets, the evaluate like they are being replaced. So as long as you keep to grant your cat love and information even after the teenager is born then it rather is going to no longer be a dilemma, although if youin case you incredibly worry then in basic terms close to the door to the teenager's room.

Answer 6

Yes it is VERY CRUEL. That is why it is banned in the UK. My cats are indoor cats. The solution??? train it to use a scratch post. If you dont like claws then a cat is not the pet you should of got.
Cats come with claws and shouldnt be removed

Answer 7

I have had a total of 8 cats in my lifetime. All but 2 were declawed, front paws only. The first was an outside kitty, the latest I adopted from a humane society who made me sign something saying I wouldn't do it or they'd take him away from me.

Of the 6 cats I knew who were declawed, their personalities did not change. One (the one who got hers the earliest) had a slight occasional limp and used to favor her paws from time to time. This was back before they had the stitches that naturally fall out/disintegrate and I just got the feeling they might have messed up. The others had no problem with their paws.

I also knew of another cat who was declawed and then brought to a new home who let him go outside. Not only was he doing great he was still a hunter who brought little "presents" to his new owners' doorstep!

Is this major surgery? Probably. Is there a recovery period? Sure. But there's also one when a person gets their tonsils removed, that doesn't make in cruel. If it will weigh on your conscience that your kitty might be hurting for a little bit, don't do it. But I really think that if you can find a vet you can trust your kitty will be just fine without the claws.

Answer 8

Yes it's very cruel and if I were you I wouldn't do it even if you keep your cat strictly inside because you never know what happens that makes your cat sneak out of your house someday by accident or on purpose. Your cat won't be able to defend itself or bring itself back to safety by climbing into a tree when chased after by a dog for instance.
In my country which is the Netherlands (Europe) it's forbidden by the law because it's cruelty to animals.

Answer 9

They do cut down to the first knuckle/digit whichever you prefer to call it. It also tends to be pretty painful. It is cruel if you are only doing it to protect your furniture i think. If it is a medical reason then I don't see a problem with it. There are rubber claw covers you can put over your cats nails to prevent scratching.

Answer 10

Yes it is true. A lot of cats become biters because their #1 defense is taken away. Declawing is outlawed in some countries. Here's a picture of the procedure.

http://community-2.webtv.net/stopdeclaw/declawpics/

Answer 11

Yes, it is true that the toe is removed back to the first knuckle. Get your cat some claw covers at the vets or pet store.