is it inhumane to declaw kittens?

Question

i don't want my new kitty to scratch up my furniture!!

Answer 1

No, is not inhumane as long as you give them attention and care for the rest of their lives. I have two declawed cats and they are happy and glad they are allowed to do their scratching exercises everywhere and I'm glad they don't destroy my stuff or my legs. I think is a great compromise and easier on both kitties and people. It makes me chuckle when people use the argument: "how would you like it for someone to rip off your fingers?" but we rip off their ovaries and that is more traumatic than a simple declaw! Is not major surgery involving major vessels inside the abdominal cavity like a spay!

Here is a good site with research and other people's experience to support that declawing is not inhumane and cats act the same:

http://www.geocities.com/declawing

Answer 2

Please do not do this to your cat. 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." In many European countries it is illegal.

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.

There are much better alternatives http://amby.com/cat_site/declaw.html#training

Answer 3

There is a reason that many countries have made it illegal to declaw cats. It's nothing show of animal abuse. Think about it. If someone cut off your fingers at the first knuckle, you'd think it was abusive too.

A cat scratching is perfectly normal. If you don't want them to scratch up your furniture, give them alternatives. Make sure there are scratching posts readily available, and teach your cat to use them. This usually means more than one scratching post. Responsible cat owners do not declaw their cats. There are better ways of dealing with inappropriate scratching.

I've owned cats for all my life, and my furniture is still intact, and all my cats have their claws.

Answer 4

Only if you do not keep them inside at all times as you take away their defenses and climbing ability which could get them killed. You must know in advance that the vet will be cutting their claw to the first nuckle, the blood vessels will need to be burned to keep them from bleeding non-stop and they will need bandages for some time.

Kittens can be trained not to scratch up furniture -- get a squirt bottle and fill with water. When they exhibit any undesirable behavior say, "NO" firmly and squirt them with water on their body -- get a squirt bottle that can reach long distances and keep it with you at all times until the kitten is trained. Providing an alternative is good as they are acting instinctually and even if you declaw them they will continue to "scratch" as this is their nature. If you get a scratching post, jute is good. When you catch them scratching (after they "know better") take them by the paws and put their paws on the post and make scratching motions with their claws.

Answer 5

I am personally against declawing, because in order to do so the vet must amputate part of the bone.
However, if you truly must have your cat declawed, you will need to wait until he is at least 10 months old. Any younger and declawing him could very well cause permanent trauma.
Also, make sure to leave the back paws intact.
I would suggest thinking about other options; if you teach your cat early on to scratch on a designated scratching post, he will adopt it as the "main scratch area" and should leave the rest of your furniture alone. But cats are very picky, so you need to enforce this habbit with positive reactions. Rubbing catnip on the board helps, I find.
Hope this helps.

Answer 6

it is inhumane. when a cat is declawed, it's not just their claws that are removed. it would be the equivlent to having the tips of our fingers cut off. it's very painful for them and they are very suseptible to infection afterwards. they can not scratch their kitty litter right away so you have to use something like wood chips. it is also inhumane in the sense that if they are outdoor cats, even part of the time, their claws are their defense mechanisms. please do not get you kitty declawed.

here are a few tips to help you train you kitty not to scratch your furniture.
1-buy training spray. you spray on whatever you do not want your cat to get on or scratch. you spray appox. every 24 hours and the idea is the cat will eventually stay away on it's own.
2-buy plenty of scratching post. whenever you see your kitty wanting to scratch the furniture, direct it to the scratching post. spraying cat nip on the posts will help.
3-a squirt from a water bottle when it attempts to scratch every time will teach the cat to stay away.

also, to help with the unintentional scratches cats sometimes do, usually because something startles them, you can buy claw clippers, used just like our nail clippers.

Answer 7

Yes, it is extremely inhumane and can deprive the cat of any defense, just in case it ever gets attacked by a racoon and the like. I would suggest buying the cat a scratching post, or making it an outdoor cat. My cat really doesn't scratch up my furniture, even without a scratching post, but it really depends on the animal. =]

Answer 8

I don't know because it has always been the norm. But I received an email from a friend about a new alternative to declawing. It looks pretty cool. I may try it on my kitten before she ruins any more of my furniture. It seems a lot cheaper too.

Answer 9

Hi there...declawing isn't necessary as any cat can be trained with a few simple methods: double-sided sticky tape, rewarding kitty with food treats when they use the scratching posts and keeping the nails trimmed every couple weeks (here's a website which shows photos on how to clip the nails:http://www.cat-world.com.au/catclaws.htm)

This following website shows photos of the surgical process of declawing. I must warn you if you have a weak stomach the images are graphic:
http://community-2.webtv.net/stopdeclaw/declawpics/

Answer 10

Declawing is amputation it isn't just claw removal. It is comparatible to amputating your fingers at their first joint below the nail. A kitten can be taught to use scratching posts and other appropriate items to claw on. Cats that are declawed often develop behavioral issues, such as litterbox avoidance and biting.
Not to be mean or harsh if someone is more interested in material items then they are the welfare of their pet then maybe they should rethink the idea of that type of pet and get one that you don't need to worry about such as a fish or a pocket pet in a cage.