why do people think its ok to declaw a animal?

Question

Its cruel and unfair to a cat, they have instincts to scratch, don't they?

I would never do it but I would never let the claws get to long!

I wish that there was something that we could do to ensure that people don't declaw their own cats. I would do anything to make sure that this would never happen to any cat!

I love cats... My current kitten (I'd say he's about, oh, 3 months old) is so cute, I would never dare try to harm him.

to the fool who says its okay to declaw a kitten just because he got scratched --- Is that fair? Your all the same, its not fair, just as it is not fair to let gays have same sex marriage. They love just like us but the same sex. Is that fair? No! My father is gay and he was beaten up and hurt just because of that. Its not fair!

Sure, it's okay to declaw cats --- so says most here--- but what if your cat ran outside and ran into a raccoon? Those things are vicious and are territory protective. Cut the cats nails if you must... Just think about what would happen if that cat ran outside!

Answer 1

Megan H - when did you go to college - like a 100 years ago?

Have you seen all the data coming out of the shelters about how many declawed cats end up with behavioral problems and are euthanized because they were declawed?

*Published 2/1/03 on CourierPostOnline.com, "Eighty percent of the cats that are surrendered that are declawed are euthanized because they have a behavioral problem…. Declawed cats frequently become biters and also stop using litter boxes… One or the other…,” said William Lombardi shelter director, Gloucester County, New Jersey.

*In a study published in the January, 2001 JAVMA, 33% of 39 cats that underwent onychectomy developed "at least" one behavior problem immediately after surgery, with the most common problems being litter box problems and biting.

*In a recent study published October, 2001, JAVMA by Dr. Gary J. Patronek, VMD, PhD., “…declawed cats were at an increased risk of relinquishment.”

*A recent national survey of shelters from the Caddo Parrish Forgotten Felines and Friends indicates that approximately 70% of cats turned in to shelters for behavioral problems are declawed.

*From the Summer 2002 issue of PETA’s Animal Times: “A survey by a Delaware animal shelter showed that more than 75% of the cats turned in for avoiding their litter boxes had been declawed.”

*"In my own three-year experience, 95% of calls about declawed cats related to litter box problems, while only 46% of clawed cats had such problems—and most of those were older cats with physical ailments. Of my calls, only declawed cats have cost their owners security deposits, leather sofas and floorboards. And it’s mostly declawed cats that have been prescribed pain killers, anti-depressants, tranquilizers and steroids. Two-thirds of my calls are about litter box problems. In 90% of those cases, the cat is declawed, sick or old. In 7 years, only 3 people have called about a “scratching-the-sofa problem” - yet countless of “healthy” declawed cats have peed on sofas", Annie Bruce, cat consultant, author of CAT BE GOOD.
http://www.goodcatswearblack.com


The vet offices are NOT tracking how many of these declawed cats end up with complications, kidney problems (infection in paws can travel through the blood stream to the kidneys) relinquished from their home because of behavioral changes, or euthanized after declawing - they are too busy making money off of this surgery. Megan, did YOUR research follow these cats throughout their lives - many complications don't come about until the cat is 7 years or older - after walking for so many years on an incomplete paw. Check out what an ingrown claw looks like if the vet didn't sever enough bone off - really fun to walk around on - http://community-2.webtv.net/stopdeclaw/complications/

Please, anyone thinking of declawing a cat, go over to your cats litterbox and dig through their litter with your fingernails - not bad, eh? Now try it with your knuckles - that's the feeling your cat would get everytime they have to rake their litter with their bone and not the claws they came with to do such things. Really humane to amputate them, eh? If you don't have 10 minutes to trim cats nails, DON'T ADOPT A CAT!!!! Leave them in the shelter until someone comes along to adopt them that understands and accepts that claws are NOT optional, but integral to cats!

Answer 2

To answer directly, I suppose some people think it's ok because they own the cat.

As for myself, I think declawing a cat is close to cruelty, but it can remain on the table as a very last resort if every other possible method of training the cat to use a scratching post has been tried and failed - if only because the alternative, for many people, is most likely abandoning the cat in the streets or taking it to the pound where it will more than likely be put down.

Answer 3

I had my cat declawed (front claws only) when he was a baby. I thought it was the right thing to do at the time and I didn't start regretting it til recently. When I got my other cat (She's 2) I decided not to declaw her.

I do feel kind of bad but it doesn't make me a horrible owner. My cats are very very very happy and my declawed boy is extremely affectionate, loving, caring and loyal. I think he'd be okay if he was let out in the wild because trust me, he can defend himself just fine. I sat on him by accident and he jumped up and clawed the crap out of me and bit my arm...I have the scars still and I doubt they will ever go away! BUTTT It's okay if he depends on me for complete survival because I will never ever let anything bad happen to him. I will always be here for him, feed him, love him, play with him and make sure he is healthy and happy. And if anything happened to me or my g/f there are people that would take care of my kitties.

so there. My answer to you is that at the time, I thought it was okay to declaw my boy. Now I don't think it's okay but I wouln't say it's cruel and unfair either.

Answer 4

I'm not in favor of declawing, especially for older cats. Declawing, if it must be done, should be done while it's a kitten.
But if it means choosing between someone keeping the cat and declawing or giving the cat up to a shelter, I say keep the cat alive and declaw it.
People should understand exactly what declawing is and how it is performed. They also need to understand that most declawed cats have a greater tendency to become biters and not use the litterbox.
It's not as hard as one would think to teach a cat what is appropriate to scratch and what isn't. It just takes consistency, patience and lots of scratching approved items.
Yet again, working in a shelter, there's always a least one declawed stray cat that comes in that doesn't bite and uses the litterbox, so go figure, guess I'll never figure people out when it comes to their pets!
Maybe all the cats that are dumped at shelters because their owners don't want their furniture scratched because they were either too stupid or lazy to teach the cat not to scratch should just be euthanized rather than having the owners declaw them. Is that FAIR? Grow up

Answer 5

I've done research on this particular subject in college.
And I've got my own strong opinions on this.

Declawing a cat rarely changes behavior or temperment and is much safer for owners - and their furniture. How many kitty claws (particularly elderly pets) have you tried to trim????? Did I mention that it's also safer for the folks at the vet office to work with a declawed cat??

Now, if a cat is an indoor only cat, YES, I believe that declawing the front 2 paws is a wise decision. If a cat is indoors most of the time, but still goes out occasionally, I still tend to agree with 2-paw declaw. Cats have plenty of defenses other than those front claws - teeth, growling, hissing, snarling ... (enough to scare any cat or human if they are smart!). If a cat is mostly or completely outdoors, then - and only then - am I totally against declawing.

I've witnessed declawing procedure over and over and over again - short, simple procedure done under anesthesia, surgical "superglue" used to prevent bleeding paws, kitty always gets plenty of pain meds, the cat gets shredded paper in his/her litterbox(es) for 2 weeks after the procedure, and kitty doesn't know that he/she don't have front claws anymore - they still flex those paws as if nothing has changed. Often, young cats will also be fixed and have this simple procedure done at the same time. Depending on the veterinary clinic policy, the cat may or may not spend the night in the clinic after the procedure is done. And whoever thinks that cats are in pain from this procedure ... think about a leg amputation, a cystotomy, an exploratory ..... they cause far more pain than a declaw does.

The furniture won't have near as many scratches, owners and folks who have to work with the cat will be safer, and all the cat wants is yummy food, lots of water, toys and stimulation, a clean litterbox, and lots of tender, loving care from the owner they chose in the first place ... claws don't play a role in that list!

Answer 6

I would never de-claw any of my cats (7 week old Lia and 6 month old Missy).
To those people who think de-clawing IS ok: Not only is it very in-humane it is very cruel to cats and kittens. It would be just like getting your toes and fingers cut off at the knuckle. It is a very painful process and very painful to recover.

My 7 week old kitten scratches me a lot when I play with her. I have 11 little scratches all over my hand (sharp but short claws) and as painful as it can be sometimes, I would never punish her by getting her claws removed.

I do not have to worry about Missy clawing me... she is a quiet cat and is affectionate in her own way - she never claws me when I play with her.

Additional: It's a good thing that many rescue shelters and vets do not de-claw cats anymore.

Answer 7

The main reason why a cat is declawed is because some cats have a tendency to scratch and grab onto everything so getting rid of the nails are the best thing to do. When i was young i was scratch severely by a cat and declawing him was the only thing that helped him stop. it doesnt hurt the cat and they still pretend to scratch

Answer 8

The vets I worked for had a point: is it worse to dump a cat in a shelter (nearly ensuring it will be euthanized) because it keeps shredding furniture, or have it declawed so it can live out its life in a home peacefully co-existing with its family?

Agreed, it is a horribly barbaric thing to do - I never saw anything so distraught than a cat waking up after being declawed. And the next day when the bandages are removed...it used to bring me to tears - all the sad crying & standing on their hind legs, holding their painful, shaved paws in the air. But, in a couple weeks, they were fine. And, as the vets noted, still in their loving owners home. A sad price to pay, but sometimes a necessary evil.

Answer 9

God forbid anyone who has declawed their cat allows their cat to get outside and have to defend itself from a predator. What about the fact that once you declaw a cat you have to keep it indoors forever for its' protection??? Isn't that a torture in itself? I say let's take all the people who have declawed their cats and declaw THEM!!!!

Answer 10

Yes they do, to shorten and sharpen them. I think anyone who declaws a pet is shallow, selfish, cold, and cruel. It takes away their right to survive without You. It makes them Your prisoner!!!!! Indoor Cats claws do need trimming if YOu know how to do it correctly. There is a vein that runs down it, so YOu can only clip the tips off or YOu will hurt them bad, But You already knew that because You are a loving pet owner. I can tell!!! keep up the caring! Best wishes!!!!