Why is it bad to remove a cats nails?

Question

.............other than the obvious, "well, imagine how you would feel if someone took your nail off!" i mean, sure, that's a true point, but personally i can interact with my cats a million times better since they can't claw me, so that makes me pay more attention to them, and ultimately love them more. And since i'm the one guarding them from the harsh outdoors and feeding them, they don't really need them anyway. So why is there such animosity?

Answer 1

I've always wondered why they can't just BREED cats without claws. I mean, cats are domesticated animals and they don't really need their claws (as long as they're kept indoors).

My cat was already declawed (front paws) when I adopted her. I'm totally against declawing. But now that I have a declawed one, I have to admit that there are advantages. She still has a very active scratching instinct but there's no ripping up furniture, no scratches on people and her nails don't have to be clipped. She does have sharp teeth though. And she likes to use them if she doesn't get her way.

I never thought I'd say that: But I'd rather have a declawed cat. But I myself would never take a cat to the vet to have it done. And therein lies the contradiction.

Answer 2

I don't think it's bad . I think it's just like domesticating a cat in the first place ...... you're changing it's nature to make it compatible to your household.

After the cat's come out of anestesia and heal .... it's almost as if they never had claws. You'll still see them climbing and kneading as if they had claws. The cat may still want to go outside .... and it's not as if a wild dog or other animal is always ready to pounce on them. In many cases ..... the claws may not protect it against a very agressive dog or other large animal anyways. As far as my Vet clinic and my own personal experience goes .... there are normally very few cases of complications for the cat.

My sister has a cat that is so nasty that it should have been declawed years ago. It attacks kids and other things without being provoked.

This will be a controversial subject. Some vets and some locations don't even allow it.

But I say .... it's your cat ... it's your household .... if you can find a Vet to do it .... do it without guilt. I'm going to support you on this decision.

Answer 3

It's bad because its the same as cutting off up to your first knuckle on your finger. It's true that they're sedated during the operation but it also can cause joint problems and pain when they walk. Declawing them also leaves them defenseless. If they're scratching your furniture buy a scratching post. Their nails can also be trimmed if you take the time to do it. If it still bothers you then maybe you should consider looking into another pet. Mutilating an animal to accomodate your needs isn't fair.

Answer 4

Well cats have normal instinct to claw and scratch things ...so people do think it is cruel if their nails are surgically removed!!
I did have some friends that did that to their cat - he limped around with all his paws wrapped up - looked very painful - but after that he seemed fine ...my friend loved it - she could hold him and their leather sofa stayed in one piece !
If you can stand to see him in limping in pain for a few weeks then go for it - ....or just keep them nicely clipped ! Also the vet can do it for you !!

Answer 5

From a humane standpoint - it hurts that cat and that is bad. Hey, I've done it to a few cats and I'll never do it again...so I'm not preaching anything that I don't know about upfront.

That your cats don't go outside and you are their gardian, then, you have made a choice and after the initial pain, the cat is never bothered by it again. I still have one cat with who I had declawed in front. He even climbs trees when in the backyard with me.

Ignor the animosity - it's your cat and your house and you choose what to do. You take good care of your animals, many people don't.

Answer 6

Because its not natural for them and they obviously dont like it. Sure YOU feel better when they dont have claws but they don't. If they ever are getting attacked by an animal, lets say a raccoon decides to pick a fight with him...he has no defense besides his teeth, and the raccoon has claws (which havent been cut off or clipped) and teeth. Goodbye kitty.

Answer 7

Bree, look at your hand. See the first knuckle behind the nail. Now
can you just think what it would feel like if someone took a chain cutter to your knuckle and cut. Now the other 9. It is not just the nail. Nasty. All three of my cats have there nails and they do not scratch me at all.

Answer 8

its is like cutting the end of ones fingers ,and handicaps the cat being a cat ,it is how it picks up its food ,climbs into trees ,and defends it self ,and is considdered extremely cruel .if you want to do that get a toy cat not a real one ,or another kind of animal like a snake they dont have nails
just that you ask that question is very suspicious if you are qualified to have a cat

personally i dont like cats too much they eat a lot of animals that are pestcontrols ,but that does not mean that i respect animals in general .this many Christians lack

Answer 9

Yes, you're right about it. I mean, it really hurts for the cat anyway, obviously. My cat, Sammy, is an indoor cat, but I still don't want to declaw him because it hurts alot, of course, and because sometimes he runs away and he was injured once (really because of the fence separtating the neighbor's front yard to ours) but we should always be careful.
I suppose it's your choice if you want to declaw your cats, but I really don't think you should.

Edit - I also heard that for some cats, when they are declawed, their temper is worse, and it's just awful to do that. =(

Answer 10

It hurts them because, if not taken out properly, they can become infected and cause the pet pain. Do not take an outdoor cat's nails out because they don't have a way to defend themselves if you do. Just make sure you get it done properly, and only for indoor cats.