Declawing a cat - what the ACTUAL experts have to say.....?

Question

"The Cat Fanciers' Association recognizes that scratching is a natural behavior of cats and that cats may be defenseless without full use of their claws if they, either intentionally or unintentionally, go outdoors. Scratching damage to household furnishings can be minimized or avoided by routine clipping of the claws, the use of claw covers and by redirecting the cat's activity to acceptable surfaces.
CFA perceives the declawing of cats (onychectomy ) and the severing of digital tendons to be elective surgical procedures that are without benefit to the cat. Because of the discomfort associated with any surgery and potential future behavioral or physical effects, CFA disapproves of routine declawing surgery in lieu of alternative solutions to prevent household damage. In certain situations, including high risk of injury or disease transmission to owners with bleeding disorders or compromised immune systems, declawing may be justified in order to maintain their perceived bond.

Answer 1

If you live with a cat, you know they will do it so you must train them from an early age (older cats can be trained but it takes longer). If you're not prepared to deal with the odd thread pull then a cat probably isn't the pet for you. Declawing causes too many problems for the cat. I have four cats, two i've had since kittens, two are 7 year old, ex-indoor outdoor and I don't have a problem, none are declawed. Didn't take long to train the adults. The foster cats are trained while they're here too. I can replace the lounges, can't replace my cats.

Cats scratch as part of marking, if they can't do it, they pee mark instead. So many cats end up in the shelters for this reason, fortunately it doesn't happen here as declawing is outlawed.

Cats can be desensitise to having paws touched and claws trimmed. It takes time and patience on the part of the owner at times and it seems many people don't have that.

Vets who advocate it are probably only interested in the cash they get for the procedure. Declawing is for lazy people or those who don't know any better. How would you like it if higher beings came and told you that you had to have a painful surgical procedure done just for the convenience of one or a couple of them?

It's outlawed in many countries as it's considered animal cruelty.

Answer 2

I am a licensed veterinary technician, I own one declawed and one not declawed cat. Declawing is not something that should be done automatically, but rather it should be an educated and informed decision. Noone can dictate whether or not someone else's cat should be declawed. If you know for certain that you want a declawed cat (for whatever reason), having it done in kittenhood is better because the joints are looser, the cat doesn't weigh as much, and the metabolism is higher when the cat is still growing, all of which lead to a faster recovery. My declawed cat was 2 years old at the time, 4 years old now, he simply would not allow me to trim his nails, even bringing him to work where I had other professionals to hold him, we could not trim all his toes at once he was such a demon. He still growls at Stef when he sees her-this is the same cat that lets my 3 year old cart him all over the house and hang from his tail like she's water-skiing. Also he wouldn't stick to the scratching post, liked the living room rug better. I tried all the tricks-squirt bottle, can of pennies, sticky tape, tin foil, different textures of scratching post.... if I happen to throw the squirt bottle across the room and hit him in the head, he'd stop scratching for 5 seconds, otherwise no effect. He did go home with several days' worth of pain medicine.... which I had to stop giving him because they made him vomit.....and also we do a nerve block to completely numb the feet under general anesthesia where I work, because yes it's definitely painful, and you need to address that. But it shouldn't be outlawed across the board.

Oh, and the one that has her claws has always used the scratching post, and will lay flat on her back for me to trim her toes with nobody holding her at all... and I don't think she's ever let my daughter touch her. Cats. Go figure.

Answer 3

Yup, pretty messed up isn't it? My 3 cats are indoors and only 1 of them really tears up the furniture, but I would never declaw her. She will never get out of the house (i hope) but I would still never do it.
Its just like people getting Shih Tzus and letting them get mated. If you don't know how to take care of you animals and you don't know how to handle brushing, and buying scratching posts, don't own the animal.

Answer 4

spend some time w/your cat. i have had cats, as many as ten w/claws, in the house at once, my furniture is fine. i scold verbally, spray w/water and clap my hands whe i catch them. my furnishinings are fine. so is my carpet.
i find declawed cats pee and scent mark more, frustration? i think so. (my cats are in, hers go in/out at will.)
think about it, want you toe nails ripped out and be expected to walk?
america is the only country that does the "fix/declaw" as a regular routine. not nice!!!
covers aren't nice either, infections, tendon issues(they can't retract), and such.

Answer 5

I was willing to do what ever & did do all I could research to do to prevent my rescue cat from distroying my home, this kitten had around the clock care from me, I took her from a toothless farmer who thought it okay that she was matted in crap with blisters, eyes closed shut with puss & too weak to sit upright at 6 weeks old, she had Feline Herpes in the worst condition & one eye when I did get it opened was clouded over like a cateract, vet thought she'd loose it, I spend loads of $ on meds. got her in perfect health & I was her hero but she was jelious of my 5 yr old who took the brunt of her bad behavior, my child would color ignore the cat and if my child sat too close to me the cat would launch on her & scratch her, I would run her out of the room for punishment for her bad manners & console my child who was covred in scratches all the time. I used a water gun, everything the vets suggested to stop the aggresion.The final straw was when the cat got my child on the face, just above the eye on the eye lid all because she came to sit with me & snuggle, the cat came in & was having none of it so I made the decision... traumatize the cat more than she has already had in her life by forcing her out of her home, take the only mother she ever knew away or declaw, she got declawed & still thinks I'm her world & no scratches on my baby anymore so sometimes it is in all parties best interrest. I saved her life, more important than her claws because as a responsible pet owner if your cat is indoors and had to be because of chances of another Herpes outbreak due to stress from neighboring animals then you teach them that door is forbidden after all, those of you who think you can teach them not to scratch the wrong thing should believe they are able to be taught not to go out a door to have to defend their self RIGHT!!!!!!! Let me tell u something more sad than declaw, have your baby cry, beg you not to get rid of the cat and say that she'll just not come too close to me. That cat is lucky to be only missing claws! Protect animals, I rescue and find homes to as many as I can come across but dont be stupid about it, everything is NOT black or white!

Answer 6

I am the ACTUAL expert in my home. De-claw is the only way. Don't go presuming that my couch, carpets, draperies, skin, etc are all more important to me than the cats. You don't know me. My cats are healthy, happy cats who live in luxury. I take offense when you say I abuse animals. I think it's time we AGREE TO DISAGREE...you'll never change my mind and it's totally obvious I'll never change your mind. Maybe this has been discussed enough.