declawing not declawing?

Question

Ok since there has been a lot of you guys writing about Declawing and not declawing. If you had a CHOICE TO declaw a cat give me the reason. And the people that had a CHOICE OF NOT DECLAWING your cat give me a reason. I will be making a vote on who gives me the answer i am looking for because I myself made that CHOICE to have my cat declawed because I HAD NO CHOICE.

I had no choice because I was living in someones house and I could not live there if my cat had her claws.

People have a choice if they are going to declaw there cat or not.

Answer 1

Here is one FOR declawing. I made the choice to declaw my cats for a few reasons. 1) I have multiple cats, and a few are touchy about things, one is touchy about food, one is touchy about where she sleeps and who sleeps with her, and one is touchy about everything. I like the different personalities of my cats, but don't like seeing on lash out with a clawed food, get stuck in the skin or fur of the other cat and occasionally having to patch one up. So I declawed them so they can still be touchy but they can't hurt each other. Another problem is that when they jump to be with you, they tend to get their claws stuck in my skin, and that rather hurts. Still another reason is that often when playing, they get those claws caught in fabrics and have to pull rather hard to the them out, or they jump not realizing they are stuck and twist thier paw. All of these are now not an issue, not to mention that my furniture is now claw free - anyone who is honest can tell you that having a scratching post isn't a cure for clawing, they do it wherever they want when you are not home to stop them. Yes, the procedure is painful, but if done at the same time they are fixed, the cats only have to recover once from major surgery. It is NOT the same as cutting the first digit of your fingers off. In a person, such a thing would inhibit natural functions, a person would have difficulty grasping things. On the feet, a person would have difficulty balancing and walking. In a cat, that cat still mantains the basic functions of its feet, there is no balance lost, they just can't claw things anymore. The learn to adapt very quickly to not using them to climb on things, they simply learn to jump up instead of climb up.

However, there were a few of my cats I did NOT declaw. My outdoors cat was not declawed because he would not be able to protect himself from other cats, and my 85% blind cat was not declawed because he cannot see well enough to judge the distance necessary for jumping on things, he has to climb up.

Answer 2

There are very few reasons to declaw which are valid, most are done not for medical reason, purely for cosmetic reasons.
There are ways around every problem, scratching, etc. Declawing causes other problems in itself and I chose to not declaw cause I know about training a cat to not scratch (I give it alternatives etc).
I want my cat to remain a cat, and this can always be achieved, wether it be an indoor or outdoor cat. I live with this animal, and although she is mine by law, I don't push my will over onto her - if I did, I'd rather give her to someone else, since that has no respect for a living animal.
A lot of times there's complications after the procedure too, some leading to yet more surgery.
All it takes (if it's not a medical condition, which I haven't come accross here once) is a little extra time spent by the owner in teaching the kitty a behavioural pattern. That's all.
I know she can defend herself at all times and has the full function of all her limbs and all parts thereof.
There's also a mascle running along the spine that they cannot properly stretch as is their nature to do, after this procedure.
I'm just grateful more and more countries are outlawing this.

If you don't want the claws, don't get the cat, get a FLUFFY TOY.

Answer 3

I chose NOT to have my cats declawed and for many reasons.

1-They should not call it declawing, they should call it amputation, because that is what it is. If we were to be "declawed" like cats were, that would mean they would have to amputate our fingers at the last joint of each finger. That is not declawing if you have to take a part of the finger (paw) off.

2-There can be many complications if the vet you chose does not know what they are doing. There is about a 50% chance of their being complications, so why would you risk it? If there are complications, it can cause many more trips to the vet to have even more surgery done.

3-Cats walk on their toes, unlike other animals that walk on their paws. They need their claws for balance, stretching and any exercising that the cat does. Because of this, declawing cats can cause back pain. Imagine wearing shoes that were extremely uncomfortable forever. Shoes that could not let you walk normally.

4-Cats can have a complete personality change after declawing because of the trauma.

5-Cats have no way of defending themselves. Even if you say you are only going to keep them inside, there may be that day when you accidentally let the cat out. The cat will have no way protecting itself from dogs or anything else that may chase them.

6-Its extremely painful for the cat

7-Its inhumane

8-Personal experience. My aunt took in a cat that had been owned by one of her friends. We had known the cat before her friend declawed her. Right after the amputation, the cat had a complete personality change, and still does to this day. She used to be very lively, but not anymore. She has become very lethargic and depressed looking. She also started up the bad habit of licking herself bald. The poor cat has bald spots all on her belly and side. All day long she licks herself. She is a great cat, but you can tell the cat is suffering. She still scratches the furniture even though she has no claws. It looks so pitiful when she does this. The cat also walks differently and the vet said she probably has back pain. My aunt tries so hard to keep her cat inside. She is afraid that if she escapes, she may not be able to defend herself from dogs in the neighborhood.

So please tell me why you had no choice. I'm very curious.

Answer 4

Declawing is a very painful, and in my opinion cruel, procedure. It is approximate to cutting your own fingers off at the first joint. An outdoor cat will not be able to defend itself against attack from another cat.

The only time I would ever even think about declawing a cat is if it was particularly scratchy and I had a very small child. But even then, I'd probably use softclaws rather than do the surgery. I can deal with scratches on myself, and I would hate to alter a cat's natural behavior by getting part of each of its digits amputated. It's just mean.

And it's the only surgery I can't watch, besides ear cropping.

Most people do it because they're afraid the cat will scratch their furniture. I care more about my cat than my furniture, and he has not once touched it. There are things you can do to keep cats from furniture, anyway.

*edit*

Yes...What do you mean by "No choice"?

Answer 5

I was just wondering... can you explain your situation a bit more... no choice?

Well, I would never declaw a cat simply because there are so many other alternatives. Scratching posts, Soft Paws (stuff you put on their claws), catching them in the act and punishing (spray w/ water usually). Even in some cases, people have changed the fabric of their furniture to something the cats don't like. I personally consider the well-being of my cat over a couch... but then I don't have a furniture worth tons.

Answer 6

I could've declawed my first cat because I lived in the US when I got him, but I bought him a scratching post and taught him to use it. It wasn't difficult, so why should I have considered a painful and expensive surgery?

I'm sure there are some problem cats but I've never personally known one, even though the majority of my life I've lived in the Netherlands where all cats have their claws. Yet cats are very popular here, they're kept pretty much the same way as US folks keep them -it's not like we keep them outdoors mostly or whatever. We have lots of nice furniture, we have lots of babies, even claw covers are hardly sold (I hadn't heard of them before I started posting on Yahoo Answers), we're all doing fine... Our furniture looks fine, our children don't get scratched up... and I didn't notice any particular difference in the kind of cats in the US or overhere either.

If we can train our cats succesfully to use a scratching post -and pretty much all of them, I'm not talking just one or two examples but an entire *continent* that gets along fine with clawed kitties, it's illegal not just in my country but in all of Europe- then why can't Americans manage the same thing?

Answer 7

Don't Declaw because then your cat can't do very much it is like losing your own fingers. So it should be better to give him/her a scratching post or Cat house I know from experience that they will scratch on that. Someone I know declawed there cat and ever since the cat acted really stange.

Answer 8

I made a choice never to declaw my cats. All I have to do is get a few scratching posts (those with catnip helps) and a cat gym for them to play on. They almost never go for the furniture. I think declawing is cruel and just plain lazy on the owner's part.

Answer 9

I choose to have my cats from claws removed because for one she is an indoor cat and too she was tearing up curtains and such .. however i dont reccomend it for an outdoor cat who needs claws for protection... alot of people think its cruel & at one time i did think so too untill i seen the things she did & in the end it has saved me alot of money considering i was replacing my moms curtains and such around every month but i like said it depends on the situation & even though it might be cruel sometimes you just got to do what you go to do .. and atleast you just had to have your cat declawed and not get rid of him/her whom who have probably shared a close bond with

Answer 10

I prefer not to declaw cats. My two are not declawed and will never be. They both allow their feet to be handled and I clip their nails weekly. They have scratching posts that they tear up. I know what happens physically to animals that are declawed, both in the actual surgery and recovery and after. For most pets, it is comepletely unneccessary....

HOWEVER.....

My roomate had a cat that constantly was kneading things and because of that, was scratching everything...furniture, bedding, the carpet....everything. As a household, we made the decision to declaw him. Behaviorly there was nothing that could be done. All other options were exhausted. Soft paws would not stay on due to the constant extension and retraction of the claws. The surgery was done after he was a little older, which meant that it was a little more painful. We did what we could do make him comfortable - pain meds, restriction to a small room that we padded the floor in, and favorite foods- to make sure that his recovery was as comfortable as possible. He is healthy and fine now, a member of a household that loves him. He continues to knead constantly, but without destroying the house. I never regret making the decision to have him declawed.

The point is to be informed of what you are doing. Know that it is a painful surgery. It is not a necessary surgery for MOST cats. There are owners that have exhausted EVERY option when it comes to cats and their claws. If the surgery is done when the cat is a kitten, it is easier on the cat because they do not have as much weight to carry and recovery is easier, however most behavioral problems do not occur in kittens. Know that declawed cats are more likely to get arthritis as they get older as a result of the surgery. Normally pleasant animals may become aggreessive after the surgery as well...or may show other changes in behavior and personality. You MUST be willing to accept those risks and
deal with them as well.

If you feel that you made the right decision for both you and your cat, do not doubt yourself. Enjoy the relationship trhat you can continue to have with your cat!!