2007-10-09 13:47:54 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
People ask this question alot , it makes me wonder why these people choose cats as pets. De clawing a cat is like getting a persons finger chopped of at the first knuckle or cutting the tendons in the hand so their fingers don't work correctly . In my opinion declawing is inhumane . You can train your cat not to scratch your furniture if you are consistent and have appropriate surfaces for them to scratch.
2007-10-09 13:56:24 · answer #1 · answered by Meow 3 · 4⤊ 1⤋
It is absolutely inhumane to do so!! Declawing is a major skeletal surgery. It is NOT like clipping your fingernails or getting a manicure. Look at your fingers... see the knuckle right below your nail? That is where your fingertips would be cut off if you were to have the same procedure as a declaw surgery. It is very painful for the animal and can cause lifetime joint and ligament pain as well as arthritis and behavioral problems.
As a veterinary technician I've seen more declaw surgeries than I care to think about. It is brutal, bloody, and devastating to watch. The cats have to stay overnight with their paws wrapped in gauze to absorb all the blood. They also have to use a special litter (our clinic uses "Yesterday's News") so that the regular kitty litter doesn't get in the holes left by the removal of the claw and toe joint.
SoftPaws are an excellent alternative to declawing.
http://www.softpaws.com/
Please read the information from the following websites before making your decision:
http://www.hdw-inc.com/declaw.htm
http://maxshouse.com/Truth%20About%20Declawing.htm
http://www.declawing.com/
http://www.catsinfo.com/declaw.html
Please, please, please reconsider having your cat declawed!!
2007-10-09 21:15:16 · answer #2 · answered by Deborah 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Re: Declawing
The general rule of thumb that we tell the people who come into the clinic is you can have your can declawed as early as 12 weeks, but putting an animal of that size under anesthesia is risky. If you want to be on the safe side wait until 6 months of age. If you are going to have the cat spayed or neutered, you can do both at the same time at 6 months and save money with only having to put the cat under once, save stress on the animal and save time for you without having to bring the cat to the vet for two procedures on two occassions.
2007-10-10 09:16:39 · answer #3 · answered by Jenny N 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I strongly believe that it IS inhumane to declaw a cat. It's the equivalent of chopping off the ends of our fingers at the first bend.
After you declaw a cat, they have no defense. We recently took in a stray cat and he had been declawed at some point and while out there in the wild, he couldn't defend himself and the poor thing still tries sharpening his claws on our other cat's scratching post and it's really saddening and depressing to watch him try because he can't. :(
2007-10-09 21:15:51 · answer #4 · answered by April 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
It is not inhumane to declaw a cat if it is done properly. A vet will declaw a kitten at about 6-8 weeks. It is a surgical procedure that they are put to sleep for and it is only on the front paws. It is only done for cats that are to be kept totally inside and never to be outside. Once they lose their front claws they don't have an ability to defend themselves outside against predators.
It is painful, just like any surgery, for a day or two. I have three cats now and all had it done. They all stayed 2 days at the vets although we were told they could come home in 1 day. We asked for the extra day to give them more time to heal. This has kept them from hurting each other in play, from scratching up furniture and from scratching us at bath time and medicine time.
Cats do not grow out of the urge to scratch things. Even when the claws are gone they will go through the motions of rubbing their paws against furniture like they are scratching, it is an natural instinct.
You also take animals to have them spayed and neutered and this is no more painful a recovery than that surgery and yet you have it done.
Ask your vet for advice about what they think. They would never advise you to do something cruel to your pet.
Good luck
2007-10-09 21:00:35 · answer #5 · answered by mn lady 6 · 2⤊ 3⤋
It is absolutely inhumane to declaw a cat. They have to remove part of the toe and it is extremely painful. I think it is especially wrong with kittens because kittens often calm down as adults and don't tend to claw things as much. A good scratching post and keeping claws trimmed usually solves the problem without pain and suffering.
2007-10-09 20:52:31 · answer #6 · answered by ? 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Scrappy had her front claws taken out when she was 5 months and she was fixed at the same time and ya know what. She is just fine.
I have seen what cats can do when they have all of their claws and let me tell you...new table, new leather Lazy boy and couch had to be bought.
If your cat is going to be an indoor cat declawing is fine. I would leave them to have their back claws though just in case they get out of your home.
They put them to sleep and they sleep right though it.
They give them pain pills for a week and let me tell you after that week you would have never known what she had done. She was bouncing around like a little goof ball. When I brought her home she jumped up on her couch, jumped down, got herself something to eat and jumped back up on the couch and took a nap.
Scrappy is now a little over year and is WONDERFUL. Never had any problems and all the people that I know that have cats have never had problems either (I asked them first because Scrappy if my first cat and I worried about this too).
She now paws my couch and doesn't get stuck.
It's not inhumane at all. They can do it by laser now and it's all good.
Good luck!
2007-10-09 21:08:12 · answer #7 · answered by Amy A 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
no never declaw a cat it is very inhumane its very paine full to declaw a cat its like ripping off a finger nail on your hand i have two cats and the cats feel it for weeks and they loose their defence too my cats are in door cats and i dont care if they claw my stuff up what they do to a cat is cut off their nuckles its very pain full and dont listen to the last person that says it not in humane just use a scratching post and if u choose to declaw yah cat you must wait at least 6 monts to a year and most states wont do it or are not allowed to do it any more they are trying to make it against the law so if u love your cat plz dont make him or her go through that much paine hope this helps and god bless
2007-10-09 21:01:48 · answer #8 · answered by kingtiger_6 4 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I think it is inhumane because they cut the bones and tendons in their feet the claw is like a bone and it is cut off at the knuckle and some vets will not even do it any more. You can but claw cover made of plastic so they cannot ruin your furniture .
2007-10-09 21:00:24 · answer #9 · answered by linda n 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋
NEVER!!!!! Declawing your cat is extremely painful! It can cause lameness, long termed pain, in extreme cases the pain is so bad the cat won't use it's front legs and the joints will freeze(seen in animal cops houston((it was one of the animal cop shows)))
Cats who get declawed often realized they can't defend themselves and will use their teeth instead, they're more skittish, and in an attempt to feel safe they hide in high places, please don't declaw your cat, you can clip his/her nails twice a week and place double sided tape on things you want your cat to leave alone, remember to supply your cat with a scratching post as well.
2007-10-09 21:02:16 · answer #10 · answered by meatismurder90 3 · 3⤊ 2⤋