is declawing bad?

Answer 1

OK, let's take this from one side, one thing at a time....

Let's begin with the fact that cats scratch. Why do they do that?
It comes naturally. It's a cat thing, one could say.
They use that to mark territory (they have scent lads in-between the scushions on their paws)
The act of scratching stretches and pulls and works the muscles of a cat's front quarters - something that they cannot do any more without front claws.
To work off energy.
They use this behaviour to sharpen their claws and to remove the dead outer layer of their claws.

Scratching is not a behavior problem. It is a natural function of a cat, and it is important to the health of their toes and nails.


And no matter what you do, they will scratch. So instead of uselessly trying to stop a cat from doing this, rather redirect it.
There are actually alternatives as ppl in all the countries that have outlawed it already know, stuff like:

Spraying with citrus oils on the surfaces.
Covering surfaces with tinfoil or double-sided tape
Getting scratching posts and every time kitty scratches, putting them on there. Rub it with catnip, they love it.
A tin with a few coins to rattle when they do scratch startles them away from it.
A water-spray also works well.
A loud clap when they do scratch.
Softpaws is like nailcaps. Comes in funky colors too.
Clipping the nails short yourself weekly or every second week.

See, all alternatives cost is time, something a lot of people are not prepared to spend.
They're all cheaper than the surgery.

There's a reason cats have claws.
They have certain places they can only get to groom with nails.
They need them for defence (do not let anyone tell you hind claws is enough defence, Yahoo answers gets so many posts where the person's declawed cat got out and got munched and died....strangely enough the pro-declaw people are very strangely silent then.
They are by nature climbers - and keeping them indoors and not providing them with stuff to climb is a recipe for disaster, they of course will climb curtains.


The surgery.... this comes with risks, and I always ask people if their vet advised them of all these things...

Did the vet mention that the cat requires its claws for balance, to jump, to climb, and that "declawing" your cat then makes your cat susceptible to back problems, arthritis, joint problems and other foot problems that he would not otherwise face – because declawing results in a gradual weakening of the back, shoulder and leg muscles? Did the vet mention that cats walk on their toes, not the pads of their feet, and declawing forces them to walk in an unnatural way? That your cat walks toe first? Declawing cats causes the tendons in the toes to retract, which eventually results in the attendant joints "freezing."

Did the vet mention that many declawed cats resort to biting as an alternative method of defense? That some declawed cats become very aggressive because their primary defense is taken away? That many declawed cats stop using the litterbox because it is so painful?

A pretty steep price to pay for being born with claws, don't you think?

These are medical facts, not just isolated occurances, folks, this all comes from vet journals. These are vets who see what this is and don't just look to make more money. Vets love offering now a package deal, spay and declaw together - I find this appalling. They're just after money.

Unfortunately, people don't bother doing any research into things like this and seek people who support their bad choices.

Did you know that up to 70% of cats turned into shelters are declaws who have behavioural problems?


Did you know there's NO medical benefit to declawing for the cat? It's a purely elective surgery done for lazy owners. Your cat is a companion who looks to you for protection, and people maim them.

People love to say their cat is happy without claws, as if they were a bother.So you think your declawed cat is a happy camper? Let me tell you about cats and pain: these magnificent creatures are adept at masking pain and discomfort. Because your cat purrs, he is not necessarily pain-free. Severely injured and even dying cats will purr with their last breath. I've always thought it was a way of saying, "Please don't hurt me anymore. I'll be good." Dr. Jean Hofve, DVM, of Englewood, Colorado, a pro-claw advocate, says of this trait:

Surely loving a cat means seeking those alternatives, and not just trying them once but putting surgery out of your mind as not an option? I mean, compare it to a hammer in the hands of a five year old kid - nobody chops their fingers off....

You can teach and train a cat so much, people are just not willing to take the time, they expect to bring a animal that by nature is outdoors indoors and it must now be like a dog.... doesn't happen.

People think of pets as their posessions, that belong to them so they are allowed to do what they want. They have no respect for that animal at all. It's also very handy how much more their kitty will need them after being declawed, how it would HAVE to be indoors, not unlike the empty nest syndrome, these people have a great need to be needed, when the cat does NOT need this surgery.

People will say it was that or the pound - rather let them go to the pound where thousands of people who actually care about cats enough to work around the claws they have will very willingly adopt them. Instead they'll just force their own need down on the cat and claim it was for the cat's own good. Even immune-deficient or diabetic people can work around it by clipping the claws. Most are simply too lazy, or self-absorbed to think about respecting an animal - but would most certainly not like that kind of thing done to them.....

Perhaps people need to ask themselves what they prize more - furniture or their cats. Sadly they pick the non-living replaceable thing over the living animal, and play God, knowing what the risks are and happilly taking that chance. Ask your vet how well a cat hides pain - and don't try tell me your kitty has no claws but is radiantly happy about it since while hiding that pain you cannot claim that at all. Many declawed cats silently suffer adverse effects, sometimes unnoticed by their caretakers, because the consequences can range from obvious to subtle and some may take many years to surface Many declawed cats silently suffer adverse effects, sometimes unnoticed by their caretakers, because the consequences can range from obvious to subtle and some may take many years to surface

As more and more countries outlaw this, I'd like to let pro-declawers know I can't wait until the States in it's entirety bans this barbaric practice. One city - one state - one cat at a time. AB395 is just the beginning....

People in countries where it's illegal have whole furniture - and cats. There their pets know they love them, and they're respected. I'd love to see how they then scrabble for solutions since their convenience of maiming animals is gone.

Sadly people would rather declaw than teach their kids to respect animals, and they get animals when the kids are far too young to know about caring for them, so they tease them, get clawed, and get amputated for defending themselves. Declawing is absolutely NOT a necessary or effective reason or prevention for "cat scratch fever", medically known as B henselae infection. According to this information from a veterinary journal, flea control for the cat and hand washingfor the human are the most effective preventions for cat scratch fever, NOT DECLAWING!

Cats come with claws - if you won't take the time to deal constructively with the claws, don't get the cat.

Answer 2

Anyone who says declawing is not bad is not looking at the big picture

It's a fact that many cats suffer adverse effects from declawing - lameness in later life, and resorting to biting. But that's not even the main point.

The actual issue with declawing is that it's a selfish and inappropriate thing to do. It has no benefit for the animal. People often try to claim it is beneficial for the animal because 'it's a better alternative than the cat being rehomed or put to sleep'. But why would a cat be rehomed or put to sleep for having claws? They're a natural part of it's anatomy!! Do these people also think it's OK to remove cat's teeth? After all they don't need them, they can just eat soft food.

Anaesthetics inherently carry risks. To justify carrying out any anaesthetic, the benefits to the animal must outweigh the risk. Declawing has NO benefit to an animal, and therefore there is no justification to put an animal through it.

The people who declaw to save their furniture are beyond disgusting. Why have they got an animal if inanimate objects are more important to them?

Declawing only happens in America. Americans should ask themselves why the rest of the whole world rejects this procedure. Have Americans become a nation that alters animals for their own convenience - tail docking, ear cropping, debarking, and now declawing? What will they chop off next I wonder?

Cats have claws. If you don't want claws, don't have a cat.

Chalice

Answer 3

Unicornrider has it exactly right.

Most people think that declawing means just pulling out the nail. In reality, the last bone joint in the paw is amputated on each toe.
If you've ever witnessed the surgery, you will never do it to a cat that you love.

Ask your vet if you can observe a declawing so you'll get an idea as to what happens. And then watch as the cat wakes from the anesthesia.

If you absolutely have to have a declawed cat, go to a shelter and get one that's already been declawed.

Very simply - it's a barbaric surgery to an annoying (but solvable) problem.

Answer 4

I think that for any animal taking away it's way of defense is wrong. Yes I understand the furniture issue, that is why we have spray bottles to teach them no and cat trees and scratching posts to give them something safe to scratch on.

Because face it no matter what you do to protect and keep an indoor cat safe there is always that 1% chance it gets out. Then it literally is a sitting duck. They can't climb to avoid danger, can't catch dinner, and are left merely to dye a painful death...given this is the worse case scenario.

If you declaw I've noticed in cats I've had that were done so before I got them they bite more often, which isn't good as their teeth and nails can carry germs that aren't good for humans or other animals even.

It's up to you the buyer and owner, but I personally don't like it and only as a last resort or must do case would I ever declaw them. At the very least keep their back claws in!

Answer 5

I'll let you decide. When a cat is declawed the surgery entails removing the last part of the cats toe at the knuckle. They remove this bone which has the claw in it. They also have to detach the muscles and any ligaments that control this end of the toes that is removed. This can be VERY painful and if done incorrectly can maime the cat. So it CAN be bad. I do NOT believe in it. However, in some cats, it's the ONLY way to save the furniture. Most people don't have the knowledge and patience to train even the dumbest cat (I think I have the dumbest cat, by the way and he no longer scratched my furniture, except sometimes when he forgets). So for some it's the only choice. Not all cats scratch what they are not supposed to, so I'd give the cat a chance first to be trained to scratch the scratching post instead.

Answer 6

It's not fair to the cats. Their claws are part of them, just like our finger nails. If an owner does not wish to deal with this, get a dog, or a fish.

Even at an early age, declawing is often very painful. I've also found it does not actually solve the scratching problem. Many cats not only continue to try and scratch, but many will bite furniture.

Clawing is habitual. It cannot be changed through surgery. It needs to be addressed and corrected through behavioral training.

Answer 7

Yes. If there is ever a fire, a natural disastor or a Robbery... as much as you would like to deny these things happen when they do your Cat is left defenceless if they are declawed.

You want teens and childrren to also get it in their heads that this is a living being as some people delight in tortureing or killing cats.

We had to give up a Cat because my mom was ill. We gave it to a friend. They ended up moving to a bad neighborhood. The robberies upset the cat. Then on top of that we have reason to believe people were giving them drugs ( likely tteenagers). After that they were upset and out of it. You don't want to know what they did or went through... they had to be put down. It is a sport to some Teenage Boys to torture Cats-- and this happens some times. But my Cat was declawed so had no way to defend themself from bad people.

You also need to worry about other Predators and hunting food.

I would suggest getting a chip in their neck as well so you can get them back ASAP. You will want to get them a scratching post,.. one that is not simple condo or just a stratching post but has a platform they can rest on. This will give them a place to rest when they can be easily agitated.

Declawing is more like haveing bones ripped out of your body, then just your nails. Ripping nails out is a well known form of torture and interigation. Most Vets do not get Cats ahead of time out of fear of that chance the Cat will die just from the medications (Cats are hard to predict with what Vets have to work with, some tiems they are allergic or easily effected and die,.. in order to avoid this they like to not give them any meds when it's not a serious operation. Declawing doesn't count as a serious operation). You have to realize Claws and Nails are slightly different. I have had Nails ripped out before and what produces them is still there so I have nails come back,.. they have to remove what you can consider a bone to make a Claw stop coming in.


I would say Declawing opens up for the posiblity something bad may happen to a Cat some day. Be it they fall to their death or can't escape the grips of a bad person,.. or find themselves starveing and tortured by other animals.

Answer 8

Declawing a cat would be like removing all of your fingers to the first knuckle. If you can handle that, then go for it, but In my opinion, yes declawing a cat is indeed bad.

Answer 9

I'm totally against de-clawing. It's cruel and totally unnecessary. It makes it impossible for a cat to defend itself from other animals if it ever goes outside. It is also impossible for a de-clawed cat to clean or groom itself properly as it needs it's claws to do so. There are so many different humane solutions to prevent a cat from scratching walls and furniture.

I would recommend buying a 'throw' or covers for furniture. You can get get some really nice fabrics to complement your sofas.

You can also put obstacles in front of the areas that a cat usually scratches like a lamp, a coffee table or, if possible, a scratching post, so that the cat can not get to those areas it usually scratches.

Say a firm 'no' if they approach an area they shouldn't, and maybe give them a small spray from a toy water pistol.

Once they get out of the habit, you can remove the throws or covers, although you may decide to keep them on as they're great for keeping cat hair off the furniture too. :)

Answer 10

Here in Europe it is illegal on the grounds of animal cruelty, and it's not something I would ever consider even if it was an option. There is already enough animal cruelty in the world without owners inflicting it on the very creatures they claim to care for.

Cats are well known for hiding their pain. Who are we to say that just because they are not complaining that they are not in pain?

No matter how people try to justify it, you simply cannot declaw with love.

Answer 11

Declawing a cat is cruel.
Did you know that when they declaw cats, they remove some of the knuckle?
Imagine someone removing half of your fingers?
Even if you don't go out in the wild, that's still cruel.
We're born with them, we're obviously meant to have them.

You can easily teach your cat not to scratch certain things, like you couch, chairs or even you.

And think, if you cat ever DOES get out, which is entirely possible, your cat will probably be killed.
I'm sure you wouldn't want that.
Good luck.