Cats/Declawed

Moofey
Moofey Posts: 444
in Chit-Chat
Okay, I really don't know how I feel about my little Tango getting declawed but I will be moving into an apartment with my cousin pretty soon who has a 2 year old and also the deposit for a cat with claws is 500 and one without claws is 300. :( I don't want to hurt him but there is alot at risk (he is 8-12 months)
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Replies

  • Moofey
    Moofey Posts: 444
    I would just pay the 500 if it werent for the baby, I would pay 200 more not to put my cat in pain...
  • cdstadt
    cdstadt Posts: 311 Member
    I personally think it's cruel.

    Maybe try something like SoftPaws?
  • Johnnyswife
    Johnnyswife Posts: 1,447 Member
    I think its inhumane to get them declawed, but if you must, than they HAVE to be young enough to recover properly. It taks a long time for them to recover from it and there is a high risk of infection..Its only $200 more for a cat with claws.

    You can teach the 2 year old to be gentle with the kitty and not to pull on him or hurt him, and also when to avoid the kitty..Like when he's being playful or anything. :flowerforyou:
  • Moofey
    Moofey Posts: 444
    I could do that, I just dont want to risk them falling off and him scratching the baby. I mean the cat is like a dog, he follows me around, fetchs and comes to his name (a freak of nature I know) Hes an adorable cat just has problems with climbing up peoples legs..
  • lakersfan4life
    lakersfan4life Posts: 322 Member
    dont do it.

    i think the 2 year old will be just fine
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
    You're basically amputating their toes. That being said, when I was in high school, my parents wouldn't let me have a cat unless she were declawed. It was a choice I had to make.
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    Declawing is horrible. As was suggested, try SoftPaws or just keep the cat's claws well trimmed.

    Seriously. It isn't a humane way to treat your pet.
  • YukonJoy
    YukonJoy Posts: 1,279 Member
    Maybe you should put the effort into training him, rather than declawing him.
  • fudgebudget
    fudgebudget Posts: 198 Member
    I agree with cdstadt - SoftPaws are awesome. I've been using them on my cat for over a year and they work beautifully. Plus, now that it's football season again, my cat's claws are decked out in maize and blue for Michigan! :) Go Blue!!
  • foremant86
    foremant86 Posts: 1,115 Member
    It's really a nasty procedure and I don't like it(and i have previously had cats declawed before i really knew better and actually watched the surgery be done)

    You can easily keep the cats claws clipped and give them special scratching posts so they don't mess up furniture or anything.
  • Moofey
    Moofey Posts: 444
    Thats awesome, I didn't even think of teaching her that haha.
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
    I think it's inhumane to chop off their paws at the first knuckle (declawing).

    My two year old has gotten scratched a couple of times and learned to pet gently as a result.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Teach the baby to be nice to the cat. She needs to learn that, anyway.

    And unless you're going to remove the back claws and the teeth, it isn't going to help the baby.
  • therobinator
    therobinator Posts: 832 Member
    Declawing is equivalent to cutting of a human's fingers at the first knuckle. Think about that. Also, declawing will cost more than $500. So if you're worried about money, paying the deposit will be cheaper. If you're worried about the kid....does the cat have a history of scratching people or children? If it does, get it some scratching posts and toys....cats scratch because they are bored or want to play.
  • cdstadt
    cdstadt Posts: 311 Member
    I mean, not to be insensitive, but a cat scratch wouldn't kill the kid. That's life. And a clawless catt? That's not his life.
  • dayzeerock
    dayzeerock Posts: 918 Member
    Declawing a cat is dangerous, and completely harmful, and many times carries lifelong problems. To declaw a cat, they have to partially amputate the bones in their feet...it takes a VERY long time for an animal to fully recover from something like this, and can cause permanent pain. There are SO MANY alternatives to this, please do some research on all the alternatives out there before making your decision.
  • Moofey
    Moofey Posts: 444
    I agree with cdstadt - SoftPaws are awesome. I've been using them on my cat for over a year and they work beautifully. Plus, now that it's football season again, my cat's claws are decked out in maize and blue for Michigan! :) Go Blue!!

    I think that is awesome!
  • therobinator
    therobinator Posts: 832 Member
    Teach the baby to be nice to the cat. She needs to learn that, anyway.

    And unless you're going to remove the back claws and the teeth, it isn't going to help the baby.
    And this. Yes.
  • fudgebudget
    fudgebudget Posts: 198 Member
    Maybe you should put the effort into training him, rather than declawing him.
    Yeah, you can't train a cat like that. You can spray them with a water bottle if they scratch something you care about to discourage them from that particular object, but if they have claws they WILL find something to scratch. Also, if the cat is on you or near you when they startle, inevitably you're going to get scratched at some point, they can't help it if they're scared. SoftPaws are a good way to go if you can't risk any scratching at all.
  • Johnnyswife
    Johnnyswife Posts: 1,447 Member
    Declawing is horrible. As was suggested, try SoftPaws or just keep the cat's claws well trimmed.
    I forgot about SoftPaws!! We looked into geting those done for our cat, but wound up not doing it for whatever reason..You can have a pet groomer put them on for you. See if they will drop the price if you buy them on your own. Ours would have droped the price by $15.
  • ckdub428
    ckdub428 Posts: 453 Member
    don't have a cat but I have a boxer with some huge nails because he was a rescue and they were grown out. we are trying to get the quick to go back, but my point is do they make these "softpaws" things for dogs?? Brutus and the wood floors have not been friends. lol
  • findingfit23
    findingfit23 Posts: 845 Member
    Isnt there a laser treatment now or something that is supposed to be nicer?

    My cats have their claws. One claws the hell out of everything, the other doesnt. I tried the softpaws, the work pretty well but can be a pain to get on and off.


    Edit to say, I also tried really hard to train them not to scratch my furniture. They are sweet and lovely to my face, and spend the night shredding away :)
  • therobinator
    therobinator Posts: 832 Member
    I mean, not to be insensitive, but a cat scratch wouldn't kill the kid. That's life. And a clawless catt? That's not his life.
    And this. I think you get the point we are all trying to make.
  • Leanne1795
    Leanne1795 Posts: 186
    I had no idea that cats were declawed! I am amazed!!! My cats have never had anything like that done. Shudder!!! :noway:
  • Moofey
    Moofey Posts: 444
    Aww, I know I have seen it done. I worked in a vets office for a while as a kennel tech and have helped out but I am also a new cat owner and have never had to make this choice before so I just really needed some opinions. I was pretty much going to pay the 500 anyway but I just didn't know about the 2 year old. Thank you!

    What funny things do your cats do? Whats the story of how you got them?
  • Valechka
    Valechka Posts: 192
    2 y.o. is a big enough child! We have a cat since my son was born. He is almost 4. The only time he got scratched when he was trying to pull her tail. Needless to say it never happened after it. 2 y.o. is old enough to be taught how to be with a cat. and cat will not really will have interest for toddler, let me say that for sure
  • pelleld
    pelleld Posts: 363 Member
    My vet refuses to declaw. Instead she does a procedure called a "tendonectomy", which is much more humane. A small incision is made into the tendon that allows them to extend their claws. The claws are still there but they can't be extended out so the cat can no longer scratch. You must keep the nails trimmed however as they still grow. Its actually cheaper than a declaw and far more humane. All 3 of my indoor cats have had the procedure and did very well with it.
  • fudgebudget
    fudgebudget Posts: 198 Member
    Teach the baby to be nice to the cat. She needs to learn that, anyway.

    And unless you're going to remove the back claws and the teeth, it isn't going to help the baby.

    Agreed. I've seen my cat go to town on random stuff with her back claws, although she won't do it to people unless you mess with her. For biting, if the cat gets a hold of your hand or something, though, if you push back farther into their mouths it freaks them out (they're using to things they're biting trying to run away) and they'll usually let go. Of course, you can't really teach that to a baby, but I haven't see too many cats willingly hang out around babies anyway, unless they're trying to mooch their body heat.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I mean, not to be insensitive, but a cat scratch wouldn't kill the kid. That's life. And a clawless catt? That's not his life.
    And this. I think you get the point we are all trying to make.

    Exactly.

    Anyway, my parents had clawed cats from the time I was born and I've had clawed cats since before my daughter was born and there haven't been any incidents. My girlfriend has three cats and am 18-month-old (who has been to my house). No problems.

    Cats tend to actually stay away from little ones because the cats are smart enough to know the little ones will pull their tails, pinch them or (in the case of my daughter one day) cut off their whiskers.
  • Moofey
    Moofey Posts: 444
    I mean, not to be insensitive, but a cat scratch wouldn't kill the kid. That's life. And a clawless catt? That's not his life.
    And this. I think you get the point we are all trying to make.

    I was actually put in the hospital by a cat scratch due to infectioin and had to get several lymph nodes removed... Ironic huh? HAHA
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