Cats/Declawed

shannon121278

I got my pets fixed, not for the fact of preventing reproduction, but to prevent them spraying on things.

Well shannon, I hate to burst your bubble but any cat can spray, male or female, neutered/spayed/intact doesn't matter. I wish I could lay some money down in a bet that one or more of your cats will be brought to a shelter before their lives are over.

This is a wonderful thread. I see a few folks I'd like to friend :flowerforyou:

A few I'd like to block if I could.......

and I see I've already made some excellent friend choices (you know who you are!) :drinker:

If you fix them before they get to the age of spraying, they will not spray, and ours have not ever sprayed, and never will.

I don't see how you think our cats will be taken to a shelter. That doesn't even make any sense. We have one cat who is more than 10 years old, and one who is getting ready to to die soon. We keep them, because we love them. I don't even understand why you said we would take them to a shelter. We BOUGHT one of ours from a shelter.....

TheMaidOfAstolat

I swore that I wouldn't respond to this thread but I have to. I haven't been owned by a cat in 8 years. Prior to that I was momma to anywhere between 3-10 kitties at a time. I fostered, I rescued, and I took in strays. I still work in feral cat rescue for my county. I can not and will not ever condone chopping of the last digit of their finger. Yes...the claw is bone...it is part of their toes...not like a human finger nail that is 'dead'. If the ASPCA and the HSUS are so strongly against it...you should be as well. While we're on the topic...people that crop ears and doc tails of dogs should understand the pain involved for that as well.
We should, as humans, be responsible enough to do some research on the subject...understand the pain and suffering involved. For those of you who say your cats are fine after being declawed...were you there when they woke up from surgery???
I am appalled that anyone could be so cruel to an animal....in my opinion it's nearly the same as dog fights.
I should also state....I have a child and she was raised around all types of animals...she learned to respect them and they her. Cats avoid children in general and will only claw when threatened...you take away their claws and they will use their teeth. Should you also have their teeth taken out? Personally, if you feel the need to declaw a cat...you shouldn't own one.

crzyone

We all have our own opinions......that's what makes the world go around....

livnlite

I swore that I wouldn't respond to this thread but I have to. I haven't been owned by a cat in 8 years. Prior to that I was momma to anywhere between 3-10 kitties at a time. I fostered, I rescued, and I took in strays. I still work in feral cat rescue for my county. I can not and will not ever condone chopping of the last digit of their finger. Yes...the claw is bone...it is part of their toes...not like a human finger nail that is 'dead'. If the ASPCA and the HSUS are so strongly against it...you should be as well. While we're on the topic...people that crop ears and doc tails of dogs should understand the pain involved for that as well.
We should, as humans, be responsible enough to do some research on the subject...understand the pain and suffering involved. For those of you who say your cats are fine after being declawed...were you there when they woke up from surgery???
I am appalled that anyone could be so cruel to an animal....in my opinion it's nearly the same as dog fights.
I should also state....I have a child and she was raised around all types of animals...she learned to respect them and they her. Cats avoid children in general and will only claw when threatened...you take away their claws and they will use their teeth. Should you also have their teeth taken out? Personally, if you feel the need to declaw a cat...you shouldn't own one.

Good Post!

Jessamin

If you fix them before they get to the age of spraying, they will not spray, and ours have not ever sprayed, and never will.

Please find me a vet that will back this up. Cats will sure as balls still spray when they're neutered. Spraying can be a sign of illness or simply age and if you're telling me your cats will never get sick and never get old, I'd like to employ a line of haughty HA HA HAs.

Jessamin

We should, as humans, be responsible enough to do some research on the subject...understand the pain and suffering involved. For those of you who say your cats are fine after being declawed...were you there when they woke up from surgery???
I am appalled that anyone could be so cruel to an animal....in my opinion it's nearly the same as dog fights.
I should also state....I have a child and she was raised around all types of animals...she learned to respect them and they her. Cats avoid children in general and will only claw when threatened...you take away their claws and they will use their teeth. Should you also have their teeth taken out? Personally, if you feel the need to declaw a cat...you shouldn't own one.

Also: this is beautiful. Kids need to learn how to behave around animals and a swift swipe, a natural response from a cat, will quickly teach 'em. Cats that can't swipe at kids often resort to biting them. Essentially, they'll get all the germies in their wound from the mouth of a cat instead of the ones on their claws. AWESOME.

For all the ~MY CAT WAS JUST FINE AND DANDY~ folks, even vets and vet nurses sometimes have trouble picking up the subtle signs of a cat in pain. I have no faith in your ability to.

shannon121278

If you fix them before they get to the age of spraying, they will not spray, and ours have not ever sprayed, and never will.

Please find me a vet that will back this up. Cats will sure as balls still spray when they're neutered. Spraying can be a sign of illness or simply age and if you're telling me your cats will never get sick and never get old, I'd like to employ a line of haughty HA HA HAs.

I have one cat, my baby, my youngest, who has BEEN deathly ill, on iv fluids, pooping all over the place, throwing up every few minutes, having to be force fed. I know what it's like to have a sick cat and take care of one day and night.

I also have one cat that is very old, hip problems, problems going to the bathroom, loss of teeth, yet she is still taken care of very well. I'm not ignorant and do realize cats have health issues and get old.

This will be my last reply on the subject. I posted to state my opinion, and I did so. I do not have to justify my decisions to anyone but myself.

I know my cats are healthy and well and taken care of. They are happy and lovable and will be with me and my husband until the day they die. They are my family and are taken care of as real children. So for anyone to doubt the way my animals are taken care of, is no ones business but mine. I know they are fine, and that's all that matters. I just simply stated declawing is not always a bad thing and that's my opinion. Everyone has an opinion, but to judge or bash someone because of their opinion is stupid. My opinion is posted and anyone can think what they want of me, but if they want to waste their time arguing over MY decisions, then argue with yourself. I've made up my mind. I'm here for weight loss, not to have everyone approve my decisions in pet care. Good bye and have a wonderful day and good luck to all on their weight loss!

daily_vits

My four cats live in my home where they get lots of love. 3 of the cats are five years old the other cat is 3 years old. In order for them to be strictly inside without being yelled at all the time I chose to declaw them. I simply cannot let them tear my furniture up and replace it every year. They will shaprpen their nail son anythign in the house rather you have scratching posts or not. My cats are declawed and they did nto go through bad pain. They were themselves when they got home and all we had to do was shred nespapers for a few days so they didn't have to use cat litter that was rough for a few days. It is not inhumane to declaw an all inside cat where they live a healthier life. My cats have never been sick, they have never had fleas and they are happy. The spaying and nueturing was harder on them, so is that inhumane too? They has. had way more discomfort in that, and when they came home they were loopy. If you don't want to declaw your cats fine but please do not call it inhumane for us who have it done. My cats are from hungry stray I brought in. My cats have a nice cool and warm place with fresh water, fresh food and all the other comforts of a loving home.

SoDamnHungry

I have declawed cats and wish I didn't. I had no idea it was so bad for them. It's like cutting off human fingers at the knuckle. Why not just trim your cat's claws? My sister does that and has no problem.

omgitsgarry

I've been around declawed cats. Most of them are mean and don't want you touching them. They also are more prone to hissing and biting. My grandmothers cats would nearly attack me whenever I got close to them. My cat isn't declawed and on the adoption papers we signed, we had to promise to never have him declawed or we would run the risk of him being taken away from us if the agency found out/we would not be allowed to adopt another cat from them. It changes them. They don't trust you. My cat is so loving and trusting, I would never want to do something that betrayed that. It's like removing their fingers. We use soft paws with him, but we almost don't have to anymore, because he is so use to not scratching anything but his post. We also keep his nails trimmed.

sweetsarahj

When a cat is decalwed, it's like a person having their fingers cut off at the first knuckle. Then they have to walk around on their paws, missing the tips of their 'toes.'

disgusting

fbmandy55

Spraying, furballs, claws, litterboxes...

People wonder why I refuse to have a pet.

crzyone

I've always heard that when a cat was neutered, he would no longer spray. I don't the technicalities of it, I only know that after having mine "fixed" they have NEVER sprayed once..............

IzzyBop

Geting a cat declawed causes the cat a lifetime of suffering and pain. If you feel the cat would be a danger to the baby, find the cat another home.

crzyone

LOL.....no way...my babies are declawed and there is no pain and suffering........they lived healthy, happy long lives (16 and 17 years).......

And, my cats are the most loving, affectionate babies around......they don't hiss or growl or bite any more than any other cat.....

Many cats.....many declawed.....happy lives........I've seen no proof yet...

fteale

Even when we had 8 cats (we have 4 now) they didn't scratch our furniture. Nor have they ever used scratch posts. I think they must scratch stuff outside. It just isn't something we have ever had a problem with, not with any of the 15 cats I have lived with throughout my life.

TheMaidOfAstolat

This will probably be against the rules and this thread will get shut down or I'll be banned. But if you really think that declawing is okay...watch this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1W7F_XNmzXg&feature=BFa&list=PL09BD101220BF5325&lf=results_main

Jessamin

To the pro-declaw population of MFP:

Just stop. There is not an excuse you can fabricate in your over-defensive brain boxes that can't be debunked with basic common-sense and/or isn't directly due to your own callous selfishness and laziness.

Just because it isn't constantly screaming and is capable of moving doesn't mean it isn't routinely in pain. Cats are subtle about these things. Just because it didn't absolutely destroy your cats entire life, doesn't mean it's a green light to unnecessarily amputate a part of your cat for your own convenience.

You have done terribly, terribly wrong by your pets and I hope to everything a girl can hope to that they all poop in your pillowcases tonight.

livnlite

I also feel complelled to remark how idiotic declawing is. I hate using the word hate .. but I think I can use it here.

I hate to see people bring a small defenseless kitten into a home for their precious kiddies only to have them mauled by the little gaffers. Small children often don't know that you can't carry a kittie around by it's neck. Then, guess what .. surprise surprise... the child gets scratched because the kittie is fighting to get away from this torturous grasp. Scratching and biting is the cats ONLY natural defence. The child has no idea this kittie is NOT A TOY!

If you teach a child about respect for another life form like a puppy or a small kitten .. you won't have a problem.

1goodymom67

One of of our cats we declawed when he was like 3 months old. Our other cat we got from the umane society and he was already declawed. I really had no idea what it entailed until I saw a vet on tv explain what really happened(of course it was well after the fact). I like the fact that both our cats are declawed, they would have destroyed our home if we deceided not to. Our cats are strictly house cats they can not go outside ever. They can not defend themselves, don't get me wrong they would find a way. We deceided that once they had that done they were ours until they die. They will be with us longer than our sons. So, should you have it done well I feel that it is truly a commitment then not to be taken lightly.