| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Rosemary |
Posted - Apr 11 2013 : 8:19:01 PM
Much as I always aim to defer to the cultural diversity in this community, I can't bear to think we, as a community, would help in any way to promote the hideous and unnecessary practice of cat declawing. I know there some among us who would disagree, and I want to respect their opinion, but I just can't.
There is a product called "Soft Claws" that is very effective in eliminating a cat's ability to shred upholstery. Some cat owners have found clever ways to accustom a cat to steer clear of vulnerable furnishings. There is also the possibility of gradually replacing such furnishings with something more "cat proof." And of course, many cat guardians are happy to live with some fluffy sofa arms if that's what they have to do to live with a cat.
As a last resort, one wishing to have a car declawed might choose to adopt a cat that was already declawed by a previous owner -- with the understanding that the cat may have been given up because it displayed one or more of the unacceptable behaviors often observed in declawed cats. An animal behaviorist may be helpful in that case.
My feeling is that if a person cannot accept a natural cat. they should probably choose a different companion animal, like maybe goldfish.
I would love to hear from my cat-loving sisters here how they deal with the undeniable nuisance of kitty damage caused by a cat's need to stretch and sharpen its claws. |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| MtnGrlByTheBay |
Posted - Jul 30 2013 : 09:28:54 AM
Can you believe that we actually rescued a PUG that had been declawed all around? Great dog. Lived and Loved us for a long time before we let her cross the Rainbow Bridge. She was well known (and famous) at the vet for being a RARE (thankfully) declawed dog. Since she was a stray, it was always a mystery as to why she had been declawed.
Sorry, sort of off topic. We have an indoor/outdoor cat, and she'd never be declawed. Most of our local rescues do have the "Declaw Clause."
^^^I'm a RidgeRunner, and will always feel best when surrounded by the PA mountains.^^^
www.lastlapgang.com |
| AnnieinIdaho |
Posted - Jul 09 2013 : 03:10:30 AM
There was an episode on television about this. They say that cats really are walking on their tip toes and when they are declawed it changes how they walk on the pads and it causes their feet to be off balance causing hip and spine issues. So much pain and trauma that most cats do not recover and begin to have serious behavioral issues to include not being able to use litter boxes any longer. The list was a long one on the show and very problematic. Just don't have a cat if you need to resort to this. It reminds me of people that get their dogs voice box cut so they can have them in an apartment and not have barking complaints. Really!!? Too much for me. I have a cat and she loves her cat tower she climbs and only uses her claws on that and her scratching posts. Take care now. Annie
"The turnings of life seldom show a sign-post; or rather, though the sign is always there, it is usually placed some distance back, like the notices that give warning of a bad hill or a level railway-crossing." Edith Wharton, 1913 from 'The Custom of the Country'. |
| Rosemary |
Posted - Jul 08 2013 : 9:31:15 PM
You're right, Connie. Period.
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| Killarney |
Posted - Jul 08 2013 : 7:04:03 PM
Declawing a cat is little cutting all your fingers off at the first digit! It is cruel and inhumane! Period!
Imagine....#3392 |
| msdoolittle |
Posted - Apr 22 2013 : 08:44:41 AM
Yes, it is really pretty gross. We had a laser unit to cut tissues (as opposed to a scalpel), but even so, there is pain. We sent home pain meds, but still...I do recall my bosses telling me the stories of cats who never recovered, who were in constant pain, and went 'crazy'. Can't really blame them!
FarmGirl #1390
www.mylittlecountry.wordpress.com |
| shawneefarmgirl |
Posted - Apr 20 2013 : 8:01:16 PM
Msdoolittle: thanks for the realization of what declawing really is! Imagine if someone took off the 1st digit of all 10 fingers, wrapped them and sent you back home with no pain meds at all. And told you now fend for yourself....that's about what we do to our cuddly little friends when we declaw. I did it once about 30 yrs ago, and felt so bad I cried when I brought my kitty home. I really had no idea what they were doing. Never, never again!! Too cruel..
I'll tell you the truth, if a man keeps my word, he will never see death." John 8:51 |
| msdoolittle |
Posted - Apr 18 2013 : 10:45:37 AM
Lorena, I was a vet tech, as well. The procedure is akin to removing the last digit of your finger. We did it very, very infrequently, and only as a last ditch effort so that the cat could remain in the home. I am not a 'kitty cat person', mainly because cats do not fit into my lifestyle, though I do like them! Dogs and cats (and many other pets!) can be extremely destructive to your home, but most people fail to research this point. Still, measures can be taken to eliminate the risk, such as clipping nails, nail caps, etc. When we did have a cat, we made it a point to clip the front nails every few weeks. It is actually quite easy to do, with a willing cat anyway! :0)
FarmGirl #1390
www.mylittlecountry.wordpress.com |
| queenmushroom |
Posted - Apr 13 2013 : 12:52:40 PM
As a former vet tech I hated declawing procedures. At the practice where I worked, it was mostly done on kittens during spay /neuter and discouraged on older cats. I feel that declawing is wrong. If you can let your cat out regularly it helps discourage inside destruction . That being said, some people with autoimmune issues are encouraged by their dr 's to declawing their cats for health reasons. My sister adopted a cat that was declawed on all four feet. It was declawed that way for that particular reason. Btw four paw declawing is highly frowned upon because a cat needs self defense. However declawing doesn't always. Always cure shredding. My sisters cat still tries to scratch on his scratching post even though he has no claws.
Patience is worth a bushel of brains...from a chinese fortune cookie |
| FebruaryViolet |
Posted - Apr 12 2013 : 9:20:03 PM
It's incredibly painful for the cat and leaves the defenseless in the case they get out. My mother chose to do so for our first cat, Fritz in 1978 and she regretted it until he died years later. i still remember him crying in pain in the basement "crib" that my dad made for him because the vet said to keep him calm and contained. Horrid. And cruel. i have 4 dogs and our 3 cats have passed on now..if you don't want something less than perfect...sometimes FAR les than perfect, don't have pets inside.
"Hey, I've got nothing to do today but smile..."
The Only Living Boy in New York, Paul Simon |
| Rosemary |
Posted - Apr 12 2013 : 2:21:01 PM
Clipping your kitty's claws is easy, especially if you start when they're a kitten. I use plain old fingernail clippers. The technique is to hold kitty in your lap, it's head facing toward your knees. Take one front paw and press the pad to force the claws out. Snip them well away from the quick (just the really pointy tips), and at an angle parallel to the floor. There's no need to trim the claws of the rear feet. I remember reading in Anitra Frazier's wonderful book, The Natural Cat, that it's a good idea to include the paw-squishing move as part of routine petting, so they don't associate it only with the odd sensation of getting their toenails trimmed. |
| FARMALLChick |
Posted - Apr 12 2013 : 2:11:22 PM
I don't declaw anymore. I grew up with the thought that indoor cats were supposed to be declawed. Then I got Phoebe. She was a barn cat we brought in and had her declawed. From the day we brought her home from the vet, she couldn't sit without holding up one paw or the other all the time. It broke my heart. Ever since then, (20 years ago) I decided never again. I did adopt a previously declawed cat about 10 years ago. We lost him in the house fire. Although I miss him a lot, I am so glad he didn't run away from the fire into the woods and not be able to defend himself and become coyote bait. That would have been even harder to accept.
Now I trim their claws on a regular schedule. We have cat trees and scratching posts. I have tried the claw covers after they destroyed a cloth chair, but they didn't stay on very well. And yes they love cardboard boxes!
"Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway" -John Wayne
www.CountryFriedAcres.etsy.com www.farmallchick.blogspot.com www.farmallchickphotos.blogspot.com |
| Rosemary |
Posted - Apr 12 2013 : 1:49:56 PM
After posting a comment earlier, I remembered that our shelter also requires a pledge that you will not declaw the cat you adopt. If you take the cat to a vet for spay/neuter, shots, etc. (which many vets will do at a deep discount for rescues), you can't ask that get to declaw the cat because even if they do that in their practice (most no longer will), you either lose the discount or you lose the cat because you violated your pledge.
Landlords who require that any resident cats be declawed may not realize that declawed cats may urinate and/or spray I appropriately as a stress reaction. That's a whole lot worse than whatever damage a cat with all it's claws could do to the permanent fixtures of a rental unit. I mean, I'm pretty sure I would rather have a carpet with some fuzz clawed up from it than one that is soaked in urine. |
| crittergranny |
Posted - Apr 12 2013 : 1:28:13 PM
Some do and some don't.
Laura
Horse poor in the boonies.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CrittergrannysLair
www.creamofthecroptrailrides.webs.com |
| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Apr 12 2013 : 12:46:43 PM
Oddly enough I have had several cats in my life time, never declawed one and never had damage from one!
Our current cat is my first indoor only cat though...my previous cats were all allowed to go in and out as they pleased. I probably will not do that any more though as I want them to be safe. But, my current cat, we bought her a scratching post which she never used! lol She likes my vintage (remake) step chair, it has rubber on each step and she loves that thing...other wise, it does nothing to that rubber at all! lol And that's about all she does. I dunno...we also though to get her nails trimmed a few times a year though too. It only cost like 15 dollars and they are pros at it, and I think that helps her and us both.
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
| AnnieinIdaho |
Posted - Apr 12 2013 : 12:00:09 PM
Hi Sisters,
I "recently" adopted a cat from Pets Mart and they made me sign a document that I would not declaw otherwise they will not allow you to adopt.(I would not consider declawing because substituting scratch pads works very well). Instead I bought a cat tower and my cat loves it and only uses it to scratch and play and sleep. She is an indoor cat (another stipulation of being able to adopt, but we have coyotes here and they munch pets regularly if they are outside even in fenced yards) The cat tower was the best purchase! I got a tall one at Costco, very well made and less dollars that most models at other stores. It has been six months since I got her and no clawing of furniture, etc. She also likes the circle with the scratch pad in it with the ball that can be batted around. She uses that to stretch and scratch, but my furniture is untouched.
Best to you all and happy kitty days!
Annie
"The turnings of life seldom show a sign-post; or rather, though the sign is always there, it is usually placed some distance back, like the notices that give warning of a bad hill or a level railway-crossing." Edith Wharton, 1913 from 'The Custom of the Country'. |
| Rosemary |
Posted - Apr 12 2013 : 10:27:39 AM
Margo, I confess that your thread got me thinking about this subject, but my post wasn't intended as a direct response to it. It's just something I feel very strongly about. It's interesting that there are laws against requiring renters to declaw their cats. I didn't know that. Of course, the law is one thing, and the dead-set demands of a real landlady are two different things!
Just as there are rescue societies for various breeds, I wonder if there's one for declawed cars that could help in this case. |
| Bear5 |
Posted - Apr 12 2013 : 10:19:32 AM
Margo, I understand your situation. I'm sure if it was your own house, you would think and act otherwise. Let us know about your new cat. Have you picked a name yet?
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
| oldbittyhen |
Posted - Apr 12 2013 : 09:22:33 AM
Margo, did you know that in most states, it is illegal to force a renter to de-claw their cats, the most they can do is ask for a security deposit...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
| Penny Wise |
Posted - Apr 12 2013 : 09:09:14 AM
i am only jumping in here because i think this was begun with my post about bringing home another indoor cat--
when i go to the APL tomorrow, i fully intend to ask if they have any who have been previoulsy declawed.that would sway my decision rather than declawing one who has not already been "done"
in the final end, however, since i rent, i either abide by my landlady's demands for declawing or i don't rescue another animal.
i am not trying to argue -and i respect rosemary's feelings-
i am not trying to argue- i am justifying WHY i am going for decalwing.
Farmgirl # 2139
proud member of the Farmgirls of the Southwest Henhouse
~*~ counting my pennies; my dreams are adding up!~*~ |
| oldbittyhen |
Posted - Apr 12 2013 : 08:53:57 AM
I use cardboard boxes for my indoor cats to claw on, rub with catnip and they go nuts clawing and diging on it, small boxes I put treats inside, it does not stop all cats, all of the time from clawing on furniture, but for me, it works 95% of the time...it is instinct to "claw", in order to excersise and to shed off the outer layer of the nail during growth...cats without front claws can not climb near as well as a cat with claws, so escapeing from a predator is much harder, and again without claws, a cat can not defend itself either...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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