Thinking of getting your cat declawed?

A lot of people seem to be suggesting and even actively promoting declawing. If you're considering it, PLEASE look into what it actually involves before making that decision.
It isn't just a case of pulling the claws out - which would be painful and distressing enough. A cat's claw is closely adhered to the bone, and to remove the claw, the last joint in your cat's toes also has to be removed - it's basically an amputation of the end of each toe.

It's very painful surgery (ever had orthopaedic surgery?) and has a long painful recovery period.

If you've been considering it, PLEASE (I beg you!) pay a visit to these pages:

http://www.declawing.com/

http://www.declawing.com/htmls/declawing.

Then look into those big pussycat eyes and think long and hard before you put the little love through this.

Thanks xx
Answers:
Declawing a cat should be made a criminal offense under the laws dealing with animal cruelty.

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My brother got his cat declawed. He was kept a little drugged for the pain, but he's fine now. That was about 5 yrs ago.

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no way i would EVER declaw mine

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I dont need to look at the pages, A cat has claws for survival they should never be removed cos that is just plain cruel. If you dont want claws then dont buy a cat. Simple.

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I work for a vet and she doesn't cut the end off she uses a cautery and seals it off as it is removed. Much quicker recovery time and less pain. It is better than the animal being thrown out into the streets to live because it clawed up the couch!

When you declaw you only remove the front claws. They still have the back ones, can climb trees and defend themselves.

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I would never have a cat declawed. One of mine are, but it was already that way before I got him. Poor thing can't even go outside with his brothers.

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In some cities, declawing is a criminal offense. Declawin is mutilation and anyone who considers it should not have a cat. Accept the cat with the claws or else do not get one.

I am an advocate against declawing as inhumane. Many cats develop problems later in life such as arthritis because they no longer walk properly.

I am glad there others who are advocates for a whole cat.

Thank you for posting this.

Goddess bless.

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Declawing cats is taking their ONLY way of defending themselves from predators. Say NO to declawing!

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No no no. If u can be bothered to read this, this is what happened to me. I rescued a kitten of 10 weeks many years ago. After a few months, i was a bit worried cos his claws weren't growing, so i took him to the vet. The vet told me that he had been declawed. I asked him if it had been painful and this was his answer. "You see your little girl here (my 2 year old was with me) well if u pulled every nail off of her nail beds, do u think she would feel pain".? My cat was unable to protect himself properly, unable to climb trees. It should be made illegal, i think its cruel and should be prosecuted if done.

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when you remove the cats primary source of defending itself then you open the door for it to start using its other defencse and that is it's TEETH!

my brother recieved a cat that had her front claws removed and man was she mean! she was always biting us and she was even considered to be a danger to the kids at one point!

think before you declaw your cat please!

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would NEVER do it

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This is a brutal and criminal thing to do to any animal, humans are savage, to dominate unasked for cruelty to their supposedly "love" for animals, just as barbaric, is getting a dog de-barked,its litterally cutting the voice box
All of it should be criminalised
Good question You should get the 10 points

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How would you like it to have someone hack off your fingers at the first knucle and you could never scatch where you need to when you get an itch? What if you had no defenses (as declawed cats) and someone suddenly let you out or worse, you got left BEHIND during Katrina like happened to thousands of pets here last August? How would you defend yourself when all the other pets were dehydrated and starving? You couldn't even get food with nor claws to catch something floating in the dirty flood waters.

Just think about that! It is so cruel that it is banned by most Humane Societies and SPCAs and my vet considers it "cosmetic" and not good.

Please don't! Thank you.

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I am taking my kitten to be declawed next week. People with the opinion that you have don't pay for my furniture or carpet or care for my children whom are constanly covered with scratches. It is my decision, and I will forever think that it is a good thing to do. He is and always will be an indoor cat. Just because he is getting declawed does not mean that I do not love him as much as you may love yours. He is lucky to be in an indoor home that feeds him and provides vet care. Quit the preaching, these are animals not people.

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I've never believed in declawing any of my cats. Every cat I've had since I was a teenager (45 now) I've always had a kitty in my life. NOT ONCE has any one of them ever clawed myself, family, or friends out of anger or surprise. True,, a few of them may have been destructive from time to time, but nothing I couldn't remedy or break them of. My cats have always been tree climbers to escape neighborhood dogs, so therefore I would NEVER take that ability from them in order to protect themselves. My current kitty, 'Muffin' is the sweetest little girl I've ever had, she's so gentle with me and trusts me implicitly. She scales our tree out front, walks across the roof, and comes in my bedroom window, she'd never be able to do that if I'd had her declawed, and I think it's horrible that anyone has that done to their cats. I agree wholeheartedly with you Sarah, it's a painful thing for any cat to have to go through, considering just how much they love and trust us, with a little guidance. Very well conveyed Dear.

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I have 2 cats that are declawed each of their four paws. My cats were taken to a highly admired vet in our area. He used lazes and NO stitching and no real after pain did I notice. Now each are happy content 8 and 6 year old cats, who DO GET THE BEST vet care available. But I do love my cats enough to have them altered also, and they remain in the house so we can enjoy their company for many more years than freely roaming cats. Some think clawing an animal to be cruel, I do too, if it isn't done with the aught most care. Wild tiger big cats I think never should be declawed, that would be cruel.

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To witchywoman .. how about, instead of declawing your cat, you teach your children how to treat the cat better. It is lashing out because it is being teased and tormented.

Now the cat will have no defenses against your children. The cat needs a new home away from the kids.

Instead, lets pull out your children's fingernails and see how they like it.

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I was in a semi-supervised apartment for disabled people when I had my first cat, Sylvester..he did very minor damage to a table and the caseworker in charge of the apartments said I had to have him declawed. I was never told I could look into other ways of solving the problem like SoftPaws or claw capping. So I had him declawed.although he was his old self MOST of the time, when he got annoyed with things, he bit me. I would NEVER have Tika declawed(I live in consumer-run community housing now and the landlord has no problems with me having her with claws intact).

I'm thinking about sending an e-mail to the local Humane Society about what happened with my first cat because I don't think it's right to make anyone declaw their cat to 'teach' the person not to let Kitty scratch.and that the alternatives like SoftPaws should be talked about with the resident. No one, not even a caseworker, should suggest anything as cruel as declawing a cat in order to protect some furniture. Furniture is replaceable, a cat's life and sanity is not.

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declawing a cat for no reason may be mean, but if your cat is a house cat %26 u have kids, then it isnt bad my sis is actually a veterinarian %26 all her cats are declawed if it was so bad i dont think an animal lover w/ alot of knowledge would do it..they give the cat medicine b4 they do it, so they feel it, and afterwards they give it medicine so it doesnt hurt, %26 theyre supposed to stay at the vet 24 hrs for recovery, so if ur going to a good vet, %26 doing it right, its not cruel.

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After careful discussion with my vet, I decided to have my beautiful cat declawed. He is an indoor cat and I was unable to break him of his habit of destroying whatever he landed on (likely due to some things from his past..he was a rescue cat). We are both much happier this way. He is playful, loving and affectionate. He is also neutered.which couldn't have been much fun for him either. Some would call me a responsible pet owner, others would call me cruel. Doesn't change how my cat and I feel about each other!!

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NO WAY WOULD I EVER DO THAT. YOU CAN BUY A PRODUCT CALLED SOFT CLAWS IF SCRATCHING IS A PROBLEM. THEY ARE EASY TO ADHERE AND SHED NATURALLY WITHIN 5-6 WEEKS AND THEN YOU JUST REAPPLY.

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I am all for declawing. It saves the furniture and saves humans from being scratched. They are put to sleep for surgery just like people are. They have little pain afterwards.

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Anyone considering even doing this to a cat, deserves to have their fingers cut of and their bloody toes, see how you like it.

Declawing in my eyes goes with docking dogs tails, I know my area the vets are joining together in banning docking, I may approach them about declawing, I have four cats, they have scratching posts, but still claw the furniture, I have throws that I put over when I have visitors, because I dont like the look of it, but they are cats thats what they do and I chose to have them, well I chose three, the other was a stray, that visited and like the service.

I cant believe any vet would do this, unless for medical reasons.

Cats can survive in the wild, thats why you get ferral cats, factory cats, even some farm cats are wild, its in their nature to be able to survive.

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Declawing is against the law in the UK, and if you know of anyone doing this you should report them to the RSPCA. Declawing is a despicable practice and more action needs to be taken in those countries where it is still permitted. A person who values their furnishings more than their cat should not be allowed to have one. Thank you to "Sarah Pussycat" for raising this issue.

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Visited your pages as suggested and my mind is even clearer that it is a barbaric act. Cats need their claws so why on earth anyone should even consider removing them is beyond my comprehension..so basically a cat has to go thru this operation to save some wierdo selfish assholes furniture..well done you and I hope it goes a long way to dissuade these useless morons from going thru with it tho something tells me they are a lost cause cos they have no heart and no brains!!

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An excellent and informative post which everyone even thinking about declawing should read. I have no idea why some people have voted your post as a thumbs down. I can only assume it is people who are happy to mutilate their pets for their own convenience and vets who are afraid they may lose money if people were to see the light and stop mutilating their cats.

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Declawing a cat or dog is cruel and should be put under animal cruelty, imagine having your nails pulled out

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file the sharp ends off

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My cat was declawed when I got him, and the reason I got him was because he'd become a bloodthirsty biter--he's all better now. but I swear he had nightmares, the poor little thing. He's happy and healthy now, but if someone's going to declaw a cat, I highgly reccommend they give the cat to someone like me who would actually love the cat and take the time to train him rather than causing him the physical and psychological damage of declawing. Thank you for posting this

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Okay, I think it is kind of ridiculous that a lot of people are assuming that getting cats declawed makes me a HORRIBLE person. I have five cats, and they are ALL declawed. But you know what? I adopted all these cats. I saved them from euthanasia, I feed them, I love them, I will keep them inside to sleep on a pillow for the rest of their natural lives, and I have spent almost a thousand dollars in the last six months to take care of them. All I insist on is that they cannot scratch my couch.

They are not unhappy. I have them declawed when I get them altered, and frankly, they didn't miss a beat. I seriously don't think they noticed at all. My cats are not outside, they are not defending themselves, and they aren't serious biters now. We have not experienced any of the horror stories described on this site.

I am not saying that declawing is a nice thing to do. I just think that my actions speak louder than words, and I SAVED these cats.