# Opinions on Declawing Cats...



## MayasMommy (Jan 12, 2008)

What is your opinion on declawing cats?


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## Rachel's Mom (Feb 26, 2007)

MayasMommy said:


> What is your opinion on declawing cats?


declawing is like cutting the top portion of the toes off....I personally would never do it....


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## LOVEisGOLDEN (Jan 4, 2008)

i think it is ok in some cases-IF it is done correctly, no clipped toes, no pulled nails, must be completely removed & NEVER allowed outside of the house. If a cat is a danger to itself or damaging things to the point of rehomeing-i'm ok with it.


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## Emmysourgolden (Oct 10, 2007)

Our cat is declawed and not alowed outside. Before we got it declawed he would go outside and got attacked by another animal. He came home and we really thought he wasn't going to make it. So now he is an all time inside cat.


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## Jellybean's mom (Jul 6, 2007)

LOVEisGOLDEN said:


> i think it is ok in some cases-IF it is done correctly, no clipped toes, no pulled nails, must be completely removed & NEVER allowed outside of the house. If a cat is a danger to itself or damaging things to the point of rehomeing-i'm ok with it.


Sorry, I don't understand. Declawing a cat is always removing the tip of the toe. It equates to removing our fingers to the knuckle near our nails. Seeing cats right after surgery convinced me to never, ever declaw a cat again. To me it was just tortuous.


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## Merlins mom (Jun 20, 2007)

I'm not okay with it, would never do it. It would be like cutting off fingers at the first knuckle. It's very painful for the cat.

You can keep the claws clipped, and there's also some caps that can be used, though I don't know much them.


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

The cats I grew up with didn't need it, thank goodness. They were good about using the cat pole.


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## MayasMommy (Jan 12, 2008)

I am definitely not for declawing cats, even if they are indoor cats. I was curious to see everyone else's opinion, because I know people who absolutely refuse to believe that declawing is unhumane.


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## Merlins mom (Jun 20, 2007)

Jellybean's mom said:


> Sorry, I don't understand. Declawing a cat is always removing the tip of the toe. It equates to removing our fingers to the knuckle near our nails. Seeing cats right after surgery convinced me to never, ever declaw a cat again. To me it was just tortuous.


My vet won't do it. Hasn't for years.


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

After I moved out I took in a stray kitten that turned out to be a cat that unpredictably attacked us. We put an ad in the paper as this cat was dangerous to our kids and really left some damage on us.

I wonder even now how that cat did in its new home. Perhaps its being passed around. Perhaps in that case declawing could have been the answer.

Though I personally would not want a cat that attacked even with no claws.


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## LOVEisGOLDEN (Jan 4, 2008)

Jellybean's mom said:


> Sorry, I don't understand. Declawing a cat is always removing the tip of the toe. It equates to removing our fingers to the knuckle near our nails. Seeing cats right after surgery convinced me to never, ever declaw a cat again. To me it was just tortuous.


our cat ripped one of his ears off with his clipped back toe nails. I worked at the vet at that time & sat in on the surgery. They used a laser & cut each toe from the bottom, at the knuckle, just sliced each toe and took out the nail. He had 3 stitches in each toe, they didn't cut his toes off.


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## MayasMommy (Jan 12, 2008)

My vet ENCOURAGES declawing.

I'm actually going to be looking for a new vet.


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

i think declawing cats is inhumane and cruel. i would never do that to a cat, and had a cat with claws with not a problem. just keep the claws trimmed and its all good.


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## Thor's Mom (Feb 25, 2007)

A cat's only defense is it's claws. If it ever gets outside (whether it's an "indoor" cat or not) it will need them to defend itself. If you don't trust a cat with claws, don't get a cat - it's that simple.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

Sick and cruel....


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## jm2319 (Dec 14, 2007)

I would never declaw. I've heard that not only is it extremely painful, but it may alter their personality and cause a once confident happy cat to be more prone to biting, become shy and fearful, as well as possible litterbox problems.


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## Sunshine Goldens (Oct 31, 2005)

OUCH! To me it seems cruel. I always trimmed my cat's claws myself.


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## Jersey's Mom (Nov 25, 2007)

Thor's Mom said:


> A cat's only defense is it's claws. If it ever gets outside (whether it's an "indoor" cat or not) it will need them to defend itself. If you don't trust a cat with claws, don't get a cat - it's that simple.


That's exactly what I was thinking. I don't know anything about the surgery... personally I've never owned a cat... my sister had one, it scratched me across the face (because I was being a brat and following it around on its first day in our house, when it was skittish to begin with. I know it wasn't the cat's fault, but they still kind of scare me a little). One of my neighbors had declawed their cat years ago. I think they only did the front claws so that if the cat got out it would "still be able to defend itself" I never really got that logic... there's not much reach with the back legs... by the time the cat could reach its attacker to scratch it the poor cat could be swallowed whole :doh:. 

Julie and Jersey


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## Emmysourgolden (Oct 10, 2007)

I guess I'm the odd ball. Our cat, Benny is declawed and he did fine even right after the surgery. He's still very friendly, infact, sometimes I think he thinks he's a dog, too.


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## Sunny Delight (Mar 10, 2007)

LOVEisGOLDEN said:


> I worked at the vet at that time & sat in on the surgery. They used a laser & cut each toe from the bottom, at the knuckle, just sliced each toe and took out the nail. He had 3 stitches in each toe, they didn't cut his toes off.


Intersting. Some new science? I worked at a vet way back in the early 90's and they literally used the big nail clippers we use for the dogs, only to chop through the bone! The cat's had huge bandages up their legs for three days, has their remaining toes "sewn" closed with a surgical crazy glue of sorts, and then they still had to stay in the hospital for three days. I would always inquire when owners dropped off their cats if they fully understood the surgery. If they did and were totally fine with that being done to their cat, it made me feel very uncomfortable. 

You don't like cat claws, don't get cats. Period. Luckily for myself, I'm highly allergic to cats, and I happen to dislike them as well. There will be no cats in this household!! (No offense to cat owners. I do see how people can love them. )


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## K.J. (Nov 30, 2007)

I would never do it. I would give the cat to the shelter before declawing. IMO, it is unbelievably selfish to permanently hurt a cat just because you don't like your sofa ruined. It's part of the ownership. You don't see us ripping off the jaws of our Goldens just because they put everything in their mouth...


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## Zookeepermama (Nov 12, 2007)

IMHO declawing is cruel, but I also believe clipping the tails and ears on boxers (and other breeds like that) is cruel too...


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## Ardeagold (Feb 26, 2007)

None of our cats are declawed. They all live inside. I haven't had a cat declawed in at least 25 years......once I learned what declawing really means.

A lot of cats who are declawed learn to bite to defend themselves. That's worse by far!

If you have dogs and cats.....the cats teach dogs very quickly not to mess with them. And if they're outdoor cats (ever), they need those claws.


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## abbiesgolden (Dec 22, 2007)

I did have my cat declawed and he never walked right after that. So my opinion - I'd never do it to another cat again! They have those soft paw things that you can put on their claws or with a little help you can trim them.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

I don't believe in declawing cats due to the extensive surgery they undergo. 

Having said this, I have a friend who declaws all of her cats or adopts those who are already declawed, and she HATES that my cats are indoor/outdoor cats. So I try to remember, not everyone will agree with me.


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## Charlie06 (Feb 10, 2007)

I have a 10 yr old and a 6 yr old persians. They are both declawed and we NEVER outside. I wasn't worried about my sofa when I got it done. They both got declawed when they were neutered. I guess my opinion was if it was inhumane, they why would most vets do it. I'm sure I would not have had them declawed if I saw how it was done though. They did not get aggressive or have ever bitten after it was done.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Charlie06 said:


> I have a 10 yr old and a 6 yr old persians. They are both declawed and we NEVER outside. I wasn't worried about my sofa when I got it done. They both got declawed when they were neutered. I guess my opinion was if it was inhumane, they why would most vets do it. I'm sure I would not have had them declawed if I saw how it was done though. They did not get aggressive or have ever bitten after it was done.


I know a number of Vets who won't perform the procedure anymore. 

My cats go outdoors and they are both 12 years old now, but they are not declawed. I have some ruined furniture. I just grin and go on...


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## Charlie06 (Feb 10, 2007)

Kimm said:


> I know a number of Vets who won't perform the procedure anymore.
> 
> My cats go outdoors and they are both 12 years old now, but they are not declawed. I have some ruined furniture. I just grin and go on...


lol, if I was worried about furniture getting ruined, I would have stopped after 1 animal......and not have got married.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

I did it for the my first cat not knowing what they did to the cat. She was a really outgoing cat before that and afterward became really shy. I always thought it was because of it. I got my second cat from the shelter and he was already declawed. When my hubby found our last cat as a kitten, I decided this one was not going to be declawed. Hubby and I went around and when he relized what they did. She is also alot smaller than the other cats about half their size. They all get along great and have never had an instance when the clawed one hurt the declawed one. I do have one problem with the declawed one scratching on the door frame of the garage door but we can always replace it. I will never do it to another cat and am sorry that my cats were done.


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## Kzwicker (Aug 14, 2007)

I wouldnt do it.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Charlie06 said:


> lol, if I was worried about furniture getting ruined, I would have stopped after 1 animal......and not have got married.


I hear you. The chair the cat ruined was brand new and even though it's about 12 years old still looks brand new, except for the missing corners! The couch was still brand new until the boys (2 GR's and two cats) were given their own room! Throw in two sons and DH...


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

I'm dead set against it. In my own personal opinion, it's cruel and unecessary.
And if worst comes to worst, you can buy these soft plastic caps that fit right over their claws.


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## Charlie06 (Feb 10, 2007)

Here's one of my guys. If I had to do it over again, the claws would stay.


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## Jackson'sMom (Oct 13, 2007)

Zookeepermama said:


> IMHO declawing is cruel, but I also believe clipping the tails and ears on boxers (and other breeds like that) is cruel too...



I agree 100% with everything you said.


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## Mrs_B (Jan 21, 2008)

We have an indoor only cat and we use Soft Paws (nail cap). They are easy to maintain. She does not seem to mind them.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

Thor's Mom said:


> A cat's only defense is it's claws. If it ever gets outside (whether it's an "indoor" cat or not) it will need them to defend itself. If you don't trust a cat with claws, don't get a cat - it's that simple.


A big word in my vocabulary is compromise.
Instead of getting rid of the claws, why not trim them on a regular basis?


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

*What do you have against cats?*



Sunny Delight said:


> Intersting. Some new science? I worked at a vet way back in the early 90's and they literally used the big nail clippers we use for the dogs, only to chop through the bone! The cat's had huge bandages up their legs for three days, has their remaining toes "sewn" closed with a surgical crazy glue of sorts, and then they still had to stay in the hospital for three days. I would always inquire when owners dropped off their cats if they fully understood the surgery. If they did and were totally fine with that being done to their cat, it made me feel very uncomfortable.
> 
> You don't like cat claws, don't get cats. Period. Luckily for myself, I'm highly allergic to cats, and I happen to dislike them as well. There will be no cats in this household!! (No offense to cat owners. I do see how people can love them. )


If you had one, you might change your mind!


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

Kimm said:


> I know a number of Vets who won't perform the procedure anymore.
> 
> My cats go outdoors and they are both 12 years old now, but they are not declawed. I have some ruined furniture. I just grin and go on...


I have scratching posts and "sticky tape" on some furniture.


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## Goldmom42 (Oct 17, 2007)

Our first cat didn't need to be declawed and the one we have now destroyed my furniture, wallpaper, etc. I tried everything but finally had to have her declawed. I couldn't afford to replace my living room furniture every year.


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

i think many cats can be unpleasant and unloving "pets" who are completely aloof and have no regard for their humans lol... that being said, i have always had extremely loving and cuddly cats, who loved to be next to me and purr away as i scratched their ears... i have been a cat lover since day 1 when i came home from the hospital and my mom's kitty rubbed against me purring away like a tugboat. as soon as i was old enough to crawl she was MY cat and was until the day she died 11 years later

my boyfriend is severely allergic to cats, and it really bums me out that i may never be able to enjoy the love of a kitty again.

oh, and as i already said, declawing cats is in my opinion VERY cruel and unnecessary.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

missmarstar said:


> i think many cats can be unpleasant and unloving "pets" who are completely aloof and have no regard for their humans lol... that being said, i have always had extremely loving and cuddly cats, who loved to be next to me and purr away as i scratched their ears... i have been a cat lover since day 1 when i came home from the hospital and my mom's kitty rubbed against me purring away like a tugboat. as soon as i was old enough to crawl she was MY cat and was until the day she died 11 years later
> 
> my boyfriend is severely allergic to cats, and it really bums me out that i may never be able to enjoy the love of a kitty again.
> 
> oh, and as i already said, declawing cats is in my opinion VERY cruel and unnecessary.


I know someone who is married to someone who is allergic to cats.
She has three of them and he takes alergy shots.


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## Charlie06 (Feb 10, 2007)

I'm allergic to my cats, not severely, but enough to take allergy meds everyday, all year long.


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

Judi said:


> I know someone who is married to someone who is allergic to cats.
> She has three of them and he takes alergy shots.


his cat allergy is so severe that he would need to have an allergy shot every other day in order to live with a cat. at first i thought he was just feeding me a line of BS because he didn't like cats, but then he took me with him to his dr once so i could hear it myself lol 

as much as i love having cats, i would not feel right about subjecting him to getting poked with a needle every other day of his life.. and luckily he is not at all allergic to dogs..


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## Charlie06 (Feb 10, 2007)

missmarstar said:


> his cat allergy is so severe that he would need to have an allergy shot every other day in order to live with a cat. at first i thought he was just feeding me a line of BS because he didn't like cats, but then he took me with him to his dr once so i could hear it myself lol
> 
> as much as i love having cats, i would not feel right about subjecting him to getting poked with a needle every other day of his life.. and luckily he is not at all allergic to dogs..


so then you be OK with him getting poked with a needle every other day?..  I know I would...lol


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

plus i think Sam would torment a cat... lol i think he needs to be an only child for a while, and maybe get a doggie brother someday in the future.. 

ok didnt mean to hijack this thread..... don't declaw!! declawing cats, while inhumane to begin with, can sometimes lead to other complications. a declawed cat has the potential to not want to use its litterbox, because after the painful surgery, when trying to dig in the litter and its SO painful on their little paws, they associate the pain with their litterbox from then on and start to pee all over the house instead. animal shelters see countless declawed cats turned in to them by their owners who say they simply wont use the litter box anymore all of a sudden and they can't deal with it. so which would you rather have.... a little bit of scratched furniture or cat pee all over the house?!?!? lol


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

missmarstar said:


> i would not feel right about subjecting him to getting poked with a needle every other day of his life..


:wavey::wavey::wavey:It's really not so bad getting stuck every day. Sometimes it depends on the reason you are getting stuck though. I wear a needle in me 24/7.


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## Bailey & Bentley (Feb 25, 2007)

Any cat I have ever had my whole life, my mom had declawed. The cats never had any problems. Personally, I don't think it is the nicest thing to do, but if you are going to keep them inside, then I understand why you would do it. If you let the cat outside with no claws, then that is just wrong.


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## cody (Dec 10, 2007)

I would never declaw my cat. I forget who mentioned them, but if she was having a lot of trouble on using her post and clawing my furniture I would use the soft claws after trying double sided tape.


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## riddle03 (Jun 9, 2005)

Having two cats (I trim their nails) and sat in on countless declaws at work , it is one of the most barbaric things I have seen. I would never do it to my cats. But everyone is entitled to their own feelings.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Zookeepermama said:


> IMHO declawing is cruel, but I also believe clipping the tails and ears on boxers (and other breeds like that) is cruel too...


I totally agree.


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## Lisa_and_Willow. (Dec 18, 2007)

Declawing isn't done in the UK which I am very glad about. Most cats around here are outdoor/indoor kitties.

Ear cropping is never something done here either and last year tail docking was banned!!!


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## Taz Monkey (Feb 25, 2007)

All 7 of my cats are 100% indoor cats. 2 are declawed, because "that's just what we did". All mycats growing up were declawed so I saw no problem with it, so I went ahead and did my first 2 cats. Then I researched it. All cats that have come through my door have had all their claws. Declawing, IMO, is pure laziness on the humans part. A cat can be trained to scratch on appropriate things, and leave valuable things alone. I don't care what anyone says. With the amount of cats I've had come through my house, you'd think I'd have at least one piece of ruined furniture, wouldn't you? I don't, because I take them time to clip nails, figure out what kinds of things the different cats like to scratch on, and provide plenty of entertainment. I'm sorry I did my first 2, but fortunately neither had any side affects, but I think I was lucky.


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

From what I see online (there are seemingly unbiased studies out there), most cats do well after surgery. And I see 87 to 95% of the owner/cat relations are improved. A small percentge of cats increased biting but even in those case (according to this study) owner/cat relations were improved. So for those owners the problem were lessoned or solved even with a cat that bites more.

So wouldn't in certain cases this might be an operation that helps a problem cat keep a home? And quite frankly...if I had truely expensive furniture...the cat would have to adjust. If a cat starts ripping $10,000 in furniture that cat won't be staying in most people's homes. 

The cats I grew up with did fine in the house. But a couple of strays I picked up I had to rehome. They had..."issues".

Its not an easy thing to face, but pets...are kept at our own pleasure. The better the relationship, the less people are hurt from an attack happy cat and the fewer sofas that are ripped, the better chance a cat or dog is not taken to a shelter. 

Heres the studies...some are hard to weed through.http://www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB/Proceedings/PR05000/PR00016.htm


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## goldengirl71 (Jan 20, 2008)

I think there are lots of other options (plastic tips that can be put on by your vet, etc...).... You can say you are never going to let your cat outside, but let's face it ... sometimes they achieve the great escape ... if that happens and they don't have any claws, then they are utterly defenseless. I have also heard it is very traumatic - an amputation. I talked to my vet when we had our cat and he gave me some great advice on how to stop scratching ... the stuff I did (moving the scratch post beside the furniture the cat was interested in and spraying the cat with a spray bottle filled with water if it scratched where it wasn't supposed to) all worked for us.


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## MILLIESMOM (Aug 13, 2006)

_Oh My I do not know how someone could do this to their poor cat. I had cats for years and right from the get go they were taught not to scratch the furniture or climb the curtains. Mine also knew what downstairs meant when we were getting ready to go out or to bed. That is where their food and litter box was. I had a heating pad for them to lay on and my one cat loved to sleep on top of the water heater._


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## MILLIESMOM (Aug 13, 2006)

_I wish they would ban it here. I worked for a vet when I was in High School and when we were first married. Those poor babies, some people brought their dogs in at the age of twelve weeks and had their tails docked. I used to hold and comfort them I felt so sorry for them._


Lisa_and_Willow. said:


> Declawing isn't done in the UK which I am very glad about. Most cats around here are outdoor/indoor kitties.
> 
> Ear cropping is never something done here either and last year tail docking was banned!!!


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## ILoveAMonster (Nov 11, 2007)

Merlins mom said:


> You can keep the claws clipped, and there's also some caps that can be used, though I don't know much them.





sbechtold said:


> We have an indoor only cat and we use Soft Paws (nail cap). They are easy to maintain. She does not seem to mind them.





cody said:


> I would never declaw my cat. I forget who mentioned them, but if she was having a lot of trouble on using her post and clawing my furniture I would use the soft claws after trying double sided tape.


 
Ok..my boyfriend's family has one cat that had a complication with her declawing and never jumped up on her cat..house thing whatever those things are again. Both cats are completely indoor (except for the rare treat of going "outside" completely supervised in a fenced in backyard.)
Their other cat is about three and he is not declawed. They trim the nails on a very regular basis and use those soft caps. The soft caps are great...but when you have to put more on, on a daily basis, it's just not very practical.
They've tried buying several of the scratching posts and door hands and many other means for the cat to scratch but he just doesn't do it. They've done the double sided tape as well as the "no scratch" spray.
I'm pretty sure they're going to go through with the declawing, just because they are running out of options, the cat is destroying the furniture.
Since I'm here, do any cat owners have any new advice that I haven't previously mentioned?

Oh, and just for fun...here's a picture of the older cat...Tera. I took it last November.












OH! and while we're on the subject...not to hyjack this...but does anyone have any advice on getting a cat to lose weight. Especially in a home where one cat is particularly thin and the other is fat?


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

I'm not against declawing but I've never grown up with a cat that couldn't be trained to use the scratching post. I'm sure some people here have some tips on that. (I was pretty young at the time)


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## Emma&Tilly (May 15, 2005)

Declawing cats is illegal over here...as is ear cropping and tail docking....we have the right idea if you ask me!! (although I can see the need for tail docking in some situations) I am shocked at the amount of unnecessary and cruel procedures you can get away with in other countries...

Every cat owner in this country can cope with the cat AND their claws and I have never heard of it being an issue with any cat owners I know...infact Im sure most cat owners would be disgusted at the very thought of it!


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## Emma&Tilly (May 15, 2005)

...add debarking to that list aswell...now that one I am truly APPALLED at...I cannot believe it is legal in some places...turns my stomach...


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

I'm really not for or against....but I agree that a declawed cat shouldn't be allowed outside at all.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

I am against declawing. I have had many cats over the years and have never had a big problem with their nails. If you have a big scratching condo, all of mine have used it.

I did vote "under some circumstances" only because if it is a matter of the owner putting the cat down or dumping him or having the cat declawed, then I would rather see the cat declawed. I believe it is harder to place a cat into a new home than a dog.


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

My cat has front claws removed, is always indoors. We saw no difference in behavior after surgery...except when he sharpens his claws on the sofa, it leaves no marks.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

Goldmom42 said:


> Our first cat didn't need to be declawed and the one we have now destroyed my furniture, wallpaper, etc. I tried everything but finally had to have her declawed. I couldn't afford to replace my living room furniture every year.


That bothers me. I wonder if you sought advice from your Vet for more alternatives? Perhaps you might have given your cat to the local Humane Society.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

missmarstar said:


> his cat allergy is so severe that he would need to have an allergy shot every other day in order to live with a cat. at first i thought he was just feeding me a line of BS because he didn't like cats, but then he took me with him to his dr once so i could hear it myself lol
> 
> as much as i love having cats, i would not feel right about subjecting him to getting poked with a needle every other day of his life.. and luckily he is not at all allergic to dogs..


You sound like a very loving and thoughtful person.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

Charlie06 said:


> so then you be OK with him getting poked with a needle every other day?..  I know I would...lol


This is NOT funny!


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

missmarstar said:


> plus i think Sam would torment a cat... lol i think he needs to be an only child for a while, and maybe get a doggie brother someday in the future..
> 
> ok didnt mean to hijack this thread..... don't declaw!! declawing cats, while inhumane to begin with, can sometimes lead to other complications. a declawed cat has the potential to not want to use its litterbox, because after the painful surgery, when trying to dig in the litter and its SO painful on their little paws, they associate the pain with their litterbox from then on and start to pee all over the house instead. animal shelters see countless declawed cats turned in to them by their owners who say they simply wont use the litter box anymore all of a sudden and they can't deal with it. so which would you rather have.... a little bit of scratched furniture or cat pee all over the house?!?!? lol


This is sadly interesting.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

Bailey & Bentley said:


> Any cat I have ever had my whole life, my mom had declawed. The cats never had any problems. Personally, I don't think it is the nicest thing to do, but if you are going to keep them inside, then I understand why you would do it. If you let the cat outside with no claws, then that is just wrong.


An "inside" cat can sneak out due to curiosity.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

riddle03 said:


> Having two cats (I trim their nails) and sat in on countless declaws at work , it is one of the most barbaric things I have seen. I would never do it to my cats. But everyone is entitled to their own feelings.


I am not sure everyone is entitled to their own feelings at the expense of someone else.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

fostermom said:


> I totally agree.


Two or more wrongs don't make a right.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

Lisa_and_Willow. said:


> Declawing isn't done in the UK which I am very glad about. Most cats around here are outdoor/indoor kitties.
> 
> Ear cropping is never something done here either and last year tail docking was banned!!!


Sounds like a good place.
Two wrongs don't make a right.
Just because tails are clipped doesn't make it right to declaw.
See previous posts as to what I am referring to.
This is not totally aimed at the writer of this post.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

Taz Monkey said:


> All 7 of my cats are 100% indoor cats. 2 are declawed, because "that's just what we did". All mycats growing up were declawed so I saw no problem with it, so I went ahead and did my first 2 cats. Then I researched it. All cats that have come through my door have had all their claws. Declawing, IMO, is pure laziness on the humans part. A cat can be trained to scratch on appropriate things, and leave valuable things alone. I don't care what anyone says. With the amount of cats I've had come through my house, you'd think I'd have at least one piece of ruined furniture, wouldn't you? I don't, because I take them time to clip nails, figure out what kinds of things the different cats like to scratch on, and provide plenty of entertainment. I'm sorry I did my first 2, but fortunately neither had any side affects, but I think I was lucky.


I like your honesty and am glad you seemed to have learned a lesson.
To some extent, it's like me getting my first two Goldens from Breeders.
Although I loved them so much, I don't know if I would ever go to a breeder again when there are so many homeless Goldens available.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

Lucky's mom said:


> From what I see online (there are seemingly unbiased studies out there), most cats do well after surgery. And I see 87 to 95% of the owner/cat relations are improved. A small percentge of cats increased biting but even in those case (according to this study) owner/cat relations were improved. So for those owners the problem were lessoned or solved even with a cat that bites more.
> 
> So wouldn't in certain cases this might be an operation that helps a problem cat keep a home? And quite frankly...if I had truely expensive furniture...the cat would have to adjust. If a cat starts ripping $10,000 in furniture that cat won't be staying in most people's homes.
> 
> ...


A pet being taken to a shelter is better than being put on the street.
My older Golden was found on a busy street. Some nice woman took him in and saved his life.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

ILoveAMonster said:


> Ok..my boyfriend's family has one cat that had a complication with her declawing and never jumped up on her cat..house thing whatever those things are again. Both cats are completely indoor (except for the rare treat of going "outside" completely supervised in a fenced in backyard.)
> Their other cat is about three and he is not declawed. They trim the nails on a very regular basis and use those soft caps. The soft caps are great...but when you have to put more on, on a daily basis, it's just not very practical.
> They've tried buying several of the scratching posts and door hands and many other means for the cat to scratch but he just doesn't do it. They've done the double sided tape as well as the "no scratch" spray.
> I'm pretty sure they're going to go through with the declawing, just because they are running out of options, the cat is destroying the furniture.
> ...


Beautiful cat.
The one objection I have with taking a cat outside under supervision is that it may increase their curiosity and he or she may try to get out even more than before being taken out carefully.
As far as losing weight goes... My younger Golden lost about 40 pounds with the help of Prescription diet food. I am pretty sure that there is Prescription Diet food available for cats too.
Good luck.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

Emma&Tilly said:


> Declawing cats is illegal over here...as is ear cropping and tail docking....we have the right idea if you ask me!! (although I can see the need for tail docking in some situations) I am shocked at the amount of unnecessary and cruel procedures you can get away with in other countries...
> 
> Every cat owner in this country can cope with the cat AND their claws and I have never heard of it being an issue with any cat owners I know...infact Im sure most cat owners would be disgusted at the very thought of it!


I wish everyone would be disgusted with the very thought of it!


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

Emma&Tilly said:


> ...add debarking to that list aswell...now that one I am truly APPALLED at...I cannot believe it is legal in some places...turns my stomach...


Me too! So many people accept these things!
Last night, I heard on the news that there is a Horse Rescue.
After horses are not good to run at the track, many are tortured, killed and sent to other countries for meet!


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

cubbysan said:


> I am against declawing. I have had many cats over the years and have never had a big problem with their nails. If you have a big scratching condo, all of mine have used it.
> 
> I did vote "under some circumstances" only because if it is a matter of the owner putting the cat down or dumping him or having the cat declawed, then I would rather see the cat declawed. I believe it is harder to place a cat into a new home than a dog.


I think that sometimes it is better to "dump the cat" although I wouldn't have put it that way. I wouldn't put the poor defenseless cat on the street. ( My neighbor lost two cats and we found two bodies in our backyard) I would consider bringing the cat to a Humane Society.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

lgnutah said:


> My cat has front claws removed, is always indoors. We saw no difference in behavior after surgery...except when he sharpens his claws on the sofa, it leaves no marks.


Yet, it bothers me what the cat must have gone through to lose those claws.


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

Judi said:


> Two or more wrongs don't make a right.


Three lefts DO make a right though...


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## Carsonsdaddy (Nov 1, 2006)

RickGibbs said:


> Three lefts DO make a right though...


True....good point... 




...I think. :gotme:


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## Charlie06 (Feb 10, 2007)

Judi said:


> This is NOT funny!


Or is it?  btw, it was a joke. Sorry if I "offended" you


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

I am not concerned about being offended.
I am concerned over the cats.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

RickGibbs said:


> Three lefts DO make a right though...


Ha Ha!
This is a topic that I really feel deeply about.
Seriously.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

Carsonsdaddy said:


> True....good point...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This is an important and serious topic.


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

Judi said:


> This is an important and serious topic.


I don't think my throwing a joke out there is making it any less serious. People joke around in my highly serious Hijack This thread, and I never get mad about it...


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## Charlie06 (Feb 10, 2007)

RickGibbs said:


> I don't think my throwing a joke out there is making it any less serious. People joke around in my highly serious Hijack This thread, and I never get mad about it...


I agree Rick. You need some humor every once in a while or you'll become a bitter mean person.


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## Carsonsdaddy (Nov 1, 2006)

Charlie06 said:


> I agree Rick. You need some humor every once in a while or you'll become a bitter mean person.


Rick IS a mean bitter person.... Have you seen that Hijack This thread?!?!


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

Carsonsdaddy said:


> Rick IS a mean bitter person.... Have you seen that Hijack This thread?!?!


I am so not mean or bitter. I'm just looking out for the integrity of a serious thread.


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## Old Gold Mum2001 (Feb 25, 2007)

As much as I'd like to on occasion (when he tries to use my leg as a scratching post) I could never do that to him, or any other kitty.


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## Old Gold Mum2001 (Feb 25, 2007)

Lucky's mom said:


> After I moved out I took in a stray kitten that turned out to be a cat that unpredictably attacked us. We put an ad in the paper as this cat was dangerous to our kids and really left some damage on us.
> 
> I wonder even now how that cat did in its new home. Perhaps its being passed around. Perhaps in that case declawing could have been the answer.
> 
> Though I personally would not want a cat that attacked even with no claws.


My ex adopted a cat thru the humane society that had been declawed. One of the most vicious cats I've ever known. That one sure didn't need claws to attack/or defend!


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## MayasMommy (Jan 12, 2008)

Judi said:


> .


Please do not attack every single person who's opinion differs from yours. The entire point of this thread is to get people's honest opinions about declawing, and I'm afraid that some people may not be as honest because they are afraid that they are going to be harrassed. I understand that this is a very serious topic, but that does not mean that anyone has the right to be angry with other people for joking around or having a different opinion.

I'm sorry, but I feel that it is very important that people are allowed to share their opinions without being told that they're wrong. Please allow others to share their opinions, even if they are different than yours.


Thank you!


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