Declaw housecat?

[seedubs1]

This.

I FULLY understand what's going on when they declaw them. They're chopping off their toes from the front knuckle up. You know what? That's the price to live a damn good life in my house. I won't have cats with claws in my house, and they don't seem to mind getting fed and sleeping all day in a predator-less home with soft couches and beds to sleep on.

They don't go outside, so no worries about them defending themselves. I've also never had issues with them not being able to jump or use their feet after declawing. They act like normal cats. Although they do walk on their feet slightly different since they don't have the tips of their toes anymore.

That said.....I'll never declaw a full grown cat again. We did that once, and it was pretty crappy. He weighed too much and kept opening up his toes and bleeding all over the place because he'd put too much weight on his feet before he healed up. Kittens, though.....not problem.

And we've done the laser one before as well. I don't think it was much different. But I've heard it's supposed to be better. The cat wouldn't tell me his opinion one way or the other, either. Just kept meowing at me for more food

Had strictly indoor house cats all my life. All of them front declaw only. None of them ever changed behavior after the surgery, nor did it seem to effect their abilities. 1/2 Bengal could go from the floor to the top of the fridge and down no problem.
I've had cats that I suppose "trained" better than others, but in general I have never really tried to train a cat to do anything. I don't run a circus. Call me lazy - fine. If I get a cat I expect a furry arrogant sometimes affectionate meow machine that annoys me when i'm trying to sleep or read the paper and wants my ice cream during the 10 o'clock news. Other than using the box, that's it. Yeah, I've had cat's that would fetch and do come cool stuff, but more by luck than anything. You are not going to change anyone's opinion that is anti-declaw but it's your decision. I don't expect anymore cats ever in my house unless my wife wants one. She took the last one passing pretty hard. But if I do - it's getting front declawed.

 

[chezuki]

When claws are outlawed, only outlaws will have claws.

 

[seedubs1]

And to the people that say it's barbaric.....Are you vegan?

 

[ccomstock001]

I'm glad I don't have problems with my cat clawing me. Then again 90% of the time she runs and hides if I move.

 

[chezuki]

And to the people that say it's barbaric.....Are you vegan?

Let's not get retarded...

I love a good steak, but that doesn't mean I'm in favor of lopping off a steer's hooves so it doesn't kick me.

I'd have more respect for someone who humanely butchered and ate cat than someone who mutilates them out of laziness and convenience.

 

[searpinski]

Please read this before deciding. I have two indoor/outdoor cats (they go out sometimes during the day) and they both have full sets of claws. Claws are not only necessary for defense (tree-climbing, swatting a predator/leaf), but very necessary for grooming. Cats are meant to have claws and they can't groom properly without them, which will lead to a very frustrating life. It's very cruel and completely unnecessary to remove their claws.

Our cats do NOT claw our furniture or anything else they aren't supposed to. We provide ample clawing surfaces (post, more posts, more things to scratch) for them. If you don't provide these things, the cat will find something to claw. You must be extremely vigilant when you first get the cat (or cats) to make sure they don't claw the furniture or other things. If the cat begins to claw other things, move them immediately to the post and move their feet back and forth on the post. Spray bottles also work, but only at the time of the clawing.

Also, if you have dogs, please keep the cat food/water separate so that the cats don't feel threatened. They are predators and cautious by nature, very different from dogs.

 

[searpinski]

This.

I FULLY understand what's going on when they declaw them. They're chopping off their toes from the front knuckle up. You know what? That's the price to live a damn good life in my house. I won't have cats with claws in my house, and they don't seem to mind getting fed and sleeping all day in a predator-less home with soft couches and beds to sleep on.

They don't go outside, so no worries about them defending themselves. I've also never had issues with them not being able to jump or use their feet after declawing. They act like normal cats. Although they do walk on their feet slightly different since they don't have the tips of their toes anymore.

That said.....I'll never declaw a full grown cat again. We did that once, and it was pretty crappy. He weighed too much and kept opening up his toes and bleeding all over the place because he'd put too much weight on his feet before he healed up. Kittens, though.....not problem.

And we've done the laser one before as well. I don't think it was much different. But I've heard it's supposed to be better. The cat wouldn't tell me his opinion one way or the other, either. Just kept meowing at me for more food

A life with no stimulation isn't a good life. I wish people would think different about pets. We are their caretakers. It's wrong to have pets for your own pleasure. I will end my rant here.

 

[HoughMade]

I should not have expected anything else, but I must admit I'm surprised by what we choose to spend our moral outrage on.

 

[chezuki]

I should not have expected anything else, but I must admit I'm surprised by what we choose to spend our moral outrage on.

The beauty and curse of spending moral outrage is that it's infinite, you can print your own, and there's no penalty for counterfeiting.

 

[seedubs1]

So you only eat locally raised cow that is humanely raised and slaughtered? Ever eat McDonalds? Ever eat meat from CAFOs? Ever get your meat from a normal grocery store?

Seriously.....Declawing a cat is far less inhumane than 99.9% of livestock treatment. And people who aren't vegans, don't only eat meat they hunted, or don't only eat meat from farms they know and trust have no platform to speak from regarding the ethical treatment of animals.

Let's not get retarded...

I love a good steak, but that doesn't mean I'm in favor of lopping off a steer's hooves so it doesn't kick me.

I'd have more respect for someone who humanely butchered and ate cat than someone who mutilates them out of laziness and convenience.

 

[JettaKnight]

Let's not get retarded...

I love a good steak, but that doesn't mean I'm in favor of lopping off a steer's hooves so it doesn't kick me.

I'd have more respect for someone who humanely butchered and ate cat than someone who mutilates them out of laziness and convenience.

How do you think the steer got to be a steer?

We lop of lamb's tails, too.

A life with no stimulation isn't a good life. I wish people would think different about pets. We are their caretakers. It's wrong to have pets for your own pleasure. I will end my rant here.

I hope I'm misunderstanding this.

The word is "pet".

 

[eldirector]

Meh. I'm sure all the "save the claws" folks give their little girl kitties a pill every day, and have these cute little kitty condoms for the boys. Seeing as how removing body parts is the lazy way out.

 

[seedubs1]

My cats have plenty of stimulation. They have shelves I put on the walls for them to climb, multiple scratching posts, automatic toys, normal toys to bat around, and I use a flying toy to wear them out daily.

My stance remains. But thanks for trying to make my input look like it's coming from someone that just leaves his pets in a bare box and doesn't give a **** about them.

I also volunteer at an animal shelter. You want to talk about no stimulation? It's one cat in one small cat carrier for 23+ hours per day. THAT is an unstimulated environment. We quite literally have cats that come in nice cats, and after some time, they're un-adoptable.

So, my rule is: For a cat to live in my house, it will be de-clawed. I view it as a hell of a lot better than the alternative.

A life with no stimulation isn't a good life. I wish people would think different about pets. We are their caretakers. It's wrong to have pets for your own pleasure. I will end my rant here.

 

[HoughMade]

The beauty and curse of spending moral outrage is that it's infinite, you can print your own, and there's no penalty for counterfeiting.

How true....demonstrated in this thread handily.

Meh. I'm sure all the "save the claws" folks give their little girl kitties a pill every day, and have these cute little kitty condoms for the boys. Seeing as how removing body parts is the lazy way out....

 

[rhino]

The claw or no claw issue is moot if you don't allow cats to infest your living space in the first place.

 

[oldpink]

Let's not get retarded...

I love a good steak, but that doesn't mean I'm in favor of lopping off a steer's hooves so it doesn't kick me.

I'd have more respect for someone who humanely butchered and ate cat than someone who mutilates them out of laziness and convenience.

Really?
Shall we go into how the steers that are turned into the vast majority of the beef we eat are made into steers?
How about the process of de-horning cattle, with one method involving a red hot wire wrapped around the horn bases to sear it off, followed by sawing the horn off?
How about de-tusking hogs, which my dad personally had to do on several occasions, which involved throwing a loop over the hog's snout, then chopping the tusks off with a pair of lopping sheers?
I dare say that de-clawing cats is quite a bit more humane than these and many other practices, and not everyone in this world has the ability, time, or a cat with the temperament to refrain from clawing or scratching household goods.

 

[seedubs1]

But...but...but.....cats are cute, so they get a different level of treatment.

Never mind the fact that pigs are one of the smartest animals out there (cats are not).

Really?
Shall we go into how the steers that are turned into the vast majority of the beef we eat are made into steers?
How about the process of de-horning cattle, with one method involving a red hot wire wrapped around the horn bases to sear it off, followed by sawing the horn off?
How about de-tusking hogs, which my dad personally had to do on several occasions, which involved throwing a loop over the hog's snout, then chopping the tusks off with a pair of lopping sheers?
I dare say that de-clawing cats is quite a bit more humane than these and many other practices, and not everyone in this world has the ability, time, or a cat with the temperament to refrain from clawing or scratching household goods.

 

[padawan]

I guess I need to re-think my Siamese cat position... We need a sign that reads 'never mind the dog, beware of Siamese cats'. These guys growl and hear a car pulling in before the dogs. They are full CCW with finely tuned instruments of pain. (claws). We just use nail clippers to cut the points off.

 

[seedubs1]

I've had two Siamese. Both were incredibly intelligent.....and would cause a ruckus if they got frustrated at anything.

I guess I need to re-think my Siamese cat position... We need a sign that reads 'never mind the dog, beware of Siamese cats'. These guys growl and hear a car pulling in before the dogs. They are full CCW with finely tuned instruments of pain. (claws). We just use nail clippers to cut the points off.

 

[tsilveus]

Always declaw. Father In Law is a vet, he always declaws. Just be careful when they are older.