Declaw Kitty or Not?

Our house seemed a little empty after we lost our cat and one of our dogs last year, so... Last night my wife, daughter and 100 lb yellow lab came home form the animal shelter with a spayed, year old, very petite kitty. This was one of the only cats brave enough to go nose to nose with our beast of a dog.

Kitty seems right at home already, today, as though she's been with us for a long time. She kept waking me by walking over my face or racing around the room and bed before I got up. So far she's gentle and hasn't used her claws. My son is making a scratching post and our dog wants to play (he got along well with our last cat).

What's your advice regarding front claws - should they stay or should they go? I'd prefer not to put kitty through the pain, but if she ruins our furniture and stereo speakers, I'll regret not being proactive. Should we wait and see and hope toys and a scratching post will work?

Thanks, experts.

noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I used to have a couple of cats and I had them declawed. In retrospect I would've waited a little longer before deciding, after exhausting all other possibilities including scratching posts and training.

You might want to read this this statement about declawing and them look into training options. Good luck whatever you do. I'm an animal lover myself and I commend you for wanting to do the right thing.

Don't declaw. It's difficult to train a cat, but you can. Provide an alternative (scratching post, etc). Get a vet to show you how to trim her claws with everyday nail clippers. It won't eliminate damage, but will lessen it.

If you let her out (or if she gets out) she'll really need her claws.

It Depends,

I have three kitties Two we had their front paws declawed and the third we found with ALL his paws declawed. Somebody threw him out after they declawed him and he couldn't hunt for himself. We saved his life by inviting him into our home.

The other two were rescued as kittens and never had to hunt for food. We made the decision to have their front paws declawed to save on furniture. But, If I were to do it again, I wouldn't. It is very traumatic to the cats and has been linked to behavorial problems with them. Like I said, I wouldn't do it again myself, but if it came between say, keeping an animal and having it's claws removed or having it put down(not to imply you would do this) because it destroyed your furniture, I think removing the claws are the lesser of two evils. I would recommend doing some reading on owning a cat(or cats) and about their discipline. Simply letting them know what their limits are can help tremendously. They are very quirky little creatures but a real joy to have.

Please, do not de-claw your cat.

The following may sound harsh and I do not mean it to. It's also not meant as judgement against those who have had their cats de-clawed. It's just my opinion. Don't get me started on crate training and pets in apartments either. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Anyhow, if people cannot or will not tolerate some clawed up furniture, or think a cat with claws is a possible hazard to their children ....... then don't get a cat.

The best thing you can do is to clip the sharp tip off the claw of your kitty manually. Do this routinely, until the kitty think it's the norm. I have two cats that will gladly spend their evening with me one on one on a claw clipping session. The amount to clip off is 1/4 of the total length to be safe. Do this once a month and your kitty will be happy and your furniture will thank you.

Hi Jay,

If you decide not to declaw, don't use nail clippers. Go to petco (or similar) and pick yourself up a pair of $5-10 claw trimmers. They're much easier to use and put the cutting pressure all around instead of just the sides.

I use these and wouldn't think about trying to use something else. These are great since you can hook the claw in the hole. That way you can actually see the claw while cutting. This says it's for small dogs, but it's the best cat claw trimmer I've ever used. I can do the whole thing with 1 hand, which leaves the other hand free to hold the cat on those days when he really doesn't want his claws trimmed.

If you do decide to de-claw, then I assume that the cat won't be going outdoors unsupervised. Declawing means that the cat has lost its main self defense weapon when attacked. Some people only have the front claws removed since those are the ones used for the destruction of expensive furniture.

Most cats start scratching up your stuff pretty early in life, then never lose the habit. So if you wait a few months and the cat hasn't started attacking your furniture, then you should be pretty safe in the long run.

They also make glue-on claw covers, but those always seemed like a pain to me. And I thought that the idea of fake nails for cats seemed somehow wrong. But that might be another alternative for you.

pb

The declaw procedure isn't legal in much of the world, mostly because it's regarded by the veterinarian communities, other than in the U.S., as a cruel and inhumane practice. The practice in the U.S., being profitable for veterinarians, has developed such a wide practice that it's doubtful that the U.S. will follow suit in outlawing it. Instead, they'll likely continue to try developing safer and less painful aspects to the surgery.

The procedure itself isn't really declawing, but is an amputation process. The digits are amputated at the first joint, which of course includes the claws. The procedures do carry risks including possible death, change of behavior, excessive follow-up vet treatment, aversion to litter boxes, and more certain development of arthritic and joint problems in later life. The advantage of course, barring any problems, is that the cat doesn't scratch up furniture nor require the training efforts to redirect their scratching to a scratching post.

You'll find vets that condemn the practice. You'll find vets that praise the practice. The profit angle seems to be the primary reason for professional support. Concern for cats seem to be the primary reason for professional opposition.

You might try checking out the information on the web, to help you with an informed decision. You will find support or opposition to whichever decision you prefer.

[ QUOTE ]
Empath said:
The declaw procedure isn't legal in much of the world, mostly because it's regarded by the veterinarian communities, other than in the U.S., as a cruel and inhumane practice. The practice in the U.S., being profitable for veterinarians, has developed such a wide practice that it's doubtful that the U.S. will follow suit in outlawing it. Instead, they'll likely continue to try developing safer and less painful aspects to the surgery.

The procedure itself isn't really declawing, but is an amputation process. The digits are amputated at the first joint, which of course includes the claws. The procedures do carry risks including possible death, change of behavior, excessive follow-up vet treatment, aversion to litter boxes, and more certain development of arthritic and joint problems in later life. The advantage of course, barring any problems, is that the cat doesn't scratch up furniture nor require the training efforts to redirect their scratching to a scratching post.

You'll find vets that condemn the practice. You'll find vets that praise the practice. The profit angle seems to be the primary reason for professional support. Concern for cats seem to be the primary reason for professional opposition.

You might try checking out the information on the web, to help you with an informed decision. You will find support or opposition to whichever decision you prefer.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, what he said.

Imagine having all your fingers surgically shortened by about half an inch, to keep you from biting your nails. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

As someone else said - I DO NOT INTEND to insult anyone who has had a pet declawed.

I tend to agree that outside cats should not be declawed.

Inside/Outside cats, and inside cats, however, may need to have their claws removed. We have had 2 outside and 3 inside cats in the last 5 years, (the inside cats are Bengals, so larger than typical house cats, about in the 14-16 pound range) we currently have 4 outside. The outside cats have been fine with claws, the inside cats could cause immense destruction of fine furniture, speakers, clothes, and just about anything else.

The inside cats, after attempted training and conditioning, still would lapse. After much discussion at home, we discussed it with 3 different vets. All of them suggested we consider declawing the inside cats. They assured us that with no front claws the destruction and marking would stop, and that with just back claws they would be more than able to climb trees and defend themselves adequately if let outside. 2 of the vets owned cats who had once been inside but had since moved outside and had been declawed without difficulty. One of those had been outside in a relatively rural neighborhood for more than 10 years.

After much thought on the matter, our inside cats were declawed. We then had several years of very happy co-existance, until one of the inside cats decided, even though he was neutered, that he needed to mark furniture with his urine/scent glands. After attempted retraining, more discussion with the vet, and more discussion at home, he went outside, albeit with some reluctance and concern on our part. (Quite willingly on his part, he was always trying to escape anyway!) A year or so later the other two began to exhibit the same behavior. All three then were outside with no ill effects in our semi-rural area.

We witnessed cat fights with neighborhood bullies, but the boys always acquitted themselves well and though occasionally scratched, seemed to come out on the top more often than not.

Not having front claws probably kept them from killing the pheasants around our house, but they brought their tributes of smaller birds, mice, etc. on a fairly regular basis. They climbed trees easily, and have always managed to avoid the larger dogs, including our pit bull, who enjoys chasing, (but not catching!)

They coexisted in our yard with three outside, clawed cats, (we picked up a stray with a broken leg a couple years ago and I set it and let it heal.) 2 of the Bengals have been stolen in the last year or so, but never really had any problems without having their front claws.

Just another point of view!

Bill

im not a cat person but i do have 2 of em.but i wont dec;law em but i do requiere em to wear gloves and a cow bell

[ QUOTE ]
pbarrette said:
Hi Jay,

If you decide not to declaw, don't use nail clippers. Go to petco (or similar) and pick yourself up a pair of $5-10 claw trimmers. They're much easier to use and put the cutting pressure all around instead of just the sides.

I use these and wouldn't think about trying to use something else. These are great since you can hook the claw in the hole. That way you can actually see the claw while cutting. This says it's for small dogs, but it's the best cat claw trimmer I've ever used. I can do the whole thing with 1 hand, which leaves the other hand free to hold the cat on those days when he really doesn't want his claws trimmed.

pb

[/ QUOTE ]

We had that trimmer and worked for a while, but it eventually started to shred the claws in the older cat. I then got this and it sheared the claws off in a straight line. Much better IMHO, YMMV. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

We contemplated the de-clawing issue as well. We have two cats 9 and 12 years old. They completely ruined the last sofa and chair we had. We then got furniture made of microfiber and they don't scratch it at all. I guess the material isn't appealing. We also have a couple of burber carpet fragments in the corner of the office and bedroom that they love to scratch on (they do need something). Neither would scratch on the store bought posts.

Clipping their claws twice a month seems to keep them dull enough to not hurt or catch on things.

There is a relatively new product out called "Soft Claws" which are little hollow rubber claws that you glue onto your cats claws.Installation is painless and the protective coverings seem to last for a couple of months.My daughter has been using them on her kitten for quite some time now and both she and the cat are happy with the results.They are available in different sizes and decorator colors.Ebay seems to be the cheapest source.

I don't have an opinion on whether the declaw cats or not. I feel very strongly that anyone who cares about their cat or has any consideration for their neighbors whatsoever will not let their cats go outdoors unattended.

I have no respect for people that will let their cats stink up the neighbors yards. Seeing a family of birds hatch a nest of eggs to see stray cats kill the young birds and leave them in the yard is not a pretty sight. The same goes for squirrel's nests.

I may sound harsh but that is because the jerks that live nest door ARE that kind of people. Our local Animal Control does nothing worthwhile to enforse the codes and laws pertaining to protect the cats or the people who are being offended.

Though the laws of nature are harsh, they are, nevertheless, the laws of nature.

Cats are predators, they HUNT. Anything smaller than they are is game as far as they are concerned. My cats keep the mice population down around our house, since we live adjacent to open fields, we had always had mice problems, using traps, poison, etc. to keep them under control.

Now with 4 predators, we haven't seen a mouse or its droppings anywhere except in our cats outside offering areas for 2 years.

While feral cats certainly may be a problem in some areas, and multiple predators in a small, city type neighborhood may take a heavy toll on birdlife, it is wise to remember that cats are natures way of keeping disease carrying rodent populations down.

Places that outlaw or trap outside cats rapidly find themselves trading cats for mice and rats, not a very appealing trade to most.

So far as their defecating/urinating in neighbors yards, that certainly is/can be a problem. Getting cats to do ANYTHING you want them to do is a tedious process anyway. We maintain litter boxes, but we have a large pile of gardening sand that they actually prefer, so we rake through it regularly then heavily water it and it keeps any odors down.

While certainly abusing animals is wrong, and the declawing process is painful for a short time, there are advantages for many people and I certainly think that those who are determined to have inside cats deserve the right to consider it as an option.

As far as the pain goes, all three of our declawed cats were obviously uncomfortable for about 48 hours, but by 3 days where back to their old habits.

Bill

Wow! Thank you all for the prompt and informational responses. I was hoping to get info on alternatives to declawing and was pleased to read about the suggested clippers. I had been wondering whether that might be worth trying. Thanks to your input, I know what to look for.

Our last cat came to us as my wife sat on our front porch. That cat had been an abandon pet already spayed, declawed and used to being outside. We never found the owners so we kept her. She would sneak outside every chance she had and killed many birds and decapitated young rabbits - all without front claws. This new cat is maybe a year old, or less, and we don't intend to let it out because we feed the birds.

Thanks again, everybody, I appreciate the time taken to help us make the right choice.

This is a very controversial topic, and I do NOT mean to be offensive or incendiary, and I respect those who do decide to declaw their cats,

BUT

it is my considered and not uninformed opinion, that declawing a cat is almost the same as cutting off a persons fingers at the second knuckle joint. It is a surgical procedure, and there are even some vets who will not perform it.

There are emotional and functional repercussions for the cat. A declawed cat is more anxious and edgy and much more likely to bite.

A cat has claws and WILL claw stuff in your house. If you are not willing to put up with that, it is my opinion that it is best not to get a cat at all. A cat's claws are, like its' tail, an essential body part, and removing them--in my opinion--is cruel and unhealthy for the cat.

In my experience, if you provide your cats with SOMETHING that they can scratch up all they want, and gently stop them from scratching everything else and move them to the scratching post (or whatever) promptly, that they will eventually more or less restrict themselves to the scratching object. But not always.

Also, aluminum foil works great to stop an area from getting scratched up. Cats hate the feel of it, and will not scratch it.

And as mentioned above, using a good clipper to trim the cats claws routinely helps the situation. I find that toe nail clippers work the best of commonly available tools. But I just let my cats destroy a couple designated objects/posts and leave it at that. My cats are indoor cats, BTW.

I wish Jim's ideas had worked for our cats, but after several thousand dollars of destroyed furniture, our cats lost their claws.

The other option was less palatable, and apart from this one issue, they were great cats, and are beautiful and great cats.

Certainly some of the habits that can develop after declawing have happened or nobody would mention them, but our cats have never bitten a human or other animal, to our knowledge, except for prey animals.

Our 3 declawed pets were all 400-600 dollar cats, and we did not want them outside if we had any options, for the very reason that has now occurred, they were at high risk of being stolen due to their beauty.

Though one can make the analogy to digit amputation in humans, no human I have ever seen could do anything with their hand for weeks after amputation, and our cats were normal in 72 hours!

While I also would agree that in an ideal situation, declawing would not be necessary, some time it is the lesser of 2 evils.

As for other parts of the world not allowing it, well, they have their differences with us anyway!

(Post edited for political correctness. I apologize if anyone was offended by my offhand, insensitive, though historically accurate, comments!)

(That edit not withstanding, I DID NOT try to justify my decision either way by saying that someone else doesn't allow it, so why should we! Since someone used that argument, I felt it appropriate to point out that much of the world has differences with the US on lots of things!
Someone else made it political by using that argument, not me!)

Declawing is not an only option, but as I said before, it may be the only partially acceptable one.

Bill

Mine acted all weird after declaw.