How do you feel about declawing?

[KittyCatKate]

I always ask this to cat lovers. I am firmly against it myself. I saw it done first hand several times and I know the medical process behind it, it is not pretty! Many clinics aren't doing it anymore because it is considered "cosmetic" and inhumane.

How do you feel about it? Discuss.

[MarkB]

Most of the posters on here are from the UK, I don't think there is anyone that agrees with it. It is quite rightly, banned across Europe as cruel, dangerous and unnecessary. It is only practiced in America, which is way behind other civilized countries regarding animal welfare.

PS - I'm not anti-American, my partner is American and also thinks it is disgusting. I have so much hatred for anyone that declaws cats. I can only wish them the same kind of suffering that they willingly cause an animal to preserve their sofa.

[Janey]

Cat Chat has information about about this terrible practice if you scroll down and click on the links here:

http://www.catchat.org/links/index.php? ... tion=39:39

[JulieandBarney]

I think I would be thrown off this site if I was to write on here what I think about this disgraceful, barbaric practice....truly Medieval.

[AhmedUK]

One of my best friend is Canadian, she has loved cats since she was a child, and last year when her cat passed away, oh, gosh, she was so upset. She would literally do anything for her cats.

All her cats are always declawed, I don't know whether she got them declawed or whether they came to her that way. She would never hurt a cat, but she seems to think declawing is ok. I guess often one's view of something is relative to how they have been raised, for example, I doubt any of us would say a cat that is kept indoors only is being treated cruelly, but if you had grown up in an environment where cats always roamed free, you would probably consider this to be barbaric.

[MarkB]

Some people are blind to facts. There is plenty of information available about the suffering it causes. Anyone that does it to a cat, deserves to lose their fingers in a horrible way!

It isn't just the pain during initial recovery. It can cause life-long pain. Prevents them from defending themselves, they are unable to scratch an itch, the list is endless. It can cause lifelong pain. I know first hand. When I was little, my granddad shut one of my fingers in the hinge side of the door. The end had to be stitched back on. It is deformed now and when it is cold, I often get a terrible pain in the joint - almost 50 years on.

[bobbys girl]

The removal of human finger nails is considered torture. I consider declawing to be no different.

[JulieandBarney]

Declawing is NEVER 'ok' irregardless of whether you know the facts, or it is 'acceptable' in some countries, ( torture is acceptable is some countries too ) indeed you would have to be very ignorant to turn a blind eye to what exactly happens to the poor animal. ignorance is no defence thank God in this country.

Should any human being believe this to be the case, in ANY part of the world, then I am sure there are many on here, myself included, who would be happy to remove their fingernails and toenails and ask them afterwards if THEY felt is "acceptable".....words fail me at ANYONE who attempts to condone this dreadful practice, or even condone anyone else who practices it, for whatever reason, any person who cares about animals would read up on this before describing it as 'acceptable' ..

Plus...Could anyone who finds this acceptable explain WHY they feel that this is necessary ? We are talking domestic cats , not Lions , tigers, etc......are there those that are afraid of a little scratch?....absolutely ridiculous .....do they walk around in body armour in case they may trip over too ?....

[Crewella]

Same as others, what I think of declawing is pretty much unprintable!

[AhmedUK]

I had a colleague from Ghana, he considered people keeping cats indoors absolutely cruel. Where he had been raised in Africa, cats would be out and roam free, so he considered people who keep cats indoors to be selfish, who are putting their interest (having a pet to cure their loneliness) ahead of the natural lifestyle of the cat. I of course disagreed with him, as I am sure most of us here would - we have seen cats living indoors who have lived happy lives, but I could see where he was coming from.

Similarly, my friend in Canada - her two declawed cats lived very happy lives (well, one is still living it), where they have been spoilt silly. She has always had declawed cats, and they have always been happy. So to her, declawing isn't something that is cruel, just as keeping a cat indoors isn't cruel to us.

I guess the point I am making is, I am against declawing because of the harms it can cause to a cat, but I try not to be judgemental, and so I think it is wrong to simply accuse someone who has has their cat declawed as being a cruel person.

[Crewella]

Whilst I agree on the judgemental point, Ahmed (I do believe you can and should 'hate the sin but still love the sinner'), I think there is a vast difference between deciding to keep a cat indoors (for whatever reason) and physically mutilating it for your own convenience.

[JulieandBarney]

Crewella makes a VERY valid point here, I toally agree,to compare keeping a cat indoors to mutilating it beyond beiief is ridiculous but should you wish to stlll condone this practice on behalf of your friend, then that is you right, just do not expect any understanding here..... .......you are asking about basic animal cruelty ...be it in this country, Ghana, America or anywhere else in the world ..the country has no relevance whatsoever...and I fail to understand the even mention of this....I could ask Do YOU believe bear baiting acceptable ? some countries do.....does that make it right...absolutely not...some countries put animals through unbearable cruelty....so we could could dress it up and call it 'declawing ' .....again no answer as to why do you need to declaw a domestic cat ?....?????
I can only respectfully suggest that maybe having a chat to your friend about the reality of how cruel this practice actually is, would be better than trying to make excuses to others like us as to why this should be acceptable ....in any part of the world......

[Walesgang]

Absolutely nothing to add to the thread other than NO! BARBARIC

[AhmedUK]

My final message on this topic as I do not like arguments...

The purpose of the comparison was to show that different people have different ideas of what cruel is. To my colleague from Ghana, keeping a cat indoors is extremely cruel and barbaric because the home is effectively a prison for it and against it's natural life. I however have seen cats that are kept indoors that are very happy, and therefore, I disagree with him.

If my friend from Canada has had cats that have been declawed but have very happy, then maybe she thinks it isn't cruel, just like we think keeping indoor cats isn't cruel because we see them living happy and fulfilling lives even though one can argue they are kept like prisoners.
I never asked her about declawing, she mentioned it to me some 8 years ago in passing, and I had no idea then that declawing is considered inhumane. Also, you have to appreciate, if her cat is declawed, and she gets a new cat that isn't declawed, then that isn't fair on the declawed cat because if they get into a fight, it will be at a disadvantage. And then, some landlords in Canada do not allow you to keep a cat unless it is declawed. So what's better, a cat spending the rest of it's life in an animal shelter with it's claws, or a cat spending the rest of it's life in a loving home where it has been declawed? I don't know, sometimes in life people have to make difficult decisions, who am I to judge if they think the benefits of declawing it and giving it a loving home outweigh the negatives of it spending the rest of it's life in a cage in a shelter?

I did not condone the practise, and neither did I made excuses as to why this should be acceptable - I simply said that just because someone did wrong by declawing their cat, we shouldn't automatically assume that person is a horrible and cruel person - we don't know their exact circumstances, and should therefore not be so judgemental.

Thank you.

[Fran_ki]

NO ! NO! NO!
How anyone can say they love animals and agree to this inhumane and barbaric practice is beyond belief !!
I'd happily "de-finger" any person that thinks this is ok

[nanny pamy]

Its disgusting. And please do not compare mutilating a cat to having an indoor cat. Absolutely no comparison. And one more point I must add, although not ideal, some animals live long and very happy lives in shelters. They are well looked after, well fed, warm and loved by the staff. Yes in an ideal world we love them all to go to happy loving homes but while they are in the shelters they are loved. I would rather see a cat in a shelter with its claws intact than with someone who would allow something so barbaric.

[PeanutsFriend]

I have had fifteen cats in my adult life, I have eight now. When I first got into this kind of life. I was advised to have them declawed for it is less trouble later. Kind of like spaying or neutering. I was afraid of those claws...Now that i know better none of my cats at declawed today.
Jill

[AhmedUK]

Its disgusting. And please do not compare mutilating a cat to having an indoor cat. Absolutely no comparison.

Sigh. Neutering a cat is also mutilation. We neuter house cats that will never go out and reproduce simply to stop them spraying. Isn't that inhumane?

When I first moved in here and I saw TC had been neutered, I felt like crying, because he has been denied a certain pleasure that was intended for him. He had no choice, we, the humans, made this choice for him. It was heartbreaking.

In other words, some people will consider neutering a solitary house cat to be a barbaric mutilation, and would like to neuter anyone who does that to a cat.

Personally, I would never neuter a solitary house cat. I can understand why people neuter cats that go outside, but neutering a solitary house cat is wrong to me. So wrong. I however will not go around judging other people, I will not go around saying people who neuter their solitary house cats are sick people and need to have the same done to them, because I don't like to be judgemental.

I respect your right to be vehemently against declawing, I however cannot respect someone going around saying vile things about someone who might have declawed their cat.

PS. I wrote to my friend in Canada yesterday, she said her cats would have been put down had she not rescued them, so to her declawing a cat and giving it a life of happiness outweighed having it "murdered".

Thank you.

[booktigger]

Actually, Ahmed, there are health reasons for neutering cats - female cats are at risk of mammary, uterine and ovarian cancers, as well as pyometra (which is a womb infection that can be fatal); males are at risk of testicular and prostrate cancers - the cure for most of these cancers is neutering. There are also the mental issues of cats having hormones constantly racing round them with no outlet.

Nany Pamy - a lot of US shelters are kill shelters, so if they don't find a home, they are euthanased.

[Kay]

personally I don't think it's fair to berate people for having cats declawed when their vet is willing to do it, and no doubt there are lots of people recommending it

I save my wrath for the US veterinary profession which has not only not outlawed it, but which contains many members who are complicit in mutilating cats

as for neutering indoor cats, Ahmed, an unneutered male would spray everywhere and be very unhappy if deprived of patrolling his outdoor territory, as is normal with toms - and an unspayed indoor female would be in serious danger of getting pregnant within hours if she escaped, not to mention having all those on heat seasons without result - these two scenarios are far more unnatural and cruel than having them neutered

[JulieandBarney]

"Sigh. Neutering a cat is also mutilation. We neuter house cats that will never go out and reproduce simply to stop them spraying. Isn't that inhumane? "

Words fail me at the ignorance of this comment........ totally illogical

I need to step back from this thread, trying to educate some people about 'cosmetic' cruelty to animals is a complete and total waste of our time and energy, no doubt they too would have some alleged valid excuse as to why any form of animal cruelty is acceptable and believe that ignorance is bliss....I give up...................believe all you wish, thank God this is the ONLY view attempting to defend it or even putting forward some nonsensical comparisons which bear no resemblance whatsoever to this disgraceful method of cruelty.....

[bobbys girl]

personally I don't think it's fair to berate people for having cats declawed when their vet is willing to do it, and no doubt there are lots of people recommending it

I save my wrath for the US veterinary profession which has not only not outlawed it, but which contains many members who are complicit in mutilating cats

Wise words Kay.

Willow had two 'seasons' before we had her neutered. In both instances she was very distressed, clingy (That's not like Willow), clumsy (in her attempts to get out) and off her food. Having suffered PMS and Endometriosis myself I had great sympathy with the poor little duck. A simple operation and she never looked back! (Oh if it were that easy for us! )

[AhmedUK]

Actually, Ahmed, there are health reasons for neutering cats - female cats are at risk of mammary, uterine and ovarian cancers, as well as pyometra (which is a womb infection that can be fatal); males are at risk of testicular and prostrate cancers - the cure for most of these cancers is neutering. There are also the mental issues of cats having hormones constantly racing round them with no outlet.

That's right, I am not against neutering per se, I was just trying to say that whereas we in the UK do not think it is barbaric to neuter a cat and keep it as an indoors cat, there are people out there who do think this is totally wrong because they consider it to be unethical for humans to interfere with nature - after all, the cat has had no say, we simply made a judgement that it if the cat is happy indoors then neutering it and not allowing it outside is justifiable.
Similarly, there are people who think declawing a cat and keeping it (in places where landlords don't allow cats unless they are declawed) is justifiable if it means the cat is saved from being put down. So let's please not paint everyone with the same brush, I mean, I understand everyone here loves cats, so it is natural people get upset at this practise, but to say anyone who does this isn't a cat lover is just wrong because sometimes people have had no choice but to do this.

personally I don't think it's fair to berate people for having cats declawed when their vet is willing to do it, and no doubt there are lots of people recommending it

I save my wrath for the US veterinary profession which has not only not outlawed it, but which contains many members who are complicit in mutilating cats

I totally agree with you here.

[nanny pamy]

Have to agree with JulieandBarney. Spot on there. I wont be looking at this thread again either.

[JulieandBarney]

And I totally agree that 'cruelty to animals' is "cruelty to animals" however you phrase it or excuse it !!!

Yes I totally agree that the Vets in the USA need educating....but so do the uneducated people who take their cats to the vets to have this cruelty practised, vets would be out of business without the vistors .....if someone told me to have something done to my cat and I had no knowledge then I would have the common sense to research it before I said yes....sorry but its 6 of one and half a dozen of another........

Once again an excuse for this cruelty.....Why do YOU think it is banned in this country ? and acroos Europe ....Tends to give it away that it is not a humane practice......still, as we have all suggested if you are happy to have your hands and toe nails torn out then feel free ....after all I don't like long nails on my skin........and I can always point out that I THOUGHT it was humane as I don't like nails....

[JulieandBarney]

Thanks Nannypamee just got your message as I posted last one........what worries me so much more is that there appear to be the symapthiser to this thread.......I can only assume that the main sypathiser has no Knowledge or education whatsoever on cats....it certainly reads that way.....

[AhmedUK]

Thanks Nannypamee just got your message as I posted last one........what worries me so much more is that there appear to be the symapthiser to this thread.......I can only assume that the main sypathiser has no Knowledge or education whatsoever on cats....it certainly reads that way.....

No, Julie, you are simply making up things about me. At no point have I said that I sympathise with declawing in normal circumstances.

I have however clearly written, time after time, that sometimes some people have to make difficult choices - if someone has a choice of either declawing a cat to take it in because their landlord will not allow a cat which hasn't been declawed, or letting it be killed because the shelter will put it down because it hasn't found a home, then if that person chooses to declaw the cat to save it from dying, I think you, me, or anybody else for that matter, has no right to condemn that individual for the choice they made.

If you however wish to go around trying to say that I am an apologist for declawing, that is your prerogative, I however will not be responding to this thread anymore, and this time I mean it.

Thank you.

[JulieandBarney]

If you however wish to go around trying to say that I am an apologist for declawing, that is your prerogative, I however will not be responding to this thread anymore, and this time I mean it.[quote][/quote]

It is not just me Ahmed, you have obviously overlooked 99% of t6he other comments, you have your views, as we all do. many on here have agred with the fact that it is cruel, you just seem to have targeted my responses only, I will not agree with you at all.....this is a forum for "CATs" not the irresponsibility of humans. everyone on here is devoted to the care of their cats, it is up to the human to reasearch any practice which is FORCED on them by their owners.......

I can only assume that you do not have cats of your own else you may think differently.......

[Jane]

This topic will be closed for further comment as the discussion is now serving no purpose other than argument.