Declawing: Yay or nay?

[Lieutenant Shotgun]

Okee, here's the deal.

I've been thinking about declawing cats lately. My cat is too old to be declawed, though. I'm just thinking of it.

Declawing cuts off their knuckles, doesn't it?

I honestly don't like it. I think it's kind of inhumane.

And you?  

[Azusanga]

Agreed. I don't like declawing either. Sadly, my cat is declawed (mom's choice)  

[eccentricanomaly]

It hurts the cat and takes away a very useful defense.
Therefore, I don't like it.  

[Namikikyo]

I had my cat declawed because he was supposed to be an inside cat and we didn't need him clawing up things, like the baby.

Well, He ran outside one day and kinda liked it.

We were afraid that he wasn't going to survive, Until we saw the fat b*****d bringing in dead animals left from right. I even saw him take down a rabbit. He was amazing and adapted very well by using his back claws and teeth. So, I personally don't think it renders them helpless.

The really cool part was the fact that he remained the alpha male among the neighborhood cats until the very day he was stolen.

I miss him. He was beautiful.

Anyways, I'm on the fence about the whole thing. I don't care for it, But I can't say I mind it.

 

[Rei Uchikino]

I really don't like the idea of it. I do agree that it's inhumane.
A better way of protecting furniture and not hurting the cat would be claw caps. A rather unknown alternative.  

[Sensation Ari]

I think it's fine as long as you're not doing it for a silly reason. If the cat is absolutely 100 percent going to be an indoor cat, I don't see the problem with it.

 

[Azusanga]

Even if the cat is s'posed to be 100 percent indoor, it's not much of a reason to declaw it. It may not have many reasons to protect itself, but on the chance it gets out and goes on an adventure, it NEEDS those claws. they're defense, and they're the ends of it's fingers. My cat is outdoor/indoor. She was s'posed to be VERY STRICTLY indoor, not even to be CARRIED outside. (carrier, covered, if needed to be brung elsewhere) Don't want to ruin the furniture? Buy a scratching post and some of that tape.  

[Rei Uchikino]

I always thought scratching posts would confuse the cat into think that it's okay to scratch everything else in the house.  

[Azusanga]

*shakes head* If you add catnip, it becomes very appealing and they'll WANT to scratch it.  

[Rei Uchikino]

Ah, I never thought of that.  

[Its Wolfeh]

|°~ The Wolf is not meant for city life ~°|

|°~ But in the wilderness ~°|

I believe in declawing a potentially dangerous animal that cannot be released into the wild, and for medical purposes.

Not because fluffy is tearing up the furniture.

Also, keep in mind that sometimes declawing surgery can go horribly horribly wrong and the claw either grows inside the paw or claws into the paw and also causes horrible deformities.

We need to get one of our cat's declawed because his paws are deformed and we think there's a double claw and the second is poking out of his paw pad. Now whenever he walks I hear the click of the claw sticking out. Unfortunately that fact that it could come back horror movie style makes me hesitant.

|°~ It is your Guardian
your Blanket
your Hunter
your Loyal Companion for life ~°|

|°~ Treat it right and it will return the favor ~°|

 

[Lieutenant Shotgun]

Oh my god, Wolfeh. That sounds... to be blunt, horrendous. o.o

One of my cousin's cats is a polydactyly, but there's nothing wrong with his claws.

I wouldn't want to risk making my cat go through that pain.

When I got my cats (one of them ran away ; - ; ) spayed and neutered, hearing them cry in pain was horrible.

I can't handle anything that inflicts pain on animals D;

(Of course, I can easily punch a human in the face ;D)  

[Rayne Skyver]

I'm not that big on declawing just due to the fact that both my cats are inside/outside cats. Both are boy cats and get into fights about territory. My oldest, Biggie, is about 8 years old so he's getting up there in age and is to old to declaw.
My youngest, Satan, is still kinda young, under a year if not just that so he possibly could get declawed but I wouldn't do it due to the fact that he wouldn't be able to defend himself from other cats in the area.
I think if someone has inside cats that never go outside then its fine.

 

[Nerdbaitplus3]

C4ffeine_C0rruption

[ G E E K - G I R L ]




I'm not a big fan of declawing myself. My first 2 cats were declawed since they were indoor cats and had no "need" for them...or so my mother thought.
After a few years we have added cats to my house (I have 5 now mind you, and a dog) but when we got a full bred Maine Coon we were FORBIDDEN to declaw the cat or risk having her taken away from us. The solution is simple, you start with them young and take nail clippers to their claws, this way they get used to it and it's not a wrestling match between the two of you to clip them... all 4 of my babies have all their claws while my oldest doesn't have her back claws.
It does seem a bit too inhumane, it'd be like pulling off our fingernails.

 

[Lieutenant Shotgun]

C4ffeine_C0rruption

C4ffeine_C0rruption

[ G E E K - G I R L ]




I'm not a big fan of declawing myself. My first 2 cats were declawed since they were indoor cats and had no "need" for them...or so my mother thought.
After a few years we have added cats to my house (I have 5 now mind you, and a dog) but when we got a full bred Maine Coon we were FORBIDDEN to declaw the cat or risk having her taken away from us. The solution is simple, you start with them young and take nail clippers to their claws, this way they get used to it and it's not a wrestling match between the two of you to clip them... all 4 of my babies have all their claws while my oldest doesn't have her back claws.
It does seem a bit too inhumane, it'd be like pulling off our fingernails.

I've lost a fingernail once. Slammed it in a car door.

The impact hurt like hell but it didn't hurt when the nail actually fell off...

But I digress ;D