What is your opinion on cat declawing?
Thursday April 10, 2008
In your opinion, are other options such as behavior modification, application of Soft Paws (or similar) and regular nail trimming viable alternatives to declawing?
Please vote in the poll and express your feelings and opinions by clicking the "comments" link below.
Related Reading:
Top Reasons NOT to Declaw a Cat
From Franny Syufy, Guide to Cats
Comments
Behavior modification is ALWAYS the way to go. Declawing is cruel and inhumane and should be done ONLY if there is a medical reason to do so. Would you pull out all of your toddlers teeth if they started biting (as all toddlers do)? No? Then why break all of your cats toes because he scratches? Cats has a natural need and desire to use their claws. Get a scratching post and use a water sprayer to spray the cat if he claws in inappropriate places. Don’t declaw!!
I didn’t need to read the article.
I love the water sprayer results (Tara)
along with a firm “NO!” I had total success with a stray inappropriate biter by using the spray bottle..eventually, all I had to do was hold the bottle in front of him and he’d back away..
If your furniture is more important than a cat maybe it’s time to rethink your options. Perhaps a snake would be a better choice (in a cage, of course).Cats don’t scratch to destroy. They stretch muscles and clean nails as well as sharpen them so they can get better traction to run and climb..That’s part of the fun of being a cat (one of my cat’s told me that!it’s his story and he’s sticking to it!). It’s not nice to mess with MoNa(MotherNature).. Oh! and if you can’t tolerate “destruction”, definitely don’t have kids either..LOL!
DEclawing is abusive (at the very least).”Abuse an animal-Go to Jail”
Why get a cat if you are going to declaw it, claws are an integral part of being a cat. For those who consider getting this barbrous procedure done, don’t get a cat! I can’t understand how vets can perform this cruel operation. Thank goodness it is banned in my country, Australia.
I got my cat from Petsmart when she was 6 years old…She has been declawed by someone else at 6 months of age (not by me) All four of her claws are gone..She looks deformed but she is happy. she cannot go outside at all unless supervised. She will sit on our back deck and enjoy the birds. Without having all four claws off, I don’t think my husband would allow the cat in the house. We have leather couches and he was never used to animals in his childhood home. However, I always had a cat in my childhood home and after my children moved out I needed a little friend..Zoi is great company. I have mixed feelings about declawing as you can tell. I could never have it done but someone else did it for me and I gave her a good home.