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Old February 2nd, 2016, 11:25 AM
dkny1121 dkny1121 is offline
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Got Cat Declawed want to provide honest information for others thinking about it

Thought I would post to counter some of the fear mongering people post to try to scare people into not declawing there cats. I read lots on this forum and pretty much every "Animal Lover" thinks it is inhumane ect.

Problem is, people with Cats who scratch up all the walls, kids ect who have tried everything to get them to stop (5+ scratching posts, training them, using those softpaws ect) would have to give up the cats (we all know what happens then since Cats normally get put to sleep when given up)

I got my 8 Month old Tabby Declawed (just the front) and Neutered at the same time about three months ago. They kept him overnight and he was 100% fine when I got him back. Zero limping, in Zero pain just seemed like his normal self. Next day I gave him the Pain killers as requested (even though he seemed 100% fine) and everything since then has been 100% perfect.

I made the right decision and I am a much happier Pet owner and my Pet is a much happier pet (can play with kids, not yelled at for scratching stuff ect)

So please try to get a opinion on declawing from someone who has had it done and ignore these people who say it is inhumane who have no clue what the effects are and spread misinformation.
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Old February 2nd, 2016, 11:57 AM
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Love4himies Love4himies is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dkny1121 View Post
in Zero pain just seemed like his normal self. Next day I gave him the Pain killers as requested (even though he seemed 100% fine) and everything since then has been 100% perfect.
And how did your cat express that it wasn't in pain? You do know that animals hide their pain very well to mask weakness from their predators, right?

Have you tried cutting off your fingers at the first joint to see if you are not in pain after 24 or 48 hours? What do you honestly think? Do you think cutting any limbs off an animal is not painful to them? Do you think animals don't have nerve endings or pain receptors?


Have you ever talked to an amputee about their phantom pain?


http://www.declawing.com/the-truth-about-declawing

Quote:
"Declawing is actually an amputation of the last joint of your cat's 'toes'. When you envision that, it becomes clear why declawing is not a humane act. It is a painful surgery, with a painful recovery period. And remember that during the time of recuperation from the surgery your cat would still have to use its feet to walk, jump, and scratch in its litter box regardless of the pain it is experiencing."
Give your head a shake and start thinking in reality to what you have done to your cat and remember that cats experience pain no different than you do. Close your eyes and try to imagine the pain of somebody cutting your finger tips off.
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Old February 2nd, 2016, 12:31 PM
dkny1121 dkny1121 is offline
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This is exactly why I posted this, fear mongering trying to scare people.

Most Vets will use Laser surgery which causes very minimal pain. Lasers cut and cauterize at the same time, which means every tiny blood vessel the laser cuts is instantly sealed so that little or no bleeding occurs. With less bleeding, there is less bruising and inflammation.

I hope you did not get your Cat's "Fixed" if you did then you are a hypocrite. Give your head a shake and start thinking in reality to what you have done to your cat and remember that cats experience pain no different than you do. Close your eyes and try to imagine the pain of somebody cutting your male or female sexual parts off.

Pretty sure I know when my Cat is in pain or discomfort thanks!

I would recommend Declawing 100% of the time
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Old February 2nd, 2016, 01:48 PM
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Spay and neutering do alter the natural state of a cat. Nature didn't intend it to be that way however given the circumstances of so many unwanted kittens and cats that end up being gassed. We're talking about thousands and millions world wide. Spay and neuter is the only alternative to save lives and ease all that suffering that too much breeding, neglect, indifference and cruelty towards homeless cats bring to the world.
I don't think you can make an equivalent to that with declawing.
Maybe you did try all the alternatives first but if you go around recommending it a 100% most people will take the easy path and amputate part of their cats toes.
You'll probably try to make the case that declawing will prevent lots of cats being surrendered or kicked out to the streets but still doesn't equal to the need of spay and neutering even if in an ideal world that wouldn't be necessary.
If we say it's OK to declaw theb what's next? It's OK to perform a surgery so dogs can't bark (it's atrocious and I've seen it). Just because we spay and neuter that doesn't give us green light to do everything else.
Ultimately you're free to express your opinion and you're ready to find a lot of resistance too.
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Old February 2nd, 2016, 02:31 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dkny1121 View Post
Thought I would post to counter some of the fear mongering people post to try to scare people into not declawing there cats. I read lots on this forum and pretty much every "Animal Lover" thinks it is inhumane ect.

Problem is, people with Cats who scratch up all the walls, kids ect who have tried everything to get them to stop (5+ scratching posts, training them, using those softpaws ect) would have to give up the cats (we all know what happens then since Cats normally get put to sleep when given up)

I got my 8 Month old Tabby Declawed (just the front) and Neutered at the same time about three months ago. They kept him overnight and he was 100% fine when I got him back. Zero limping, in Zero pain just seemed like his normal self. Next day I gave him the Pain killers as requested (even though he seemed 100% fine) and everything since then has been 100% perfect.

I made the right decision and I am a much happier Pet owner and my Pet is a much happier pet (can play with kids, not yelled at for scratching stuff ect)

So please try to get a opinion on declawing from someone who has had it done and ignore these people who say it is inhumane who have no clue what the effects are and spread misinformation.
How can tell your cat is happier , have you thought what will happen if he was to escape from the house unnoticed ? You'll have one very dead unhappy cat !
http://www.humanesociety.org/animals...declawing.html This is banned in other countries. You're very misinformed about this !

I once saw a cat at a shelter and there was a sign posted saying " Beware cat bite, it been declawed and neutered" My b/f said no wonder the poor cat bites look what been done to it ! I couldn't adopt
the cat b/c it had no way to protect itself if he got outside by mistake.

Last edited by Barkingdog; February 2nd, 2016 at 02:45 PM.
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Old February 2nd, 2016, 08:27 PM
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Just to back up Barkingdog's statement of countries where declawing is illegal, including Austria, Croatia, Malta, Israel, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey.

After reading this person's article, I understand where they are coming from, but they are not well informed about the subject. They need to do one humungous pile of research and reading. Even local news broadcasts have carried news articles about vets who have opted out of this practice because it is inhumane and puts cats at a grave disadvantage to protect themselves. In one specific case - one vet in Espanola in the last 3 years - has refused to declaw them. Cats use their claws to stretch their bodies and align their spines and bones - it's their chiropractic exercise.

Humans need to provide the proper scratching apparatus for them so they don't do furniture, etc.

It would sure be nice to see some of the countries on this side of the pond - North and South America - ban it as well.
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Old February 3rd, 2016, 02:15 AM
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Originally Posted by Reg View Post
Just to back up Barkingdog's statement of countries where declawing is illegal, including Austria, Croatia, Malta, Israel, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey.

After reading this person's article, I understand where they are coming from, but they are not well informed about the subject. They need to do one humungous pile of research and reading. Even local news broadcasts have carried news articles about vets who have opted out of this practice because it is inhumane and puts cats at a grave disadvantage to protect themselves. In one specific case - one vet in Espanola in the last 3 years - has refused to declaw them. Cats use their claws to stretch their bodies and align their spines and bones - it's their chiropractic exercise.

Humans need to provide the proper scratching apparatus for them so they don't do furniture, etc.

It would sure be nice to see some of the countries on this side of the pond - North and South America - ban it as well.
In Mexico is almost unheard of but noy illegal. Barely performed though. It should be illegal.
I remember when Boba destroyed almost every new chair I got in a new dinning room set. I tried the soft paws but if you're not on top of them they'll find a way to get them off.
Now I avoid upholstery and always have scratching posts.
The error is ALWAYS human. We lack of effort, time, will, whatever. It's never the animal's fault. It never even crossed my mind to declaw him. I rather lose the chairs than that if we're going to extremes.
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Old February 3rd, 2016, 07:41 AM
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This is really personal stuff. Here's my take.

Lots of people are willing to undergo cosmetic surgery for themselves....and if there's a bit of pain it goes away fairly quickly - so it's a small price to pay in their minds. Makes their life better in some way.

Once you already have that mindset for yourself it's much easier to apply the same thinking to your pet's life, if it makes living with it 'easier' for you in some way. People adopt/feed/shelter/vet bill/ etc. pets and not the other way around. We adopt them for our needs (usually). And so we want to adapt them for our needs as well. Declawing cats has 'advantages' in peoples' minds or they wouldn't do it.

Personally I'd never do it. Most people on this site would never ever do it.

I'd never cause my cats pain and right now every surgery has pain, even laser surgery. But also their defences are crippled. That's the big one for me. Even though my cats would always be indoor cats...if they ever got out by accident...scary.

But I now have 2 bald cats that were adopted by coincidence only without claws.
It does have some advantages (no cutting nails, no scratches to people or objects) even though I'd never do it.
But that's why people do do it.... it comes down to personal ethics and time management on an individual level.

There's obviously plenty of logical/ethical reasons as other members have mentioned why many countries have simply flat out banned declawing.

All that said - No reason to be calling out names though - 'Honest information' is a street that flows in 2 directions.
Everyone shares their experiences - also known as honest information.
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Old February 3rd, 2016, 04:24 PM
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Welcome to Pets! I am not going to voice an opinion because as Marko said alot of times its a personal decision.

However I thought I would share this new posting on my Veterinarians website.

She is not only a Vet but a Feline Specialist. There are only a few of them in Canada. I have to tell you I love this Vet and am totally confident in her and of the comments made in the note I post below. This article is pretty current from June 2015. Anyway have a read and see what a feline specialist indicates about declawing a cat and what is involved along with recovery.




We Are No Longer Declawing Cats
June 28, 2015 / Cat's Meow / Leave a comment



The Cat Clinic has recently made the choice to stop performing declaws on cats. This has been a decision that our veterinarians and staff have contemplated for quite some time. Medicine has changed dramatically over the past several decades. Many procedures once common in both human beings and animals are no longer performed. We believe that not performing this procedure is the next step in advancing our medicine and patient care.
There are many downsides to declawing a cat.
• Post-operative complications such as infection, wound breakdown, and post-operative pain are common
• Long term pain due to arthritis, “phantom pain syndrome”, and tendon contracture can occur even with excellent surgical technique and pain management
• Declawed cats bear weight differently than intact cats, leading to increased rates of arthritis at distant sites
• Declawed cats may experience behaviour changes making them less confident, more prone to urinating outside the litter box, unable to properly express natural behaviours, and more likely to bite in some situations
Scratching is an essential behaviour to a happy, healthy cat. Cats are territorial and scratching is a way for them to mark their territory so they feel secure in their home. You cannot teach a cat not to scratch, but you can teach them to scratch only in appropriate places. Our goal is to make sure cats scratch WHERE you want them to and not to stop them from scratching. The staff and veterinarians at The Cat Clinic and Village Cat Clinic will be happy to provide advice and resources to prevent destructive scratching in your home.
There are also a variety of options to prevent cats from scratching that are non-surgical. These include nail trimming, “soft-paws” (gel caps which cover nails), synthetic facial pheromones, deterrents, and behavioural modification. Keeping a stimulating environment for your cat is also essential.
Remember that a declawed cat is not a “safer” cat. Declawed cats commonly are more defensive and may bite, which carries a higher risk of disease transmission than scratching. A dewormed, flea-free cat is incapable of causing “cat scratch fever”. We recommend all cats, even those kept indoors, be treated monthly during flea season with a topical parasiticide and be dewormed on a regular basis.

We at The Cat Clinic and Village Cat Clinic take the relationship you have with your cat very seriously. It is our belief that no longer declawing cats allows us to be leaders in feline medicine and surgery. If you have any questions about managing scratching or are having difficulty deciding whether or not to declaw your cat, please stop by our clinic and talk with our veterinary team.


Declawing a cat is an amputation of their third digit and it is a major painful surgical procedure. Local nerve blocks, multimodal and lengthy at home post-surgical pain control are required and “laser declawing” is still an amputation and painful. Talk to us first, we are here to help the cats in our community.
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Old February 3rd, 2016, 05:04 PM
Barkingdog Barkingdog is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marko View Post
This is really personal stuff. Here's my take.

Lots of people are willing to undergo cosmetic surgery for themselves....and if there's a bit of pain it goes away fairly quickly - so it's a small price to pay in their minds. Makes their life better in some way.

Once you already have that mindset for yourself it's much easier to apply the same thinking to your pet's life, if it makes living with it 'easier' for you in some way. People adopt/feed/shelter/vet bill/ etc. pets and not the other way around. We adopt them for our needs (usually). And so we want to adapt them for our needs as well. Declawing cats has 'advantages' in peoples' minds or they wouldn't do it.

Personally I'd never do it. Most people on this site would never ever do it.

I'd never cause my cats pain and right now every surgery has pain, even laser surgery. But also their defences are crippled. That's the big one for me. Even though my cats would always be indoor cats...if they ever got out by accident...scary.

But I now have 2 bald cats that were adopted by coincidence only without claws.
It does have some advantages (no cutting nails, no scratches to people or objects) even though I'd never do it.
But that's why people do do it.... it comes down to personal ethics and time management on an individual level.

There's obviously plenty of logical/ethical reasons as other members have mentioned why many countries have simply flat out banned declawing.

All that said - No reason to be calling out names though - 'Honest information' is a street that flows in 2 directions.
Everyone shares their experiences - also known as honest information.
There is one huge difference here people can speak for their self and our pets can't . I find it very hard not to speak up for animals and if I can keep one cat from being declawed it's worth it to me to speak my mind.
We have to be the voices for animals this is the only way we can get declawing banned in every country .
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Old February 4th, 2016, 10:58 AM
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Perfectly cool to speak our minds - At the end of the day we only have these decisions because the practise hasn't been banned here yet. I'm confident it will become banned eventually though.
And then the laws themselves will also help speak for our pets.
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Old February 4th, 2016, 02:19 PM
Barkingdog Barkingdog is offline
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http://www.catsupport.net/info/display?PageID=13055


Declawing cats is banned in some cities in Ca. and New York is trying to ban this in the whole state . This is a start and hopefully other states will do the same .
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