by Thompson’s
(GA)
Photo collage added by Michael - laser photo by orsorama (Flickr) - modified.
I already know that cat lovers and animal lovers, for the most part, do not support the declawing of cats. I've watched the videos, heard the horror stories and discussed the subject with many. Truly, I have seen some awful things and realize what declawing means.
I would like, not to throw stones at either side, but to make a few statements concerning the use of Lasers in any kind of pet surgeries..including declawing. I am one who did have our cat declawed by a highly reputable vet with vast laser surgery experience. It cost much more than the traditional declawing but expense was no issue. After speaking with others who had also had their cats declawed by laser and much research, we had our cat declawed.
Our dear one was home in less than 24 hours, had no bleeding and was running the same day. There was no pain and she, after 3 years, has had no problems.
All I say is, if you do have your cat declawed...please consider laser surgery. You will be pleased and your cat will not suffer.
Thompson's
I’ve had many cats, some were declawed and some were not. I came to this site because of my interest in laser declawing. But, I do not know why there is so much negative publicity about declawing. For my alpha male, he still thinks he’s top cat, and he still sharpens his non existence claws, but my furniture is no longer being ruined. For the newest additon to my cat family, if I declaw him, he won’t be able to climb out of a 9′ tall fence of which he scaled on Saturday. I think that as long as there are cats inside houses vs. what happens to them when forced outside, that for the privilege of living out their lives in such comfort from harm and starvation and disease, they too may have to compromise some of what they are. To listen to some of you, it would appear it would be better if we wanted a cat as a companion to compromise our existence and live outside like the homeless so the claws cats were born with could be utilized in their correct manner. But, I’m also for drug testing welfare receipients and teaching reading writing and arithemetic in schools.
Lynn B, I respect all views provided they don’t result in hurting cats. Declawing is for the convenience of the owner. It is as simple as that. There is no other reason for it. It is hugely painful and there are often complications. And vets don’t often realise what they are causing because we can’t ask a cat how she feels. But we are removing the tips of ten toes as if they are the last phalange of each human finger. We wouldn’t like that for no good reason. Why should we expect cats to accept it? “They are only cats” That is the reason, isn’t it.
It is easy to find a justification for anything. It is much harder to face the truth that declawing is unethical and vets know it.
OK Madeleine, here are the facts for you
https://pictures-of-cats.org/the-shocking-images-of-a-declawed-cat.html
Scroll down to see the healthy toe ends the vet either cuts or burns off.
So, you’ve seen kittens post surgery have you, were you there at the vets when they woke up disabled in shock and pain ?
Were you there later in their lives as they aged with painful arthritis because they couldn’t exercise as cats need to by digging in their claws?
Do you know declawing is banned as animal abuse in 39 countries and in 8 Californian cities so far?
Do you know vets do it to make dollars even though it breaks their sworn oath to cause no animal to suffer?
NOW you know the facts, surely you will never consider declawing an innocent kitten or cat ever again.
BTW neutering dogs of either sex is different, it doesn’t cripple them and in fact it saves them from health problems in the future …no comparison to declawing which actually often causes cats mental and physical problems too.
(Vet nurse UK)
Hmmm…I’m seriously considering declawing and trying to find out the facts. I was totally against spaying and neutering dogs too until I had to do it because my house got crowded. After that I got a kitten that tore the house . Everyone I know that has a cat, except one, have had their cats declawed and says it is good for human/cat relationship. I’ve seen their kittens post surgery and frankly haven’t seen any horrors. All VERY happy, indoor cats.
Each person has their own views and I respect them. However, it is odd that throughout the northern countries of Europe and in Israel declawing is banned because it is considered cruel. In fact in the UK it is a crime to declaw a cat. That means hundreds of millions of people consider it cruel and a form of cat abuse.
If there is a problem in the human to cat relationship when a cat has claws the problem is with the human, entirely. I have never considered having my cat declawed and have never had a problem with claws. Never been scratched etc. It is up to the person to deal with the whole cat including claws. It is not difficult.
Also there are a lot of stories of declawed cats being relinquished to shelters in the USA. Why, I wonder, if declawing is good for the human/cat relationship?
People don’t know how a cat feels when declawed. We can only surmise and guess but it is the removal of the last phalange of each toe and the claw that grows out of it. I hope you realise that it is an amputation of part of each toe and far more invasive than removing a cat’s claw. A cat’s claw cannot be removed because it is embedded in the bone of the last phalange. Don’t forget a cat walks on his toes (digitigrade).
Please don’t declaw. Learn to deal with claws which are an integral and important part of the cat. There are 150+ pages on declawing on PoC. Have a look at this one for starters:
https://pictures-of-cats.org/recently-declawed-cat-pictures.html — I dare you not to be upset.
and this page on complications of declawing:
https://pictures-of-cats.org/complications-of-declawing.html
Thanks for visiting and commenting.
Bloggers – with all your name calling and yelling in your posts it’s difficult to take you seriously. I realize that the blogs are sprinkled with facts, but it’s like listening to a child have a verbal fit. I like to get the facts, but when they’re surrounded by insulting comments, it really is difficult to consider this factual info. I’ll go to another site where they don’t feel a need to offend people to get their point through. Good luck to all of you bloggers on this site – I’m sure you’ll keep coming up with new ways to insult and anyone looking for info.
Sorry you didn’t get your answer. There is only one answer though. Don’t do it. That must have been clear in the comments. If you are looking for info on laser declawing it means you are considering it and if you are considering it you are wrong. It is as simple as that. There are many articles on declawing on this site. Here is one written by a cat:
https://pictures-of-cats.org/laser-declawing-is-wrong-too.html