To Claw or Declaw

From personal experience I can see that it’s not okay to declaw a cat. It causes them pain, and they can’t do the same things a normal cat can. It is heartbreaking to watch.

I currently have a cat who is declawed – we found him this way – and is now old. He has a lot of trouble using his litterbox and frequently has to do his business outside the box. This causes unimaginable stress on my family and the problem is only getting worse. I can’t think of what my parents might do if it doesn’t stop, and that is not fair to him.

There are other options to declawing: scratching post, and caps. It’s NOT hard to train your cat to not use your furniture if you have a scratching post. If for some reason you don’t want a post, you can buy caps that fit over the nails so that when your cat does scratch, nothing happens.

If your cat is trained to be well-behaved and has other options for scratching, all those issues mentioned by Sherri will not be issues. Even when I was a child, we found a cat who was not declawed, but he was very well-behaved and I can’t recall ever being hurt by him.

Having owned cats with claws and seeing my declawed cat, I feel very heartbroken. My declawed cat can’t grab string when he plays. He LOVES to play with string but gets frustrated after a while of not being able to “catch” it properly. Even if he does manage to grab it, it slips through his fingers.

Declawing is definitely awful and inhumane. You have other options, so please use them and spare yourself and your cat the pain of declawing, and the consequences that follow.

A couple of these posts caught my attention, and I have a few thoughts to share.
I beleive the majority of cats are declawed to protect their owners furniture from clawing period.
When I read that they have to have their claws removed because a person is elderly, or a child I have to laugh….I have shared my entire life with cats , as a child I learned very quickly that you don’t carry a kitten by it’s neck or tail. Children are certainly not fragile, and an occasional scratch teaches them to handle a pet properly.
Now as a senior, yes, I have thin skin, and I bleed easily. My two “girls” as I call them have scratched me a time or two when we are playing,but I have to admit I have never had to seek medical attention, a simple Band Aid will do.
As I learn more and more about the pain involved in this procedure I don’t understand how someone who has this information available to them can continue to make excuses for this brutal treatment of cats. The fact that a vet can agree to do it is even worse.
There are many other pets available, perhaps a small dog would more fit their needs.
Truthfully some people should not have a pet of any type, if they are not willing to educate themselves and put the animals welfare first.

We have permission to quote this written by a vet tech who we will not of course identify as she is in the precarious position of working for a clinic in which one vet declaws. She hates the procedure but feels she can do more good by ensuring the welfare of her patients by being there on the spot and she can also help educate people as to the cruelty of declawing.
She says:
‘Even with our supposedly superior methods of pain control, we still routinely have declawed cats tearing off their bandages and thrashing in pain upon awakening from the operation. It was the sheer amount of pain control medication that we give these cats that first clued me in to how truly odious this procedure is.
Typical pain control protocol for a declaw at the clinic where I work includes both pre- and post-operative injections, nerve-block injections in the paws, oral meloxicam to go home with, and the application of a transdermal fentanyl patch- this last of which is such a strong opiod-based painkiller that, when used in human medicine, I have heard it is typically only prescribed for the terminally ill’

This demonstrates just how much agony cats suffer from declawing and we already know that some vets not only declaw, but give clients the choice of pain medication by paying extra ! The thought of how many cats are suffering from this senseless abuse is heart breaking.

What a silly woman you are Sherri,it’s not clawed cats who mess outside the litter tray, it’s declawed cats.Because after the operation to remove their toe ends they are in such agony it hurts even more to dig than the excruciating pain of walking.
What about your grandbabies then ? You’ll yell dirty cats and they’ll end up chucked out in the big bad world you say cats shouldn’t be out in.
Stop YOUR silliness DO.
Lisa you need to see someone in a white coat if you think lumps of wood are animals.Animals are living breathing creatures like us who feel pain and fear.To have your cats go through 18 amputations each for the sake of inanimate objects is seriously disturbing.
Smug Michael you are really obsessed with your mans bits and the need to say weakness and impulse and urge in relation to your innocent cats.
We don’t feel the need to know thank you.
All of you need a sharp reality check and pretty soon you’ll get it because declawing WILL be BANNED mark my words.
No more abuse of cats by paying sadist vets to chop off their toes, whatever will you do ?
Myself I’ll be celebrating along with the other Millions of people who will have something to celebrate when this disgraceful, cruel, unwarranted mutilation of cats is ILLEGAL.

Last night out of interest I decided to ask an online American VET (
for a charge of course) if she routinely declawed cats and kittens. She said ‘no, not routinely’ however if an owner had a particularly destructive cat she would explain the procedure then operate once the owner agreed.

I asked her ‘how does the cat scratch itself with no claws?’ She explained that ‘the back ones weren’t usually amputated’ Quite honestly the answers sounded a bit woolley to me to say the least; first of all define ‘destructive’ how can anyone think that any amount of destruction warrants this violation? ‘usually don’t amputate the back toes’ Oh but sometines they do? Pray tell me what level of ‘destruction’ warrants this additional torture?

She also said that the procedure was done because small children could get scratched. Hell yes! Goes with the territory! You pull a tail you get scratched! Part of learning I’m afraid, you won’t do it again!

Do you realise that by amputating you’re giving any small child licence to pull a cat to pieces while the cat can do nothing. Children have to be taught to respect animals however you’re not exactly doing this by declawing are you?

The ‘vet’ also said that old people have thin skin well hello! so do British old people and we dont amputate! Oh I see! obviously the Americans have been reading all our shocking headlines about the savaging of old people and small children by domestic cats! Please! People are savaged every day by dogs but we don’t go around routinely removing their teeth just in case they decide to chow down on some old lady or child! Its laughable! You use any reason to justify your actions, don’t you? well it won’t wash I’m afraid.

By the way as I type this I’m watching my own cats natural behaviour; playing with a toy, using his claws to grab it and roll it around, something you have deprived your cats of ever doing again. Lisa, Sherri and Michael, I hope you are truly proud.

Hi Lisa, Sherri and Michael.

I notice you haven’t responded yet. What’s up run out of sad excuses?

It upsets me so much that even after all the factual comments you are still happy to do this to your cats. You are SICK! You know all the comments are true but you just don’t care do you?

All the REAL cat lovers that have responded to your comments are just spot on. All 3 of you are deluded, cruel, ignorant, self absorbed abusers.

You have no right to talk about ‘choice’ as you don’t deserve to have choices. Someone should take away your choices and see how you feel. It just isn’t up to you or anyone else (especially a so called ‘Doctor’) to inflict such horror.

Of course 38 countries have banned this barbaric practice so get real this is going to happen and the sooner the better!

Michael you talk about ‘strictly indoor cats’, you cannot for one second guarantee that they will always be indoors, they could escape. Mind you appears to me that anywhere would be better than in your ‘home’.

Lisa, I feel so very very sorry for your cats. You have taken off all of their toes. You stupid stupid woman, you really have no feeling or compassion do you? How would you feel if you couldn’t speak? it you had no finger nails? If you had to defend yourself? How would you do it? Bite someones ankles? Think about it Lisa. Oh sorry, I forgot someone who can appreciate wooden objects more than a gracious, beautiful feline obviously hasn’t a lot going on up top. Have a try though while you’re lounging on your delightful sofa watching your cats hobbling aroud.

Michael (not the genuine cat loving one who administrates this web site) do you walk on your testicles? Unless the answer to that question is yes, then stop comparing declawing with castration.

Cats are digitgrade animals which means they walk on their toes. Amputation of the last joint of their toes (in order to remove the section of bone from which the claws grow)is not only painful, but extremely cruel. Sure the cat will learn to walk again, but they have to modify their stance and this shift in body weight puts additional pressure on their joints, causing arthritis. Imagine having your toes amputated and then being sent home from hospital after a day or so, without the aid of crutches or a wheelchair to help you get around. If you’re lucky you might get offered pain relief, but don’t count on it. No visits to the doctor for regular check-ups to see how your recovery is going and no physiotherapy to help you adjust to your handicapped status.

Castration has many benefits to the cat’s own health. It removes the urge to wander far and wide in seach of females or get into fights with other males for territory or the right to mate. It also eliminates the risk of them developing testicular cancer later on in life. In fact, it’s universally accepted that neutering our pets is the single most important factor in increasing their life span.

Declawing has no health benefits whatsoever for a cat. It is only done for the convenience of owners. Anyone who believes cats “need” to be declawed in order to live with them, doesn’t need a cat. To “rescue” is to save from danger, and what could be more dangerous than being sent to live with someone who cares more for inanimate objects than the emotional and physical welfare of the very creature they claim to care for?

Please do yourself a favour and read some of the articles on this web site about what declawing really is. Perhaps you will then understand why vets in at least 38 countries refuse to perfom it on the grounds that it IS a form of animal cruelty.

Well we have it all here, Lisa who worships lumps of wood and abuses her cats ,Sherri who knows a thing or two and abuses her cats too, and now Michael who compares castration of cats to the amputation of their healthy much needed toe ends and he and his wife abuse their cats too.
What an ignorant trio.
This is the very reason declawing must and will be made illegal, to protect cats from supposed to be cat lovers like these.
Roll on the day when they won’t be allowed to abuse their cats any longer.

Do I understand that you adopt cats from a rescue shelter and then abuse them by removing their toes and claws just in case they forget where to scratch and damage your furniture? What about the damage you are doing to their limbs? What about the phantom pains of amputation?
And furthermore is the rescue centre aware that you are mutilating cats? Do they approve? If so then they need to be closed down and the inmates removed to safety. If they are not aware then you are liable to having the cats seized from you, oh how I wish that would happen.
I’d like to add that if you feel the need to discuss your own private parts there are more appropriate sites than this where you would probably be in more like minded company.

You sound to be proud of the abuse of your cats,well let me tell you something, you should hang your head in shame.
You have given those of us who are going to get this disgusting cruelty to cats STOPPED, renewed energy to step up our campaign.
What then Mr long time cat lover ????????
I don’t have to ask as I know the answer,you will be an ex long time cat lover when you can’t get them adapted to your specifications of how cats should be according to St Michael.

More like long time cat abusers dear chap!
Oh you are so smug you’d almost think you have especially written this drivel to incite anger, maybe people getting angry at you gives you a buzz!
We don’t feel the need to hear about YOUR testicles thank you, did mentioning them give you a buzz too or do you get more kicks out of putting helpless animals through torture?
You MUST know how cruel declawing cats is,so you obviously don’t care that your perfect cats were crippled by a corrupt vet on YOUR say so.
What will you do when declawing is banned,we’ll find out the true long time cat lovers then won’t we and you won’t be one of them,not even in a month of Sundays.
Go and nurse your manhood and your healthy fingertips while your cats live lives of disablement.
We are so NOT impressed with your ignorance and cruelty.

Another delusional “cat lover” has his say, to speak of neutering and declawing in the same sentence is like comparing chalk and cheese, neutering makes complete sense and can prevent the animal from health problems in later life, declawing benefits only the “cat lover” and never the cat. You consider yourself a cat lover and yet have declawed your cats and that is why I call you delusional – you don’t love your cats you just use them at your own convenience.
Bathing cats is totally unnecessary and causes dryness of the coat and itching of the skin, and of course the claws are gone so there’d nothing the cat can do about the maddening itch! Cats are self-cleansing and shouldn’t need bathing, especially indoor cats that don’t have the opportunity to go out and enjoy the outdoors. Why do you state that those things you choose to do to your cats are “non-negotiable” as though that is something you are proud of? I’d say you should keep your abuse of cats quiet you should be ashamed rather than proud of the way you use those cats.
I fail to see why “we should discuss castration of male cats” why on earth would you make such a pointless comparison? It isn’t a one or the other matter at all, it is agreed the world over that neutering cats is acceptable due to the health issues I already mentioned and to overpopulation of unwanted animals, but declawing is banned in 38 other countries because it is inhumane, cruel and unnecessary. Don’t try to cloud the issue by comparing two totally unrelated procedures.
And to reply to your last sentence, the difference is that you are never going to be called on to sacrifice either your testicles or your finger ends are you so how easy it is for you to write such rubbish, it’s your cats who’s toe ends have been sacrificed on the altar of your ego and it’s they who suffer for your “non-negotiable” smugness

I am only sorry that you share your Christian name with the gentleman of wisdom and compassion who PoC belongs to, because you are not worthy of the same name !
It’s people like you who make us all the more determined that declawing will be BANNED !You masquerade as a long time cat lover yet you don’t know what you have done by declawing your cats.
Stricctly indoor or not, ALL cats need their claws to stay healthy ! Have you read anything at all about the problems from the amputation of cats toes ? If you have, you must know that cats need their claws to exercise properly and that as well as all the other risks you have taken with their physical and mental health by your cruelty, they are more than likely to develop painful arthritis.
A TRUE long time cat lover would care very much about that !
Comparing castrating cats with declawing is a tired old argument. When a cats testicles have gone they don’t affect his health in a bad way, in fact the cat is healthier.He doesn’t feel the need to go out looking for a mate and end up with torn ears from fighting. He doesn’t need his testicles, they are gone and forgotten.
He does however need his toe ends !
You blithely talk of rather having your own finger ends amputated than castration,well don’t forget you wouldn’t have to cover your own excreta with your wounded painful stumps, as cats have to immediately.You wouldn’t immediately have to walk on your throbbbing stumps either.
As for bathing cats, they come with the neccessary equipment to keep themselves clean, you are uneccessarily putting your cats through stressful baths just because you can.
Call yourself a cat lover ? HAH ….you could have fooled me ! You shouldn’t be allowed within a hundred miles of any cat,that’s for sure.

,

My story is similar to the orignator of this thread. We are long time cat lovers. In fact, my wife had to convince me that it is probably not a good idea to use bottled water for our indoor cats.
Frankly, our cats (all strict indoor cats) are neutered, declawed and bathed regularly. This is a non-negotiable. We only purchase rescue cats and they are part of our family.

Cats may certainly have a favorite scratching place. However, their impulse control is weak and when the urge hits, they have used whatever is available.

Should one wish to use to comparison of declawing being equal to cutting off the finger tips, then we should discuss castration on male cats. Personally, I will sacrifice my finger tips for my testicles.

Michael

Yes, Lisa, go to the Rock Store or perhaps the beach or a local quarry and bring home a nice big old rock or pebble. You can abuse this to your dark heart’s content and there will be no pain for the rock. Unlike your poor cats. In my opinion, a rock is about the only pet you are fit to keep. Your belief that you have a right to choose to mutilate and cripple your cats is misguided and plain wrong in any language.

When will people like you understand exactly what declawing is? Look at you boasting your ignorance on the internet, do you realise how dumb and barbaric you appear to those who truely understand this terrible surgery?

You imbue your ornamental wooden horses with more status than the living, sentient beings you keep and have mutilated. You may have kept cats for many of your 55 years, but it is perfectly possible to be wrong for all of your 55 years. Just HOW can you justify your shallow and cruel words and actions?

You have no clue as to the psychological and physical damage you have done to your poor cats. You are 100% disconnected from the reality of your pets. You deny their most basic behaviours and needs. You are an obscene yet perfect example of an animal abuser who should be kept away from all animals.

As per usual your weak attempts to distract us from your pitiful justification of your abuse of cats with tales of animal abuse on farms does not hold water. Yes, we fight animal abuse wherever it happens, I probably know far more about the reality of modern animal farming than you could imagine and I do not condone it, I fight it. Do you fight for farm animals or do you just gobble up and consume meat happily in denial to the very last. I’d guess it’s probably the latter.

In 38 countries of the world declawing is banned. Eminent animal behaviourists and veterinarians in your country are vehemently against declawing – they are more educated than you ever could be. Their opinion matters, yours, as an active animal abuser does not. In California, 8 cities have banned declawing. Very soon Lisa, wherever you live, this civilised approach to animal welfare will catch up with you and those like you, and you my dear sweet hater of cats, will have to educate yourself how to train cats to have good claw manners.

Shame on you. You have no right to abuse. You have no right to keep animals with the sole purpose of crippling them.

Lisa, so you have “rare, wooden carousel horses” and you “will not have any damage done to one of these animals”? What about the living, breathing animals?. You think it’s just fine to damage the real, living and feeling animals? That is just ridiculous. Methinks your “horses: have a good home. Your cats, however, do not.

You are seriously misled if you believe that it’s “business as usual” a few days after having your cat’s toes amputated (and all four paws no less!). You obviously have no knowledge of the anatomy of a cat and the vital role those claws serve in the health and mental well-being of the feline species.

And to call people who abhor declawing “fanatical nuts”? Are you suggesting that all of the vets and good citizens of the more than 30 countries where declawing is considered animal abuse are “fanatical nuts”? I think it’s time to take you head out of the sand and face up to the fact that you are wrong. It is not the “right thing” to “rescue” a cat only to disable it. I do not consider a “wonderful home” one where a condition of occupancy is to have essential body parts removed.

I have just one suggestion for people like you. Go to the toy store and pick out a nice plush cat toy. Just think, you can even find one that will match your décor and not clash with your precious inanimate horses.

Lisa, after reading your nonsense I’m sure your photo is next to the word “delusional” in the dictionary.

So what if you collect rare wooden carousel horses? Do you think you are the only cat owner with objects of financial value?? Or are you trying to imply that having money gives you the right to treat a sentient creature as merely another adornment to your home? I bet you wouldn’t cut off parts of your expensive wooden horses in order to make them fit inside your home, yet you think it was okay to do it to these cats!!! What a shame that your money couldn’t buy you any compassion or understanding of feline anatomy, because then you would understand why no genuine cat lover would ever consider it acceptable to amputate their toes.

Cats are well known for their ability to hide pain as it would make them vulnerable, and just because some declawed cat’s dont complain does not mean that they are not suffering in silence. Anyone who doesn’t understand the implications of declawing a cat is NEVER going to spot the subtle signs that all is not well with their cat.

Shame on you for pretending you “rescued” cats when in fact all you did was get them mutilated.

Michele (UK)

Whaaat? This has got to be a wind up surely? Declawing is a good thing? For whom? Not for the cat that is certain and sure. I for one would be very glad if a cat had a wonderful home (why do you put INDOOR in capitals? Are you another one of those who thinks cats should be life prisoners?) but madam, you cats have NOT got a wonderful home, you are in fact guilty of gross abuse of those cats. You say “if it’s done correctly there is some discomfort” well I’d like to tell you that if it’s done in any way there is a LOT of discomfort, how can a cat be subject to ten (or in your poor abused cats case 18) separate amputations and merely be in some discomfort? And do you realise that many vets charge EXTRA for pain medication? Or that some actually recommend NO pain medication because then because the cat will be in such extreme pain that he or she will sit still and not try to use the remains of his or her feet therefore not bursting the wounds open? Can you imagine having 18 amputations and no pain relief? You wouldn’t put up with it would you?
And so you think that a few botched jobs are ignorable do you? Once those toes are off that’s it, they’re gone, away they go in a surgical waste bag, it’s too late then to decide you’ve picked a “lousy doctor” isn’t it? But what does it matter to you as long as the wooden blocks are there to polish.

Are you actually proud of your “nice expensive things”? Do you think stupid wooden horses are more important than living loving companions? You obviously do because you’ve mutilated your cats for the sake of a few blocks of wood. I pity you, you have no conception of what is important in life have you? You think possessions are so important, well dear they are NOTHING compared to healthy paws.
You did NOT do the right thing in rescuing those cats, you should have left them where they were and given them a chance of finding homes with someone who cares about them rather than “wooden carousel horses” I am so NOT impressed.

Lisa, if you think declawing is so wonderful why don’t you go and have your own fingers and toes amputated at the first joint ? You’d be looked after, you wouldn’t have to walk on sore bleeeding stumps straight away or dig in litter, you’d be in a wheelchair for a long time,yes you’d be disabled, but so are your cats !
How could you put your poor cats through 18 amputations each ! Do you know what you have had done to them ?They can’t walk, groom or exercise properly now,they can’t even scratch an itch as you’ve not only taken their front toe ends you’ve taken their back ones too.
I can’t believe you value inanimate lumps of wood over the welfare of your cats.
You call us a few fanatical nuts, do you know how many people are against declawing ? Why do you think it’s banned in 38 countries as animal abuse if it’s so acceptable ? You think cats should be grateful to be imprisoned in your ‘wonderful’ home,you think they think it’s worth being crippled to live with someone who worships ornaments! Material possessions are nothing in comparison to living feeling beings and those of us who have our values in the right place know that!We don’t worship inanimate objects. So don’t come on here insulting those of us who care about cats because you are just proving you are the ‘hater’… or have you a guilty conscience maybe after reading what declawing really means? Attack is the best form of defence after all !
You most certainly DON’T love cats, you love the idea of cats which you can adapt to protect your precious wooden horses, which btw don’t impress me at all …..loved healthy cats impress me, lumps of wood don’t ! Cats are born with claws because they need claws,they are firmly embedded in bone never meant to be severed !
What will you do when declawing is banned and you have no real live pets,only your lumps of wood ? How empty and cold your house will be !

I’m very sure you have a fine collection of rare animals.I find it rather appalling you would call them animals and refer to them as more precious then your poor cat.I’m quite certain you have a very comfortable home,FOR YOU.On the other hand,(which is a good bet you haven’t mutilated), your unfortunate cat will never be comfortable or painfree thanks to your”loving,caring, twisted, kindness”. But hey,what ya say folks? Give her a crippled paw for having such a comfortable home in which her material needs out weigh that of a living creature.

I am 100% FOR declawing. It’s time these so called, “haters” mind their own business. Instead of berating someone who makes the choice to declaw, why not be glad the cat has a wonderful INDOOR home. If it’s done correctly there is some discomfort ( but that’s what pain meds are for) for a couple of days afterwards. Then it’s business as usual for the cat. Most of the complications of declawing come from the few inept vets who botch the procedure. But, any animal lover would be able to spot the subtle signs of poor quailty care, and a lousy doctor before having any procedure done.
I have had all of my cats(four of them) four footed declawed. And, yes I have nice, expensive things. I will not offer any apologies for this fact. As a collector of rare, wooden carousel horses, I can’t not and will not have any damage done to one of these animals because I chose to do the right thing and rescue a cat. There are MILLIONS of unwanted cats in this country. And, for a FEW fanaical nuts condem someone for declawing, all I have to say is this. The animal has a good home, stop complaining.

Hey Sherri, I’ve got a novel idea…Instead of hitting, spraying, and throwing things, how about training a cat to use a scratching post? Oh wait, that would take some effort and we can’t be having that now can we?

I’m not sure why you feel the need to justify your position on declawing. Could it be that deep down you know it’s very wrong, so you just keep trying to think of reasons why it might be just a little bit right? So far, none of your excuses holds water.

Cat scratch fever? Come on, you know as well as I that the chances of that are very slim. The chances of picking up an infection are far greater from a cat bite than a scratch, and it’s proven that declawed cats are much more likely to bite than those with claws intact.

Comparing declawing with castration and circumcision? That’s an even further stretch. What do either of those have in common with declawing? Sounds like an attempt to distract from the point at hand to me. How about making a more valid comparison like having your fingertips cut off at the first knuckle? But that would be silly wouldn’t it? A human would never be forced into that. If someone were to cut off your fingertips they would surely be convicted of felony abuse. Why then is it OK to do that to a cat? Surely a cat is not going to “choose” to have its toes chopped off and thrown in the trash.

Who is it that put all these silly ideas about declawing being OK in your head? Could it be your vet who happily profits with each cat you bring in for mutilation? He/she saw you coming a mile away. Typical, head in the sand consumer. So easy to con out of money. This is exactly the reason why we need laws to regulate this barbaric practice. We certainly cannot trust the vets and the people who pay them to look out for the best interests of our beloved pets.

I’m not a hater. I am a true cat lover who loves a complete cat and feels that they have the right to keep their toes. I’m not going to save it for someone else. I’ve got plenty of that love to go around and I will continue to speak for those that cannot speak for themselves.

So when ya going to see and explain to Aby?Soon? Never? Whew! good thing you can hide behind that computer isn’t it!

How sad that at the age of 55 you clearly know so little about cats. What’s worse is that your compassion for cats is even more lacking than your knowledge of them. I suggest that you read the excellent and informative “Declawing: A Physical Therapist Assistant’s Perspective” article which can be found on this web site. Perhaps if you knew more than “a thing or two” about cats you would understand why declawing is illegal in most civilised countries because it’s classed as an act of animal cruelty.

If you regard animal cruelty as “silliness” then I question the sincerity of your love for cats. There is no love involved in declawing. Since when did amputation become a token of affection?

We are not “haters”, we are people genuinely concerned for the welfare of cats. You have the freedom of choice NOT to adopt a cat if you cannot be bothered to teach it claw manners, but why should you have the freedom to abuse an animal that YOU have CHOSEN to invite into your home? Don’t pretend that you love your cats like your children. Unless of course you are going to take similar action and have your children’s fingers amputated if they start crayoning on the walls, breaking household items, stealing etc. After all, by your reasoning amputation of their fingers would also solve those “problems” more easily than educating them.

Cats use of their claws is not a “problem” it is natural behaviour that people should learn to deal with. Anyone who is throwing things, spraying or hitting their cats for natural behaviour – doesn’t deserve the company of a cat either.

“No cat should be outdoors due to the danger of larger animals.” What about the danger posed by the larger animals (humans) who mutilate their feet to make indoor living more acceptable?

I wish your cats had the freedom to make their own choices as I can only assume from your ludicrous “justifications” for declawing, that their IQ is superior to yours.

Sherri – Please come to my house and tell the declawed shelter cat I live with that declawing is “not inhumane” and something humans do to “live comfortably with cats” He, a purebred Aby, has such painful arthritis in his declawed paws that he can’t put his weight on his front stubs for more than a few seconds without repositioning himself. He has such painful arthritis that he can’t dig the litter in the litterbox so urines all over my home instead causing SEVERE urine damage (I don’t call that living comfortably with an animal!). He has such painful arthrits that he screams when he jumps off the counter and lands on the severed nerves in his once healthy paws. Please come and explain why someone crippled him, then dumped him at a shelter when his paws were too injured to use the litterbox.
I’ve lived with cats for 43 years and have done cat rescue for almost 20 (fostering 100’s of cats in my own home) so know a thing or two myself. I’ve never once been scratched to the point of worry because I trim nails, but have been hospitalized for a nasty cat bite (declawing, btw, creates more dangerous pets because they use their teeth more). And I do not have property damage from clawing because I provide appropriate places for my cats to do their vital & healthy scratching so they don’t use my furniture instead.
When can you come over to talk to my declawed Aby about why declawing is not inhumane?

Sherri you start off by saying declawing is painful to watch, well poor you, how painful do you think it is to live through? It has been your choice to declaw your cats so how can you moan about it being painful to watch, it obviously gives you some satisfaction to watch that pain because it’s a product of a procedure you have paid a veterinarian of dubious ethics to perform.. No pain no gain, pain for the cats gain for you (and the vet of course)

You’ll have to come up with better arguments to try and justify your declawing beliefs than mentioning circumcision and gelding animals, perhaps they too are wrong, though I can see that they are done for a purpose. What purpose does amputating a third of each of cat’s paws serve? You are the same age as me, and you consider yourself wise, lady you know nothing of compassion or care, your one desire is convenience for yourself and your cats have had no choice but to live by your rules. Far from having the ideal home that you think they have, your cats have been abused by you, the one person in this world that they should be able to rely on 100% to care for them kindly.
This isn’t silliness madam it is serious. Animal abuse, which you are guilty of, is anything but silly. It is imperative you educate yourself before you ever consider owning another cat and ruining it’s paws.

Sherri, what would happen to your cats if someone broke into your house while you were away, could they defend themselves from dogs, coyotes etc. if they ran out in fear of the intruders?
How about an earthquake, or fire, will you always be able to protect your cat when you have to make a split second decision, or will your cat escape by itself and have no defences against other dangers.
Do you believe your cat is safe in your own home?Not always, as the other commenters of this group already know, My cat was killed in my home by three dogs who broke into my home through a sliding glass door. She was declawed.
In 1984 when I made the decision to declaw my two kittens, we didn’t have computers, and even my cat books from that time didn’t address declawing. I made the decision based on an offer from my vet for a package deal to spay and declaw at the same time. Should I have asked the vet Questions about the procedure rather than blindly maiming my cats……you bet I should have, and I have regretted that decision for many years. You on the other hand obviously have a computer, and access to a world of information,educate yourself before you declaw another cat.

By the by Sherri, Circumcision is basically performed as a religious rite.Albeit,most people elect to have it done as a health issue as well.Most “livestock” that are gelded are given a local and the testes removed surgically.(I grew up on a large farm,and even us back-wood farmers knew tying off was painful).Livestock do not suffer regrowth,nor do they need their testes to walk ,defend themselves,or thrive.You can color it anyway that keeps you comfortable in your sadistic mind.But declawing is still unnecessary and mutilation!

Sherri if you haven’t got the picture by now you never will.
Can so many people be wrong ?Is there not a little niggle in your mind now that your cats are not living life as they should ? I hope you regularly check their stumps incase a claw is growing back or a sliver of bone is emerging, because that can happen months or even years after the initial multiple amputations. As you know so much about cats you should know they hide pain as it’s a sign of weakness to a cat,so a paw could be in pretty bad shape by a cat starts limping and going off its food.Cats have lost entire paws this way.
Don’t tell us you love your cats.Cats come with claws.You don’t love claws, you don’t love cats. QED

You don’t see the harm in the amputation of cats healthy toe joints ? Declawing isn’t inhumane ?Are you for real man?
I’m not 55 yet like you are but I think I know a lot more than a thing or two about cats than you do.I know they feel pain and I know they need claws for all the reasons you’ve already been given. Your thing or two mustnt include that then ?
Who are these people who hit their cats or throw things at them ? Because these people abuse their cats is that a good reason to abuse them still more by crippling them ?Man your mindset is scary.
Grandbabies, well my twin sister and I were born to cat loving parents,we grew up loving and respecting cats too and we still do.If we pulled a tail, we deserved a scratch,we soon learned cats also have feelings.We knew the difference between our cats and our teddy bears.
Surgery to correct something ? Correct what ? Scratching shouldn’t be corrected, it should be redirected.Have you heard of scratching posts ? Thats furniture for cats so your own precious furniture is safe. Maybe your furniture has feelings ? Mine doesn’t, its inanimate and would be easily replaced if I didn’t sensibly provide my cats with scratchers, in which case if it got ruined it would be my fault, not the cats.
If you think your weak arguments for your mutilation of your cats cut any ice with us and if you think we believe you love those poor cats,then its you being silly, not us.

Sherri,
All righty then.Been living under that rock long?You and people like you are what is holding back progress in the United States.I can not believe you can mutilate an animal and then turn around and say you love it.You must be related to my ex husband.I can not believe the rubbish spewing from your fingers.Oh wait! That’s right! You still have yours!It’s your poor cats that do not.Do you actually think that mutilating a cat,watching it withdraw and walk on it’s ankles,endure years of arthritis and severe muscle pain,is loving it?You have one twisted idea of love ,lady.I’d be terrified if I was a child of yours,with the type of love you show.What was it? Your furniture? The walls? Something absolutely irreplaceable?It’s truly sad that you would subject another living thing to so much pain! And sickening!
You say leave you alone.Fine.Soon, you will be.You want the right to free choice? What choice,free thinking lady,did you offer your cat before mutilating it?Oh,that’s right.A cat’s just a possession in your world under the rock.You do what suits you! No worries for how your actions will effect harm or pain to another living being.
You DO have a choice! DON”T own a cat!
When eventually YOU decide enough is enough,that your poor cat has endured all it can,and you are standing in the vets office(unless your going to do it yourself), watching your”loved” pet finally be put out of it’s misery,KNOW it was YOUR CHOICE!

What is this claptrap?

It helps humans live comfortably with their cats and vice versa? Err… excuse me, where did you get the vice versa from? You cannot ask a cat, and all evidence that we can possibly get shows that a cat is NOT comfortable declawed.

Cats are digitigrade. That means they walk with their weight on their toes. When you declaw, you take OFF the end of the toe. This means a cat CANNOT walk in it’s natural gait ever again. It means the cat suffers joint pains. It means the cat has a much higher chance of getting arthiritis, or painful spinal problems. It means the cat is constantly uncomfortable, and aches. You think your cats are happy? If only you could ask them.. Cats hide pain very well, as you should know, and this is no exception. Circumsision, while I disagree with that personally too, DOES has some health benefits for the ‘subject’ and does NOT leave the ‘subject’ in constant discomfort and higher risk of spinal problems, arthiritis, etc. etc. etc.

You know a thing or two about cats, eh, so why didn’t you know that? Or DID you know about it, but you just don’t care? That’s not loving your cats.

You talk about cat scratch fever. My family have been keeping cats for years. My dad lived on a farm with many near-feral barn cats, my mother had her house cats – and I have our house cats now. Not ONCE have ANY of us suffered a bad reaction from a cat scratch.

But you know, my mother DID suffer a bad reaction from a cat BITE and needed antibiotics, when she picked up a cat who was in pain (and she didnt know).
What? You gonna pull out the cats teeth for that? Cat bites are ten times worse than scratches, regarding dangers to the human, and a declawed cats only defense IS biting. Saying that, my mother was fine after three days of anti-biotics, so both cat scratches and bites are relatively HARMLESS to human beings.

I live in a country where declawing is illegal (the UK), because it’s recognised for what it is. It’s recognised to be abuse, mutilation, and it’s not jusitified for lazy and uncaring owners to get it done, and greedy vets getting their money.

You want your choice to abuse? That just tells us what kind of person you are, and you do NOT love your cats. You cannot fool anyone that you do. If you loved your cats, you wouldn’t go anywhere near declawing.

Then are a million and one HUGE reasons not to declaw, and NO reasons TO declaw – apart from selfishness of the human being, and complete disregard for the cats precious life.

You call me a hater? I call me a lover, and you the hater. The reason for that is so obvious, but you’ll never accept it.. because you just prefer to mutilate your cats, and spew out excuses.

Cat scratch fever is another stupid myth,I’ve been scratched many times in my career and my voluntary work with abused cats,I’ve not had cat scratch fever yet !
No cat should be outdoors ? Are you speaking for every country then ? Ours included where our cats live long happy natural lives, WITH their claws, exactly as Nature intended.
We don’t mutilate them for the sake of our carpets or furniture and we don’t hit, shout or throw things at them either, we train them to use scratching posts, it’s VERY easy !But then why should you bother when you can take the lazy way out.
Ah the grandbabies has come up again, yes make it easy for them to grow up thinking animals can be adapted, that they are toys to pick up or throw down and not living breathing feeling creatures just like us !We teach our babies and our grandbabies to respect animals, we watch over them until they learn that lesson.A warning scratch never hurt a child yet !
I think you need to do a lot more research on declawing and ponder why it’s banned in 38 countries as animal abuse and why a ban is sweeping across California too.
Please don’t come on here and say you love your cats, you DON’T, you love your adapted creatures !! When declawing is banned, and make no mistake it will be, what will you do ? Will you decide you don’t love cats after all and never get another ? Well GOOD, because anyone who would only have a cat if it could be declawed is not a fit owner for a cat.
BTW I know a thing or two also, being a retired vet nurse.About farm animals too, just because they suffer it doesn’t make it right that cats should suffer uneccessary operations !Two wrongs never made a right yet !
Stop trying to justify your uninformed views,it’s very silly !

The old chesnut of comparing circumcision to declawing has been trotted out countless times before but it isn’t at all the same thing ! You say yourself we have many surgeries by choice, yes WE do, but cats DO NOT ! Being declawed is of no benefit at all to the cat, in fact it’s just the opposite as it turns a perfectly healthy cat into a disabled cat. Indoor cats need their claws just as much as outdoor cats do, I thought you’d know these facts as you are 55 and know a thing or two about cats ? Apparently you don’t know cats need their claws for walking and grooming properly and very important this, for exercise!
A cat needs to dig in his claws to stretch his leg, shoulder, stomach and back muscles to keep them healthy.A declawed cat can’t do that.Have you watched your disabled cats trying to do it and laughed at them ‘trying to sharpen their claws’ as people ignorant of the fact that they are trying to exercise, often do !You say you love your cats like children,would you have your children disabled for doing what comes naturally ?Stop our silliness ! That takes the biscuit ! Is it silly to think it’s unacceptable for cats to suffer the most painful operation that can be done to them ?Is it silly to want to save cats from a potential lifetime of physical or mental problems? As you know a thing or two you’ll know cats hide their pain,so you’ll know to keep a close eye on your disabled cats incase they develop arthritis because they can’t exercise ? Happy, safe, spoiled and sincerely loved ? I think that should read have adapted to having their toe ends amputated(because cats HAVE to adapt, they have no choice, suicide is not an option for cats),imprisoned for life for no crime,spoiled… well that one is right, but spoiled in a different sense to the way you use the word…and sincerely loved, really ? So you should have loved with the claws they have the right to keep! The claws which were firmly embedded in bone,never meant to be amputated !

Hi Sherri, thanks for visiting and sharing your thoughts and presenting your arguments.

Of course, I disagree with you. Here are my counter arguments.

Circumcision

The intention is that it is done for the benefit of the person who undergoes the operation. Declawing is done for the person who requests it and against the interests of the cat. They are therefore entirely different practices.

Circumcision is controversial because it is practiced on children who have no choice. That is wrong in my view because the health benefits are debatable as I understand it.

But quoting one wrong does not justify another wrong.

Pigs and Bulls

If what you say is illegal it is wrong but this does not make declawing right. We should also protest against other wrongs.

People hitting cats etc.

I agree that some people will hit cats that have claws because of what the claws have done but the solution is to correct the behavior of the person not mutilate the cat. And I know that that is a much harder task but it should be done and started asap.

Behavioral problems of declawed cats

Sound research indicates that cats who are declawed fequently suffer physically and emotionally. See Cat Declawing Myths and Truths

Cat Scratch Fever

I talk about the very low risk of this disease and why the problem is nearly always ours on this page: All Creatures Animal Hospital Misleads US

Haters

People who oppose declawing are the opposite of haters. We are deeply concerned about the welfare of animals and cats and have love in our hearts. If we hate something, it is the unnecessary mutilation of our cat companions for our benefit. And we are not alone as many hundreds of millions of people in Europe feel the same way. The USA is out of step.