Why do people declaw cats?

I think people declaw cats because they are selfish, sometimes. I think that there are cases where it would be alright to declaw. I had a friend who had a cat that scratched everything up in their house. If it had just been a couch or a bed or something I don't think they would have cared about it's scratching but it got everything, literally. She scratched up their couch until the stuff in the cousins was coming out, she scratched up their dinning room table and all the chairs it looks terrible now, she scratched up their speakers for their surround sound in their living room, she scratched up their daughters curtains and ripped them down, she ripped up a lot of their carpet, and several other things. We have no idea why she did this because she had a small scratching post in each room and two large cat tree things she could scratch but she never used them I think that in a situation like this it's okay to declaw. They got her declawed and replaced everything she ruined. She is so sweet now and shes super calm and she still goes around acting like she scratching things. But if isn't an extreme case I don't think it's okay to declaw. People do it for selfish reasons like the cat scratched the couch a little or the don't want the cat to accidentally scratch them.

I agree Brittany D - the 1st Brittany is a troll and not a vet. I come to this conclusion based on vets that I know. Aside from the blatant ignorance of terminology and cat anatomy, any vet would be PROUD to brag about their education even if they believed in declaw. They would give scientific reasons (in their own mind) for declaw and quote various medical papers to support their belief in declaw. The fact that the 1st Brittany can not even do that just goes to show that she is just a troll trying to get everyone's hackles up. Now that's just dumb.

Don't worry we will only avoid the clinics with a Dr Brittany in them if they declaw at that clinic.
If it isn't already banned by then,which it hopefully will be by the time you qualify,we know you'd never work in one of those places making blood money.
You've given us hope for the future,you are an excellent vet in the making.

Don't worry we will only avoid the clinics with a Dr Brittany in them if they declaw at that clinic.
If it isn't already banned by then,which it hopefully will be by the time you qualify,we know you'd never work in one of those places making blood money.
You've given us hope for the future,you are an excellent vet in the making.

Don't avoid all the clinics with a Dr Brittany! One day I will be a Dr Brittany! Just avoid the ones with Dr Brittany's that declaw. Lol.
Anyway Dr Brittany you are dumb. I really don't believe you are a vet... I'm sure any vet on this site would be perfectly glad to say where they went to college and how long they went and everything. You are not a vet. You are a troll!!

Maybe we have no need for your personal information but we do have a need for you to answer the questions asked.
Maybe you don't have any answers.
Maybe you haven't the brain capacity to think for yourself what you are doing to cats or what your excuses are.
Next time you feel like agreeing to mutilate any feline think hard first about what you are doing and just maybe you'll feel ashamed enough not to do it.

Sweet dreams of yourself with finger stumps doctor if you've watched the Paw Project video.

That is OK we will just have to avoid all clinics with a Dr Brittany working in them which will be easy as we don't patronise any clinics that abuse cats by declawing them.

You don't.

Hello Angel, I'm so glad you've rejoined our troops, we've missed you.
Hoping all is well with your family now
x

No I don't think Brittany D is a little 'to'
(however did you get into vet school with your atrocious spelling) good to be true and I'll tell you the kind of 15 year old girl who wants to 'waste' her time as you say.
She is a girl of compassion and integrity,look those up in your dictionary doctor as you obviously don't know the meaning of either word.
I'm sure there are many 15 year olds like her but the reason you don't know any is that they don't want to know you.
The only ones who would want to know any person who legally abuses cats are other cat abusers.
Do you walk away after you've wielded your knife, guillotine or laser and leave your minnions to throw healthy toe ends in the trash?
Then go off to use your perfect hands without a thought to how you'd feel if someone amputated your finger ends and nails?
You don't have to walk on your hands of course and that makes what you do even more cruel.
Do you laugh when fingerless cats come back to the clinic with problems and can't scratch you?

There is NEVER any good reason to do what you do.
Declaw vets are even lower in my estimation now thanks to your input here.

You have made me determined to rejoin the fight against this legalised money making cruelty and to enrol as many more to help us as I possibly can.

Yes come on doctor tell us
1. where you went to college and where you work now

2. why you break your sworn oath to cause no
animal to suffer

3. why you ignore the AVMA guidelines that declawing should be only last resort

4. why you are trying to bully a young girl into your way of thinking and then trying to discredit her when she protests

If you believe you are so right then why are you afraid to tell us?

Brittany D you'd be surprised how many of us oldies use OMG and PMSL and ROFLOL and the rest lol
I too started caring about animals when I was your age and like the other regulars here I still do.
Doctor Brittany is a disgace to her profession and to women called Brittany but I know 2 more Brittanys and you 3 nice ones cancel out the unkind one.
Take no notice of what she says,we sometimes come across people like her but thankfully they are far outnumbered by nice people.
I watched the Paw Project video and now the whole of the world can see what American declawing vets do every day to get rich.

I am the author of this article, and like Brittany D, I am 15 years old. If I were not interested in changing the law do you think I'd of written this article and many others which educate about declawing? Are you really so stupid that you think our youth influences the way we judge an issue and how it needs to be resolved?

You are very ignorant and clearly are only for declawing because it is convenient to you, and puts money in your pocket. Anyone who would mutilate an animal and then defend such cruelty deserves to have a bullet in their head.

Brittany D. It's nice to see another person my age who is against declawing! 🙂

Don't you think Brittany D is a little to good to be true? What kind of 15year old girl actually wants to waste their time calling people and trying to get people to make a law? Not any 15 year old I know.

I quote you 'doctor' too.
What a low down trick to say such unkind words.
Still,I suppose it's to be expected when you think crippling cats for convenience is acceptable.
I too have volunteered with animals since I was in my teens and I too know many kids from 13 years old who don't think it's a waste of time trying to get the abuse of cats by their vets stopped.
You have shown yourself in a very bad light now 'doctor'

Oh Dr Brittany, how spiteful and desperate you must be to try to blacken Brittany D's name !
The 15 year olds you know must be as ignorant and cold hearted as you because I know a lot of young people who are passionate about animal welfare and carry on being so all of their lives.
I started volunteering at 18 years old, the same time as I started vet nursing, I'm now 63 and still campaigning although not as much physically because I'm almost past that, but I can do a lot on-line and know that our young people, like Brittany D are out there instead.
My biggest claim to fame was when I went down a well to rescue a kitten....I wouldn't be able to get back out nowadays lol lol lol
It's not very mature of a supposed to be professional to try to turn people against an obviously honest young woman who has more compassion in her little finger than you have in your entire body Dr Brittany. I don't know Brittany D but I do know a lot about life and people and I'd rather meet her than you, any day.
Because she vows never to declaw even though you say she should there is no need to try to make her look in the wrong.
That Dr Brittany is YOU !
Have you seen the Paw Projects new video? You should !

Don't you think Brittany D is a little to good to be true? What kind of 15year old girl actually wants to waste their time calling people and trying to get people to make a law? Not any 15 year old I know.

Yea I'm a 15 year old that wants to "waste" my time trying to make a law. I'm very sorry you don't know a 15 year old that believes in something enough to actually try and do what they know needs to be done! People have taught me my whole life that if I believe in something that I can do it. I'm very sorry that you obviously don't care for cats like most people. Believe it or not teenagers are actually getting somewhere now! We actually care for our environment, our animals, and several other things that we will have to live with for the rest of our lives. If we don't stop it now then we have to live with it later and I personally will not sit back and watch this horrible animal abuse happen to innocent cats when I know I can stop it. So no Im not to good to be true. I am an actual person dealing with actual issues because I actually care about things. You seriously need to stop with the insults because they aren't helping you at all. I'm ashamed to share the name Brittany with you.. you make it a terrible name.
And the lady down there that started her comment with OMG!!!! haha I just wanted to say that I find it awesome that you said omg xD. And I agree.. Brittany you should totally tell us where you got your education.

OMG! I cannot believe you are disparaging someone who actually CARES for animals, unlike you!

She is a wonderful 15/yr old. I began volunteer service when I was 12 years old and am closing in on retirement in a few years. It's called compassion - something you are sorely lacking.

You don't believe she's a caring 15/yr old and I don't believe you are a vet. You refuse to answer pertinent questions and you show your ignorance in cat anatomy. We don't care who you are personally. We only want you to answer general questions which you refuse to do. Tell us where you got your training and for how long, if nothing else. That would still protect your anonimity while verifying whether or not you are truly a licensed vet - or just a wannabe.

Contributors here include current/former vet techs, vets, shelter workers, IT people, blue collar/white collar workers - people from all walks of life from all over the world whose sole purpose is to share their love of cats and to educate.

What are you afraid of?

Don't you think Brittany D is a little to good to be true? What kind of 15year old girl actually wants to waste their time calling people and trying to get people to make a law? Not any 15 year old I know.

Come and join us on facebook in
'The International Coalition Against Declawing'
to begin with, from there you'll be surprised just how much is going on and how many people are determined to stop this cruelty.
It's right that adults will listen to young people as you have so much knowledge now because of the internet than we older ones used to have and you aren't afraid to speak out either.
Keep up the good work !

Omg yes I would love for declawing to be outlawed before I ever become a vet!! That would be amazing!
And yes there are lots of people in the US that want to educate people on declawing. My mom and dad are trying to help me educate people. The local vet clinic that I volunteer at recently stopped declawing (whenever they use to declaw they always offered alternatives and they gave all the facts.. They rarely ever declawed any cats). I put a video of a cat getting declawed on my facebook and tumblr page and people were heartbroken over it they were all very glad I shared the video with them. And I know several more people that are trying to help stop it. It's also amazing how many websites are out on the internet giving information about it... all you have to do is google it and you will probably get more facts about it than some vets will give you. I also find it amazing how much an adult will listen to a teenager if we have all our facts straight. Honestly I think if small groups of people that hate declawing could just band together and make one huge group in one place then we could seriously bring the house down! People listen to large groups more than they listen to small groups. But until that can happen I'm just going to keep trying to make it stop around here where I live. (:

What right have you to tell young Brittany she SHOULD de-claw.
I think you might be in for a shock because by the time she qualifies de-clawing will be outlawed as the insanity it is.
If it isn't totally banned by then the miserable vets like you will have gone out of practice anyway because most people won't stand for de-clawing any more once they find out what seriously cruel surgery it really is.
Make no mistake thousands of us intend to make sure every person in the US knows.
How will you de-claw vets make your living then doctor with only a few clients left as selfish and cruel as you are?

Great you phoned that clinic,caught them out there didn't you!
What say we all start reporting to the AVMA the vets who offer declawing?
After all it IS supposed to be done only after every other avenue to prevent inappropriate scratching has been explored.
They can't deny that's their policy.
No one not even Dr Brittany can deny that declawing is banned in other countries as animal abuse.
But in effect she is saying it's a choice between cats having their toe ends axed or burned off or being homeless.
Hello world to Dr Brittany,there are other alternatives you know, but even if there wasn't and push came to shove if I was a cat I'd rather take my chances homeless than live with a cat abuser who patronizes a cat abusing doctor for their pets.

Quoute from troll vet
"But believe what you want.
Brittany D. pursue your dream but I think you SHOULD declaw cats. If you don't you will let poor cats everywhere go homeless"

Brittany troll vet,you should be ashamed of yourself telling young Brittany she should declaw cats.
Did someone tell you that and you blindly obeyed without thinking it out for yourself?
Well girl,times they are a changing and young people are far more intelligent than your ilk and are thinking for themselves.
Do you honestly think this young girl is going to believe 'poor cats' will be homeless everywhere if she doesn't agree to mutilate them?
GET REAL.
The reason 'poor cats' are homeless is because vets like you are busy encouraging declawing instead of encouraging neutering/spaying.
Thousands of unwanted kittens are born to the cats of ignorant people.
Turn your attention to doing something about that.I'd like to bet young Brittany intends to when she qualifies.
Soon there won't be a person in the world who doesn't know about the cruelty of American and Canadian declaw vets.
Hang your head in shame Brittany troll vet.

Brittany D WELL DONE for putting that corrupt vet's clinic on the spot about declawing. No they won't like it that you know and are sharing the truth.
You are a very mature and compassionate person and just what the profession needs to bring them into the civilised world where vets don't abuse cats. I can tell by your passion that you TRULY love animals and won't be tempted to put money before your patients welfare.
Keep up the good work !!
Brittany 'vet' please explain why some declaw vets like the one Brittany D phoned OFFER and ENCOURAGE a supposedly last resort operation ?
You need to look on Petfinder.com and see the number of declawed cats and kittens sitting in cages, they are the homeless ones made so because of declawing ! You have it the wrong way round, declawing CAUSES homelessness as well as pain and a life of disablement. People who will only have a cat if he can be declawed are not fit cat caretakers. Do you know how many declawed cats are abused by kids and dogs in those homes ? Would you rather a cat live a life of fear like that or shut in a basement as a 'bad cat' by some people when the problems start ? Taken to a Rescue Shelter with not much chance of being rehomed ? Thrown out to fend for themselves, defencless against healthy animals and cruel people out there ? Believe you me, over the 2 years I've been helping educate about this atrocity I've heard it all and more besides. Why don't you do some research on this too and have your eyes opened to what YOU are doing ?
Cats are not 'fine' after declawing, they are disabled and have to adjust to living a disabled life. Why should they ? Not to know the pleasure of stretching their muscles on a scratching post, playing with a toy hooked in their front paws and doing the things healthy cats do.
You do know that scratching is NOT bad behaviour, that it's neccessary behaviour to a cat ?
Or maybe you didn't know that until we told you ?
It is their RIGHT to have their toe ends and claws and YOU have no right to take them away from them.

I will NEVER EVER declaw a cat. It's a terrible thing to do. I am not trying to be rude but Brittany are you like 12? You act like you are 12. If you really do have two kids then may God please help you all. You act about as immature as a 12 year old so if you have kids then I hope they don't grow up to be immature like you.

I just thought I would let everyone know that I called one of the two local vet clinics in my area and asked about declawing. They gave me a price and also offered the neutering+declawing combo. When I asked what declawing really does to a cat they told me it's just taking the claws out of a cat... that shocked me... and it made me really mad so I explained to them everything I had read on the internet and told them I couldn't believe what they are doing. This is not the vet clinic we take our animals to.. we like HATE that other vet but I just contacted them to see what they would say because I was curious. That made me really mad though. I'm pretty sure I made them really mad too because they sounded really angry with me after I told them what I knew. People are so very shocking and very rude and annoying and just plain stupid. Like most of you said before they are in it for the money they don't care about the cats. I mean come on people! These animals are helpless and they rely on humans.. they may not be able to talk to you and you may think they feel no pain when they could really be feeling really terrible pain. It's your job to prevent them from being in pain.

Brittany another thing I need to say to you is if people get the animals in the first place they should keep them and love for them forever no matter what. It's not all about the humans. We should consider the animals feelings also

But believe what you want.
Brittany D. pursue your dream but I think you SHOULD declaw cats. If you don't you will let poor cats everywhere go homeless.

BTW - my precious tortoiseshell, Sadie, recently passed away at the ripe old age of 16+. She was fully clawed and, on occasion, used her claws inappropriately (although she in declining health at the time). All I had to do was speak softly to her and say "no" and "gentle" and she gave me kisses and went to her scratching post. End of story.

Abby, who is a huge Maine Coon cat, has the hugest claws I have ever seen in my life along with her huge paws. Not once has she ever used them on me nor on any furniture, floor, wall or anything else inappropriate. She was adopted from our local shelter and was only given up due to the tragic illness/death of her human.

Your lame argument holds no merit whatsoever. You obviously are not a vet so please don't waste our time.

Brittany 1 - There is NO WAY that you are a vet - PERIOD. It is obvious by your terminology, your lack of cat anatomy and your reasoning. Even greedy vets would give some type of educated reasoning as to why they mutilate their clients. You have done none of that. (BTW - your correction of infect to infact is still wrong - it's 2 words: in fact). You sound like a troll trying to spread nonsense to unsuspecting people. It won't work here.

Brittany D - You are a breath of fresh air. Our shelter is constantly amazed by the youngsters who have more knowledge than their parents when it comes to the horrific declaw issue. After a shift of cleaning/watering/feeding the cats, I help with adoptions and when parents ask about declawing cats (which we won't allow), their children chide them and then go into factual information explaining why it should never be done. BRAVO! Please continue your quest to be a vet. You are the type we need.

I recommend you read and share this to help you understand exactly what declawing does to cats...

https://pictures-of-cats.org/sebastians-diary-part-1.html

Welcome to POC Brittany D, you are just what cats in the USA need, someone with sense and compassion who is determined to do something about declawing. What a breath of fresh air you are after reading the rubbish by the other Brittany. Please keep on calling at POC where you will find plenty of fellow cat lovers. If you're on Facebook you might like to look for The International Coalition Against Declawing and join us there too.

Brittany D it was really heartwarming to read your post. You may be only 15, but it sounds like you're a very level-headed and compassionate young lady. I hope that you realise your dream to become a vet, because our pets deserve to be treated by people who genuinely care about the welfare of their patients.

You're right too when you say more people need to know the truth about declawing. I think most people would be horrified and would never get it done to another cat. It might even make some people question the morality of the vet they are using. In a life or death situation, how could you trust that vet to do what is best for your pet or what's most beneficial to their bank account?

Keep spreading the word - cats everywhere will thank you for it.

Abby, understanding why cats need to scratch is key to re-directing that behaviour away from furnishings. They do it to exercise (pulling back against their clawhold), to mark territory (both visually and with the sent from their claws)and to condition their claws.

All cats have individual preferences for the textures they enjoy scratching, so offer Pooter a variety of items and you will surely find at least one he likes using. A sisal post, sheets of corrugated cardboard, a coconut door mat or even a thick tree branch all make cheap and effective scratchers. Anything with a vertical thread is pleasurable for them to scratch because their claws don't get snagged. Unfortunately many sisal posts have a horizontal thread which is one reason some cats don't enjoy using them. In which case try laying the post on it's side to see if they are interested in using it when now that the thread is vertical.

Ever noticed that cats don't tend to scratch the places that they rub their faces against? Invest in some Feliway (which mimics the scent from their cheek glands) and spray it once a day for 21 days on the items you want to protect. If money is tight, wipe a clean soft cloth over Pooter's face and then rub that on your furnishings to transfer the scent.

Cats are clever and quick to adopt behaviours that benefit them in some way, so it's important to reward Pooter with food treats and praise when he uses his scratcher. Above all, do not yell at him or punish him if you catch him scratching somewhere he shouldn't. He will either wait till you are not around to tell him off, or will quickly learn that scratching is a great way of getting your attention. Instead calmly tell him "no" and take him over to his own scratcher.

Annie Bruce is a well respected feline behaviourist and her web site Cat Be Good has lots of excellent advice on teaching cats claw manners.

As others have said, check out your legal rights as a tenant. Don't take your landlord's word for it that he can force you into having your cat declawed.

Hope it all works out for you - good luck.

Hi young Brittany D. Welcome to PoC and thank you for taking the time to learn about declawing and saving the claws of your kitten. Too many people are simply having it done to, because that is what their vet tells them.
I hope one day you can fulfill your wish and become a vet. I'm sure you'll be a good, empathic one - and those ones will always be needed.

I'm from the UK.
You may 'just' be as you say a 15 year old girl Brittany but you are much more mature than the other Brittany here and much more compassionate too.
You'll make a great vet!
Loads of reading for you on PoC and most of us who come here will be really happy you've joined us.
You'll find a whole lot more against declawing than for it but take care as there are some very graphic and sad pictures of real cats harmed by declawing.

Hello Brittany and a HUGE welcome from a fellow cat lover in England.
You are our hope for the future and there are other young people who just like you are thinking for themselves and researching declawing and finding out just how cruel it is.
Before so much information was available on the Internet, people didn't know the truth and their vets didn't tell them ! So there are many people feeling guilty about having this done to their cats and also very angry at the vets who did such major surgery without explaining exactly what it is.
Many cats are suffering right now and incredibly some vets are still declawing more.
Some are advertising neuter/declaw packages for kittens or giving discounts on declawing to encourage people even though it's supposed to be according to the AVMA, only as a last resort. The only reason there can be is because it makes them a lot of money.
Their excuse is that more cats would be in Rescue Centres, but that is untrue because a lot of cats are relinquished to those places when the problems from declawing start. Some are killed or caged for life as unadoptable. Research is going on to prove this.
There is too much to write about in one comment but you'll find over a hundred pages here on PoC about the subject as lots of us are educating as many people as we can.
Chilli is an Abyssinian and belongs to Maggie in Australia who is your age and does a lot towards educating people even though declawing isn't done in her country. But like all of us in England, where our vets didn't declaw even when it was legal here, she cares passionately about cats being abused this way.
The people in the USA who are against declawing have many supporters worldwide but you being right there where it happens will be very valuable towards getting this stopped!

I just hope that here in the US it begins to look like Europe where this unnatural thing called declawing is outlawed, banned, forever. I know I'm just a 15 year old girl but I hope someone who supports declawing reads this and figures out that they are stupid, even a 15 year old knows it's wrong. Even I am smart enough to do the research and learn the facts. Abby G. I just wanted to let you know that I praise you for not declawing your precious kitty, Pooter. We are getting some of those soft paws for our kitten. I think they are going to be really good, you should try them. And, like Sofia said, they look like a little kitty manicure. I hope that maybe I helped someone realize how wrong they are. Thank you for reading my comment, and thank you for making this website I really love it. Also, if you don't mind, could someone tell me what kind of cat that is in the picture above? It is a gorgeous cat!

I'm not the Brittany complaining about everything. I'm just here to say that I found this website very helpful. Until I read this I never really knew what declawing was, it sounds harmless like you are just going to take out the cats claws not it's whole like finger. I'm 15 and I hope to be a vet one day. The thought of ever declawing a cat just gives me the chills it's disgusting and I can't believe anyone would ever actually want it! God gave cats claws because He intended on them using them not people to cut them off. Im a major christian and I really believe that everything on your body has a use if God gave it to you you shouldn't even think about taking it off. That's what claws are they are there for a reason they aren't just decoration that you can take off whenever. I grew up with cats being declawed and we currently have a new kitten. It has been YEARS since we had a new kitten and I never really knew what declawing was until I googled it and found this page. I'm glad to say I talked to my mom and we have decided not to declaw our new kitten. We regret ever even declawing our cats in the first place and we are lucky they never had any problems. I think the problem with most people is that they don't know what declawing is really. I'm sure most people are just like me and they look at it as just taking the claws out, no harm done. I don't think anyone ever really looked at the facts or ever watched the surgery happen. That's what my parents and friends of ours also thought but I was able to change their minds and let them see what actually goes on when a cat gets declawed and everyone that I have talked to actually regrets ever doing it. People are just misinformed and I think we really need to take measures to inform everyone of what declawing really is. I am absolutly repulsed by Brittany. If she really is a vet I pray that people just stop going to her. She seems like the kind of person that is just going to keep everyone misinformed about this issue. I really hope I never meet anyone like her. What she is doing, promoting declawing when she knows what it does, is just like seriously stupid and it disgusts me. I think we all need to just pray for Brittany. I hope she gets over whatever is wrong with her and she wakes up one day to realize how wrong she really is. We should also pray that the world comes to realize that declawing is cruel and unusual. Remember God gave cats claws for a reason. He didn't intend on you taking them away. I think we should just totally outlaw declawing. I'm really trying, I have a meeting with my english teacher at school and he is going to help me send a letter somewhere to hopefully help inform the government that we should get it outlawed. It may do nothing but it may help to stop it, I really don't know.

I'm not the Brittany complaining about everything. I'm just here to say that I found this website very helpful. Until I read this I never really knew what declawing was, it sounds harmless like you are just going to take out the cats claws not it's whole like finger. I'm 15 and I hope to be a vet one day. The thought of ever declawing a cat just gives me the chills it's disgusting and I can't believe anyone would ever actually want it! God gave cats claws because He intended on them using them not people to cut them off. Im a major christian and I really believe that everything on your body has a use if God gave it to you you shouldn't even think about taking it off. That's what claws are they are there for a reason they aren't just decoration that you can take off whenever. I grew up with cats being declawed and we currently have a new kitten. It has been YEARS since we had a new kitten and I never really knew what declawing was until I googled it and found this page. I'm glad to say I talked to my mom and we have decided not to declaw our new kitten. We regret ever even declawing our cats in the first place and we are lucky they never had any problems. I think the problem with most people is that they don't know what declawing is really. I'm sure most people are just like me and they look at it as just taking the claws out, no harm done. I don't think anyone ever really looked at the facts or ever watched the surgery happen. That's what my parents and friends of ours also thought but I was able to change their minds and let them see what actually goes on when a cat gets declawed and everyone that I have talked to actually regrets ever doing it. People are just misinformed and I think we really need to take measures to inform everyone of what declawing really is. I am absolutly repulsed by Brittany. If she really is a vet I pray that people just stop going to her. She seems like the kind of person that is just going to keep everyone misinformed about this issue. I really hope I never meet anyone like her. What she is doing, promoting declawing when she knows what it does, is just like seriously stupid and it disgusts me. I think we all need to just pray for Brittany. I hope she gets over whatever is wrong with her and she wakes up one day to realize how wrong she really is. We should also pray that the world comes to realize that declawing is cruel and unusual. Remember God gave cats claws for a reason. He didn't intend on you taking them away. I think we should just totally outlaw declawing. I'm really trying, I have a meeting with my english teacher at school and he is going to help me send a letter somewhere to hopefully help inform the government that we should get it outlawed. It may do nothing but it may help to stop it, I really don't know.

I'm sure this will help Abby G and others in the same situation because you are our expert on this subject.

Anyone still doubtful about the effects of declawing might like to read this page here on PoC too:

https://pictures-of-cats.org/declawing-ruined-this-cats-life.html

This is only one of many cats suffering from this premeditated and unecessary abuse called declawing.

Doctor Brittany is doing her profession no good at all by showing her ignorance of a cats anatomy and the reasons it has claws.
I don't know any of my colleagues who don't know that.
But she is doing the anti declawing cause the complete opposite by exposing the truth that doctors do not qualify with much knowledge at all about cats.

First, please consult w/an attorney or research Tenants Rights - if you have paid a security deposit, or extra pet fees, to cover damages, your Landlord canNOT require you to mutilate your cat for damages - he already has the money to cover any potential damages!

Second, print this article out that was written by a veterinarian and an attorney and show it to your Landlord - it reports how much more property damage, and how much more liability, a de-fingered cat tenant is: http://www.littlebigcat.com/important-information/declawing-cats-required-to-rent/

Third, check this website for more resources, as well as pictures of the severe urine damage a de-fingered cat has caused due to arthritis & ulcerated paw pads - common consequences of de-fingering - de-fingered cats are twice as likely as clawed cats to not use the litterbox & pee around the house instead according to the vet studies & shelter surveys:

Fourth, there are TONS of humane & effective ways to manage a cats claws to ever justify mutilating & crippling an animal for life. If a cat likes to stand up & scratch the woodwork, cover it with double sided tape to make it unappealing (cats do not like "goo" on their paws!) & have a tall sisal, sturdy post nearby for him to scratch instead. If a cat is scratching the carpet, put cardboard scratch pads throughout the home for him to scratch instead, and/or get cheap carpet samples or mats and keep them covered with cat nip so he knows to scratch the mats and not the wall-to-wall carpeting. Also, if you keep his nails trimmed, he can't snag it even if he does scratch it!

Fifth, DO NOT DE-FINGER your cat! It is blatant animal cruelty that is already illegal in 8 California cities (inc the 2nd largest city in the USA, Los Angeles!). Find a vet that does not mutilate the healthy body parts of animals to care for your cat, the others cannot be trusted & your cat deserves a doctor that puts the health & wellness of the animal before the human & their credit card.

Too true.
Let's not waste any more of our valuable time on that 'vet'
Let's just concentrate on getting the message that declawing is BAD BAD BAD to those who will listen and learn and there sure are plenty of them.

It will be interesting to see how many of those that profess to love their cats dearly won't love them any more when ALL cats have claws,theirs to rightfully KEEP.

I think we can discount Brittany's input - period. She writes like a child, and if she hasn't got the confidence to treat "stick" injuries and hasn't got the nous to know her own cat isn't well until the cat is in extremis then I can't see how even IF she is a vet her opinion would count for anything. I bet she hasn't got a very long list of clients. Maybe in reality she works as a Saturday girl in vet surgery. They do say "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing" and in this case that is exactly right.

I've contacted a friend in the USA who knows a lot about landlord requirements and also about the damage a declawed cat can do, far more than a clawed one in fact !
She has a declawed cat she rescued from a death sentence so you can hear it straight from the horse's mouth how declawed cats suffer.
I hope she'll comment here later today.

I think we can discount Brittany's closed minded input because like other vets who declaw she sees only what she wants to see and hasn't the evidence the anti declaw vets doing research and the people in the thick of rescuing suffering declawed cats have that declawing is inhumane and ruins many cats lives.
Declawing wouldn't be banned or considered extremely inhumane by millions of vets and people in 38 countries and in 8 Californian Cities if it wasn't animal abuse.
They can't all be wrong.
Sorry Brittany but it's you who is making 'a bitch out of yourself'
Open your eyes to what you are doing and stick to your oath to cause no suffering.

I recommend soft paws. They are easy to use and they are safe. I use them on my catsvand I love them! I found it hard to put them on the first time so I had my vet help me and show me how to do it. So if you need help ask your vet! But they are so cool and they are safe! Also they look like your kitty has a cute manicure!
Oh and Brittany is stupid.
That's all I'm saying 🙂

Never get your cats declawed!!

This is an interesting article. (:
I'm not here to argue I'm just here to ask for some help.
I just moved into a new apartment with my cat, Pooter, my landlord says Pooter can't live here with claws because he doesn't want a cat here ripping everything apart.
I don't want to declaw though so I was wondering if anyone could tell me some really good alternatives that will keep Pooter's claws off of everything. I have tried scratching posts and he seems to prefer the couch. I have two weeks to figure something out. I don't want to move out and I definatly don't want to give my little Pooter up! Please help! (:

I won't tell you where I went to school, graduated, ect. ect. Not because none of it's true but because I don't feel as though a need to prove anything to a few unknown Europeans or Americans that I don't care to much for thank you very much.
The whole not treating my own pets thing is a choice I made only because I know I will be very distracted thinking about what I need to do for my animal rather than my whole mind being in my patient. I'll tell you the story of why this came about. I was a new vet, I had only been out of college for about a year and a half, I was working in the towns animal clinic, I had basically grown up there. One day I woke up to find that my cat, Grayson, was very irritable, he didn't want anyone to touch him or really even talk to him and HD didn't want to eat which was unusual because he eats all the time. He was really just acting weird so I decided to take him to work with me. I had to lure him into the cage to even get him there, he was so agry whenever I tried to touch him. When I finally got him to the clinic doc, the guy that owned the place, told me to put him to sleep so I could check him out. Well I found that he had crystals in his urine and really bad bladder stones, his bladder seemed like it was about to pop because he couldn't pee, but I didn't know he wasn't peeing because obviously the other cat was still peeing and everything looked normal until that day. I had to put a catheter in him and I had to flush out his bladder and I basically wouldn't leave him at all until he was okay and ready to go home. I stayed over night with him and everything. From that day on doc told me to let him treat all my pets because that was a really bad time for me. It's always a littler easier to know that doc is the one operating and doing stitches because even though it still scares me when they get really sick I feel like they are in better hands with doc operating. If it's like a little cold or something small then I can treat it but with stitches or anything that needs an operation I let someone else do it.
Now you don't now me and none of you can judge me or make assumptions about me because assuming things makes a bitch out of me and you... but mostly you.

What an excellent piece!

Now into the heart of the matter. The main reason I come up with is for human's convenience. Clipping claws takes but a moment. Declawing cats is permanent disfigurment accompanied with pain that may last for the rest of the cat's life.

But we know this!

I was struck by what I considered to be "rants" by "Brittany". Also I am not at all convinced that Brittany is a vet. I could be wrong, but in one of her "rationalizations" for declawing" cats she talked about one of her own cats getting injured after being "stuck" following wresttling with another cat. I just don't understand why Brittany had to take her cat to the vet.

My vets always treat their own cats and dogs unless there is a condition for which a "specialist" is used. Seems to me that the injury to which she alluded was sufficiently simple that she could treat it at home or at her clinic.

Very odd!

Cats do need their claws. I think it would be fantastic if veterinarians in training would be required to study feline behavior and the reasons for their behavior. Purrhaps that might be helpful in dissuading them from performing a medically unnecessary procedure, and educate their clients about why cats scratch and what they can do to provide them appropriate outlets.

I am an old lady! I have two wonderful kitties. ocassionally I get scratched. Occasionally a scratch becomes infected because I didn't treat it properly. But declawing a cat to protect me would be done over my dead body.

So Brittany, why not reveal where you went to school and when you graduated and other identifying information that would lend credibility to your claim.

CLAWS and Cats- what should be an inseparable relationship.

To OJ - I don't work on my own animals.. I find it hard to deal if I'm the person that finds something seriously wrong with my animal.
OJ was the last one I read so he's the only one who I can't totally remember but I will touch on some points.
One person said something about a misspelling and when I said "infect" I meant infact, I will tell you I'm doing this on an iPad and it's a little harder to type so excuse my spelling errors if you will.
No cats don't live with a life of pain, that is like a number one myth.
No it doesn't change the way they walk, also a large myth.
I have never had anyone come in with a problem after a declawing nor have I ever had a problem with any of my own cats.
I have been reading some little tidbits and facts just to help me a little and did you know that 70% of people have reported a BETTER relationship with their cats AFTER declawing? Yea.
Okay so let's all be honest.. I do offer people other options because declawing isn't my most favored thing to do but people say other options can be to expensive ect. Ect. Ect.
I call neutering "fixing" because after having two kids and never feeling the need to tell them the technical term for it I just say things like "mommys gotta go fix a kitty today" I kind of just stuck with it after a while.

lol you are right Barbara.
She says
"I had to take my adult cat to the vet"

World to Brittany,INFECT you told us YOU are a vet.

QED

If this Brittany person really is a vet and not a daft kid and if she is typical of her veterinarian colleagues then that explains why declawing happens, because US vets don't have to be intelligent, have morals or care about cats. The ignorance of a person who announces that she is "infect" a veterinarian, (despite the fact that in her previous post she says "infect I have had to take my adult cat to the vet") and who takes pains to assure us she keeps cats "their whole lives" (well who doesn't?)
and who comes on to a site that is dedicated to fighting the atrocity which is declawing and suggest we have a "benefits of declawing page" (what would be the point? The page would be empty because there ARE no benefits)....is frightening!! Can you imagine anyone choosing to leave a precious feline member of the family with this ignorant upstart who thinks that pandering to people who would otherwise throw their cat away makes her a good vet?
God help all animals, especially cats, who come under her "care"!

One remark of yours 'doctor' that others haven't picked up on...

'And if it was bad for the cat then vets would not do it'

So tell me please why there are many American vets who will not declaw,who educate their clients as to why they won't declaw?
Why are some vets doing on going research and bringing up proof of the pain and complications declawing causes?
What about the Paw Project?
All trying to right the wrong their colleagues like you are doing.
Somehow though I don't think you are a vet,note you didn't say 'we vets'
Please carry on with your comments,it gives us the chance to let the thousands of visitors here see the desperation you feel in longing to carry on breaking your oath and mutilating kittens and cats.

"So what the hell cut my fingers off! If it's going to keep cats safer cut my fingers off"

Volunteers would be queuing up doctor but I can just visualise you running away like the coward in this poster....

https://pictures-of-cats.org/for-laser-declawing-then-try-it-yourself-.html

Oh you've made my week with your inhumane and feeble arguments and done the anti declaw movement a power of good.

You don't love cats doctor.
You love adapted cats which isn't the same at all and to me it's doubtful if you even love them then because you think it was OK to put them through hell to do that adapting.
Safer for the cats and the humans around it you say!There we have it,it's not for the cats themselves it's for the unruly brats of the families and the pesky dogs to be able to harrass the poor things without fear of retaliation.
I've never heard of anything so stupid as saying it's for the cats own benefit,axing off its toes. Trim its claws if you are so yellow you are afraid of a scratch.
I bet you love it when cats you've mutilated come back with problems,you only have to worry about bites and I bet you get a tech to hold the cat down for you.
You also say cut off your fingers because we think you are an inhumane vet.Oh how I'd love to assist at that surgery but you'd run a mile wouldn't you?You aren't a small defenceless being to be overpowered by much larger beings set to cause you pain and disablement.
Argue all you like but you'll lose because millions of people see right through your sort now and know that money is your God.
THANK that same God that I live in one of the 38 countries where we have REALLY HUMANE vets,not ignorant cruel vets like YOU.

Personally I am always shocked at how American vets can support declawing. For me it shows a mind that is completely closed to the thought that it is obviously wrong, terribly wrong. Hundreds millions of people in Europe would agree with me.

Then the America vet finds a way of justifying it by saying that the cat would be abandoned if not declawed. You don't fix one wrong by doing another. That is a well established principle of living. Educate people on cat caretaking to stop abandonments and educate them again on the truth about declawing.

You cannot equate neutering with declawing. The former, in this world, is sadly necessary and it benefits the cat. While the latter has only detriment, great detriment, for the cat and only benefits the person. You are thinking in a blinkered way, Brittany, as almost all American vets do.

You have been indoctrinated with the idea that declawing is acceptable and simply do not respect the cat. You breach your oath in a most fundamental way and work unethically. You make big bucks from the operation and then find tired cliches to justify it.

On the following linked page an American vet explains how the Resco method is crude and leaves a "big hole" and the cat in a lot of pain. It also leaves bone fragment behind unless performed with great skill. He admits this. This is what vets have been doing to cats for the pleasure of their owners in the US.

Revealing: Declawing Vet Talks About Declawing

We are open to good argument. But there is nothing that can justify this brutal operation unless it is for the benefit of the cat - extremely rare.

And you call us ignorant!

Brittany are you really a vet ? If so then the standard of the place you qualified from is very worrying.
I have worked with many vets and I've never known one call a neutering operation 'fixing'
Indeed that is a layperson's term as is the tired old chestnut comparing the neccessary procedure of neutering with the uneccessary cruel operation called declawing.
I also can't believe you qualified without studying a cat's anatomy, which you obviously didn't study because if you did you would know that cats are digitigrade and that they need their toe ends/claws to walk as a cat needs to walk and to exercise their muscles.
Did you really take an oath to harm no animal ?
IF you are a vet then you must have done, so why are you abusing cats ? A couple of days of pain you say, but how wrong you are, it's a lifetime of pain and/or mental anguish for many cats.
You say you won't declaw a cat over 2 years of age but lots of people want kittens declawed. Have you not read the AVMA's policy that declawing should be a last resort for SERIOUS scratching behaviour? Have you not heard of scratching posts and pads and showing kittens how to use them ? No you'd obviously far rather amputate those tiny creatures toe ends than bother educating your clients. Because IF you are a vet you MUST know declawing is NOT just taking out the claws it is TEN amputations.
If claws are so lethal and as dangerous as you make out, then why are cats born with them ?
The answer is simple, because they NEED them.
Even this lowly vet nurse knows that fact !

Hi Brittany. In my country - as in most others - declawing is illegal and considered animal abuse. We have no need for it and I fail to understand what makes American cats so different that you have to mutilate them.

Besides that, usually when we Europeans comment on declawing we are accused of sticking our noses into matters that don't concern us. I find it kinda funny that now you tell fellow Americans who don't agree with you, to move out of the country. Is that your understanding of democracy? That all laws, rules and regulations are forever unchangeable and minority views are not accepted?

p.s. Apparently you are a vet. May your clinic have a very poor 2011!

There. I added a name. Good enough for you? Because that is all you are getting.
I intended on the people reading my comments to maybe oh I don't know answer the questions I asked you..? I know my opinion and I know yours. That's why I called the people here ignorant. You don't even have sense enough to even explore my ideas. I find people like this very annoying. I'm not calling your idea wrong, infact I find the idea interesting. Like I said, it's safer for the cats and the humans around it. So cut off my fingers because you think I am an inhumane vet. I see tons of people every day wanting to declaw their kittens (I won't declaw a cat over the age of 2 because it will make it almost unbearable for the cat) for several reasons, all very good. If you live in the U.S. and don't like the whole declawing a cat thing then why don't you move to Australia, Whales, Brazil, Germany, Finland, or New Zeland, because those are the countries that I know for a fact have outlawed declawing. But don't live here where people do it everyday and complain about it because I doubt it will help anything. I have an extreme love for cats and I would never do anything that would cause harm to them. Yes, for the first couple of days they will be in pain but they will be in pain for the first few days after any operation, just like you would. Do you think getting a cat fixed is wrong because they will be in pain for a few days? No, I don't think so because fixing your cats keeps you from having kittens that you don't want.
I believe that indoor cats don't need their claws. Outdoor cats however are a different story and we do check up on the people we are declawing for before we declaw. I feel like you all make illegitimate arguments. That's just my opinion.
I feel like I have argued my point enough and I would like for someone to argue against me.
Oh, and I think it would be fair to include a "benifits of declawing page" if you feel as though that is impossible it will further prove my point that you are being ignorant about this issue. People deserve to know ALL the facts not just facts that back YOU up and a few of your opinions.

You can be as anonymous as you want, but if you want to be taken serious, better pick some kind of posting nym to distinguish you from all the other "anonymouses"
At any rate I suspect you to be one of the pro-declawers from the Dr. Patricia Forsythe page looking for a page that won't come up, when you google her name...

I'm anonymous down there with the title "uhm..." and I'd like to add that I am infect a veterinarian and I will tell you it is not inhumane. I have had families want to throw cats out on the street but then want them so much when they are declawed. Let me ask YOU a question would you rather a cat be out on the streets alone or would you rather them be in a safe home without claws? Those are your choices. So what the hell cut my fingers off! If it's going to keep cats safer cut my fingers off... I'm definitely helping them more than you are.

I don't really agree with you that they use claws for everything. I have had cats my whole life, I keep them their whole lives and always have two at a time. I find (after having 6 cats and having them all live until they pass of old age, most recently Kiki passed away, he is dearly missed. And we have two kittens and one adult cat ) and three living cats anyway. I feel after that many cats that it is safer for the cats and people around them that they get their claws out. With claws they can climb things they could potentially get hurt on and they can hurt each other, infect I have had to take my adult cat to the vet because one of the kittens was wrestling with him and a claw got stuck, he was bleeding pretty bad. Also the people around them i.e. The kids and my husband and I don't get hurt as much. Yes, we can clip them but then the go scratch on the post and they go back to normal. And if it was bad for the cat then vets would not do it. Also I believe if you have outdoor cats you should not have them declawed. But if they are indoor like mine then have them declawed if you think it's safer. There is nothing wrong with it. You people are ignorant and I say that because you will tell me I'm wrong and only agree with yourselves.

THANK YOU Maggie, yes I'll email you next.
Maybe Michael will remove your email address from here now I have it,just to be on the safe side.

Hmm, I can have a look for something like that, but I'm not sure if I'll get too far....

So start with here's a few links from my own state.

http://hobartcatcentre.com.au/ (I've been in there, they really look after the cats!)

Would you like to email me? That way I can send any further links directly to you. I probably shouldn't be publishing my address on such a world-wide site, but I think I'll risk it for the sake of my support in banning declawing. You can contact me at: hi.hi1hi@yahoo.com (I wanted an address that greets people! Hehe!)

Thank you so much.All Rescue Shelters would be good because we are finding even non cat ones are sympathetic to our cause.We were lucky that we found a map of our country and each County you click on brings up a list of all the Rescue Centres in that county:

http://www.catchat.org/adoption/index.html

Of course some don't have email addresses so we can't contact them with it being an on line petition as they'd need one to sign it.
If you could find something like that on-line it would be much appreciated.
You are a STAR !

Ruth,

At this point I don't, but I can get the one's from my state and with help from the internet and friends in other states I may be able to get the links to the rescue centers in the whole country. Do you want just cat ones?

Maggie can you help us please ? Do you by any chance have a link to all the Rescue Shelters in Australia ?
We are getting so much support for our petition from emailing every one we can in the UK, when we finish our country we hope to continue doing it in every other country where declawing is banned.
THANK YOU.

In Mumbai city most of the people live in "Skyscrapers" or buildings, unlike ground floor cottages and mansions as in the West or some Indian City's. Honestly, if "DECLAWED", both my cats "Matahari" and "Matata" would have not been alive today, definitely becoming casualties of a fall from the 5th floor of my house during their death defying sky-walks on the gallery windows. Its the "CLAWS" that helps a cat get a firm grip on ledges and smooth syrfaces while climbing or simple walking.Agreed, the "CLAWS" also damage costly furniture as has happened in my house, but, the even a child or children would do some damage to household furniture and articrafts. Treat your cats like a household family member understanding their positive as well as negative qualities and please don't "DE-CLAW" them, akin to owning "HOUSEHOLD TOYS".

I grew up in the 1970's and back then people would declaw cats to "protect" their children. I hate to think of all the children traumatized by biting cats and the cats sent packing (maimed for life) for biting the child.

Although from the U.S.A., cat lovers recognize the brutality of declawing and have joined myriads trying to get this cruel procedure banned.

I've also been kneaded on the lap with claws, but it's a small price to pay for the loyality and affection my sweetheart gives me. Who cares about the furniture? The cat lives here too. What if a small child wrecked the furniture - would you de-nail the child or remove their hands?

Over time, Sadie has learned what the word "gentle" means with respect to touching my face with her claws extended. Now she gently touches my face or arm or whatever extremity when she wants something. The only time the claws come out now is if I'm not paying attention to her myself...it's her way of saying "OK mommie, smarten up!"

I recognize the feeling of being paw-pumped on the face while asleep - that's the reason we too trim the claws of our cats slightly every two weeks or so. But they still have claws - and they enjoy using them for stretching out on the scratching post.
You are so right, Maggie - cats use their claws all the time and without them they are in fact disabled. Thank you for making some good points.

p.s. Great picture of Chilly. He is such a beautiful boy. 🙂

My heart aches for every declawed cat ! Adult cats robbed of their claws must feel so very bewildered and vulnerable on top of the pain of walking on their mutilated feet and they must be very traumatised too.
Kittens robbed of their claws before they've even had chance to learn how to use them have to live disabled lives. It makes me see red that some of those corrupt vets offer discounts for declawing or neuter/declaw packages, because that is encouraging people to have it done.
People can go out and get an innocent kitten knowing full well they won't have to bother getting a scratching post because it's so easy to get it declawed instead.
Even if it was simply the claws removed as the term declawing implies and not the last joint of the toes, it would still be wrong.
They are not fit to be anywhere near a cat !
The usual excuses for this abuse are:
Children...they'd far rather their children mauled a cat which can't warn them off with a scratch, that teach them to respect animals.
Ill, frail and elderly people ....we have those too in countries where declawing is banned but we don't mutilate our cats on their behalf.
Dogs..they don't want their dog's face scratched, no thought to what the dog is doing to the cat to deserve it.
Furniture..oh yes they love their inanimate relaceable furniture more than they love a living feeling being.
Family tradition..no minds of their own.
Indoor cat so won't need claws ....no thought to how can the cat exercise properly without claws or what would happen if someone broke in,if the cat escaped or if there was a disaster such as a fire or a flood, that a declawed cat would have no chance of survival.
I many times watch our boyz using their claws too and enjoying them, as all cats should.
It's criminal to take such neccessary body parts and those of us fighting those abusers masquerading as vets and those selfish people who have their cats declawed, won't rest until declawing is banned worldwide !

I think the answer to your question is in the text. It is a combination of cat owners who don't think what they are actually doing and the vet who sees declawing as a money maker. An unholy alliance.

The cat owners are indoctrinated into believing that declawing is OK and the vets who are meant to be more aware are both not aware and are more concerned with making money. Declawing is a big money maker in the USA.