I declawed one and not another.
Posted By: sm on 2008-03-11
In Reply to: Gotta a cat question... what is the consensus on declawing? SM - MissouriMT
I took in a kitten back in 1985. She was a big-time scratcher and ruined all my drapes, tore up two sofas, and a door jam. Nothing I did, no alternative scratching areas kept her from tearing up my furniture and climbing up my draperies. I was on the verge of giving her up. Instead, when she was about a year old, I had her declawed. I could tell that it was a different feeling for her, but she adjusted very quickly. She ended up living to the ripe old age of 20 in our house, doing no damage and very loved.
After she died, we took in another kitten from a rescue organization. This one is not declawed, but she has a totally different personality. She is very submissive, very sweet. She never puts out her claws for anything other than stretching briefly in sunspots on the floor. I keep her claws trimmed, and she is satisfied with that. Had she been an incorrigible scratcher like her predecessor, I would have had this cat declawed, too. I can offer a lifetime safe and loving home to cats, but I don't want my things torn up. So I really don't have any problem with declawing when necessary.
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My first cat was declawed (sm)
because I lived at home with my mom and he was tearing up her 2-year-old custom-made curtains.
I had it done, stayed at home with him and babied him for a few days, and once he healed, did not seem to realize he didn't have them. He "scratched" the rest of his life with his nubs.
I wasn't going to declaw the second cat, but the first one was "scratching" everything and I guess she couldn't figure out why he could and she couldn't. I did notice, however, that her recovery time was longer (Cat #1 had it done pretty young).
Many years later, we got a kitten when cat #2 was about 11 years old. Cat #2 didn't do much scratching by then, and we were able to train Cat #3 not to scratch. We now have another clawed cat, adopted at age 5. He's a bit of a nuisance with his scratching, but it's not to the point where I'd have to do something. If it gets worse, I'll try the nail caps.
IMO it's a very individual thing between cat and owner. And I agree, I think it's better to do that than to subject the cat to abandonment, if that's the only negative behavior involved.
I declawed a cat and wish I hadn't.
Got new couch. Got new cat. Cat scratched couch. Declawed cat. DH out of work 4 months on disability, made sense to get a puppy, right? Not to the declawed cat, who lost her mind and started urinating in our bed. Also, she could not exercise properly when she couldn't hook those claws to climb, grab toys, etc.
Had to have mine declawed..
I have a Siamese who is very, very...did I mention very stubborn. She started destroying my couch, chairs, etc. I tried all the tricks mentioned below, spray bottle, stomping feet, yelling, double-sided tape, etc., and nothing worked. It just made her more determined to go after my furniture.
So, I eventually broke down and made an appointment for her to be declawed. It did not make her anymore aggressive, mean, etc. She got over the procedure within a couple of days and was fine after that. In fact, she still makes the scratching movements or tries to scratch the furniture years later except she's not ruining anything anymore.
I only got the front paws declawed, and it wasn't too terribly expensive (a lot cheaper than replacing furniture for sure). She is an inside only cat obviously, so we don't have to worry about her needing to defend herself outside or I obviously wouldn't have had this done.
She has had no problems either with behavior or medically since having this done 5-6 years ago. She is a spoiled and quite content cat who still thinks she rules the house front claws or not. So, basically she's happy, and we are happy to not have our house trashed.
And I think cats would rather be declawed than
x
I just adopted a declawed cat
who was abandoned. she looks like she has no toes, with floppy little hair tufts and going the wrong directions. Like other poster said, she does not cover her stuff in the litter box (maybe feels she cannot manage it) and her attitude is so defensive to the other cats, even after a month, and i wonder if it isn't because she feels so defenseless. I sure would not do it to a cat.
Maybe she is defensive because she was declawed
And being approached by possibly feral cats, no wonder she is wary of your other cat. I wonder if she just doesnt have litter box issues, regardless of being declawed. Maybe bad litter habits are what got her put out. I just think her being declawed may not have anything to do with her issues. Maybe, but, IMO, pobably not.
Getting your cats declawed in my opinion
is inhumane. I would really reconsider it. They have caps that you can buy, relatively inexpensive and last for awhile, that you put on their nails. You glue them on over the nails. You can even do a color scheme in them if you like, pink, etc.
There are too many alternate ways out there to deter cats than declawing
We had our 2 indoor cats declawed, too.
They never go outside either and they both have done fine since.
I have mine declawed, never again. I had leather
furniture that he was ruining (he had 32 claws) so I had him declawed. He went outside to sit on the front porch in the sun occasionally. Two dogs killed him because he couldn't climb a tree. He was the sweetest, beautiful Himalayan mix, talked to me all the time.
All the vets I ever worked with had their cats declawed.
adf
Never declawed any of the dozen cats I have had over my lifetime - sm
It is rare, in my opinion, that a cat cannot be trained to claw in appropriate places and not on furniture, etc. Are you providing good places for the kitty to claw, such as a nice scratch post (mine really love the sisal rope kind)? They also love those simple cardboard inserts that are in the Turbo Trackers and the Alpine Scratcher. When I get a new kitty I direct them to the appropriate places to claw and lavish praise. These acceptable places need to be some place you pass by often because the kitty wants you to be there when they are good. Mine run to the scratching posts because they know I am going to lavish praise on them. :-) If they claw somewhere they are not supposed to I immediatly squirt them with a water bottle set to stream. Something called a Scat Mat also keeps them away from the inappropriate places should they want to test you further. I have had young kittens, adult cats, you name it, and not a single one of them could not be trained to scratch where appropriate. I also have nice furniture (even leather). I would only declaw after I had exhausted all other options and it was a choice between that and giving up the cat. Just my two cents, for what it is worth. :-) Let us know what you decide. Best of luck!!
Cats declawed front only can still climb trees and
x
My brother's declawed cats have a great life
They stay indoors, they are spoiled rotten, they are happy cats. There are 4 of them, all adopted at different times, and you couldn't ask for more sociable content kittehs.
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