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Old April 8th, 2005, 10:02 AM
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GWPsRock GWPsRock is offline
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Question about Declawing (why is it bad)?

Okay, before I ask, let me tell you the reason behind the question:

I have never owned a cat, as I am allergic to them, and, I don't plan to own a cat. I would like to be educated on cat ownership though, as extra knowledge can never hurt!

I have read many posts lately about rescues that won't let you de-claw, and responses from people saying that they never would de-claw.....

Why is it a bad thing?

(My guess it that you are rendering the kitty defenseless....but, I wonder if there is more to it.)

** Reminder - I am asking this for info only....
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Old April 8th, 2005, 10:05 AM
Eleni Eleni is offline
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besides rendering the animal defenseless having their claws removed is barbaric


think about it, ahving all your nails surgically removed against your choice would hurt quite alot .

I used to ahve a friend who had her cat declawed and the cat suffered from infection for quite sometime after its declawing.

I dont know what other negatives there are but those are the reason my cats all have their claws


Eleni
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Old April 8th, 2005, 10:07 AM
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Thanks, that had also occurred to me (the removing of my nails.....ouch!)

I just wanted to make sure that was the reason, and, not something that I was totally unaware of....

I have to say that when we had Sheamus neutered, I couldn't help but think that there must be a better way than removing "ALL" of his man-hood!
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Old April 8th, 2005, 10:17 AM
Trinitie Trinitie is offline
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When a cat is declawed, it's not only the nail that's removed, as that can grow back (as yours would if it were pulled out). Rather, if you look at your finger, remove the last segment of your finger to ensure the nail NEVER grows back. That's what happens to a cat. Then, after your finger is chopped off, let's make you walk on your hands and bury your own feces. That's what a cat goes through.

So, IMO, declawing a cat is only for the comfort of man. It does nothing for the cat, other than leave it defenseless. When a cat is being attacked, it instinctivly lashes out with it's front claws. If it has no claws, all that is felt is a gentle "bap" of the paw and then the cat will be attacked as was intended.

Not to mention, climbing a tree becomes near to impossible, should the cat dash outside when the door is open.

All in all, it's a barbaric procedure that no vet should perform!

Just so you know, the pursuit of knowledge is never a bad thing! Asking questions is how people learn!!
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According to the Humane Society of the United States:
There are an estimated 3-4 million dogs and cats euthanized each year in the US alone! PLEASE - spay and/or neuter your pets!
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Old April 8th, 2005, 10:18 AM
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It's not just about removing the nail... it's actually removal of the first part of the toe! It is definitely amputation in my book!
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Old April 8th, 2005, 10:33 AM
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When I was in highschool, I worked at a vet clinic during the summer holidays. At the time I was young and wasn't quite sure what the proceedure was for declawing. It didn't take long before I found out. I can tell you from first hand experience, this is a very cruel proceedure. Just as the others have already posted, it is equivalent to amputing the first digit of your finger or toe.

When the poor cat awoke from surgery, they were obviously in pain and had to be bandaged for a while so that they would not bleed. They couldn't even use regular litter, but had to have shredded newspapers so as to not cause them more pain.

I personally would never declaw my cat and I try my best to educate others who are considering having it done as to just how cruel it really is and to reconsider having it done.
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Old April 8th, 2005, 10:43 AM
Trinitie Trinitie is offline
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I really wish someone would take a picture of a cat in obvious distress, with bloody bandages from being declawed. Nothing speaks volumes like a photo. I would plaster it far and wide. (my stomach is just churning at the thought of a poor cat going through that pain) At the very least, a vivid picture, like that, really stands out in one's thoughts, when one thinks of "declawing".
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According to the Humane Society of the United States:
There are an estimated 3-4 million dogs and cats euthanized each year in the US alone! PLEASE - spay and/or neuter your pets!
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Old April 8th, 2005, 10:46 AM
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Actually Trinitie, there were pics of declawing, I think it was in "Saphyr" declawing thread.
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  #9  
Old April 8th, 2005, 10:50 AM
Trinitie Trinitie is offline
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Ah. I sometimes think I read too many posts. My brain doesn't have room for them all!
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According to the Humane Society of the United States:
There are an estimated 3-4 million dogs and cats euthanized each year in the US alone! PLEASE - spay and/or neuter your pets!
  #10  
Old April 8th, 2005, 10:54 AM
Lucky Rescue Lucky Rescue is offline
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To find lengthy discussions on the board on this subject, do a search on "declawing"

Two sites to look at:

The facts about "declawing"

Amby's Declawing Cats

Last edited by Lucky Rescue; April 8th, 2005 at 10:57 AM.
  #11  
Old April 8th, 2005, 11:00 AM
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Shaykeija Shaykeija is offline
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My best friends air head girl friend was over here the other day. She picked up Piper and said OH he's not declawed? I don't worry about him scratching the couch because when he does Missie the terri poo thinks it's a game and goes after Piper. No more scratching. Any way, she had her kitten declawed on all 4 feet, then had the nerve to tell me it didn't look like it hurt at all. What a dumb *itch.. I asked her if I could cut off her fingers at the first joint because I was sure it would be about the same pain as her kitten was in. I hope he drops this ditch pig soon.
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Old April 8th, 2005, 11:13 AM
Prin Prin is offline
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I just recently changed my mind about this. I worked in a vet clinic and the cats that were declawed under 3 months woke up from the surgery and were ready to play. They had no idea. The older ones went nuts, totally insane afterward. I was always against declawing older ones because it was torture to them but as the younger ones didn't seem to mind when they woke up, I figured it was better for people to declaw early if it would stop them from declawing later on. I thought that young cats who didn't use their nails yet were like puppies. Puppies have to "discover" their nails and once they do, they start to walk loudly on wood floors, etc. I recently went to my boyfriend's sister's house and her tiny cat was declawed really early on. This cat falls off the sofa, tries to climb things with her nails and can't, and even does that thing where they paw at material with their nails, you know-- when they're on your lap and they start moving their paws around and grabbing the material with their claws? Anyway, it became clear to me that these kitties grow up without nails but still have the instincts and behaviors of a cat with nails. It's not like I thought before where they never had them so they don't know what they are missing. Watching this cat trying to grab on to the sofa before falling to the ground was really sad. I have heard arguements to no end and I think I just had to see it really for myself. How a cat reacts right after surgery is no indication of how their life will be afterward, but at the time, that is all I got to see.
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Old April 8th, 2005, 11:19 AM
Trinitie Trinitie is offline
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Once again, Prin, you've expressed what we're all thinking, and have done so with eloquence. End result = declawing is only for the benefit of man, not cat.
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According to the Humane Society of the United States:
There are an estimated 3-4 million dogs and cats euthanized each year in the US alone! PLEASE - spay and/or neuter your pets!
  #14  
Old April 8th, 2005, 11:31 AM
kayla kayla is offline
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"Declawing invloves 10 separate and painful amputations"
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Old April 8th, 2005, 11:32 AM
kayla kayla is offline
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A picture's worth a thousand words
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Old April 8th, 2005, 11:59 AM
Prin Prin is offline
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Angry

I hate that picture because I have never seen or known anybody do it that way before. The vets who do it that way are hacks. Using a nail cutter to declaw? That's like using a spoon to do a hysterectomy. The vet I worked at did it delicately with a scalpel. Personally, I think that pic is just graphic propaganda. It is just making the surgery look a million times more brutal than it really is. And who ever took those pics was standing by watching this just to post it as propaganda. Go ask your vet what they use. There is no way to sterilize that cutter either and declawing is a sterile procedure. PROPAGANDA

Last edited by Prin; April 8th, 2005 at 12:01 PM.
  #17  
Old April 8th, 2005, 12:01 PM
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yikes!

okay....my question has been duly answered.....
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Old April 8th, 2005, 12:02 PM
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Prin, that picture may or may not be accurate, but it certainly makes a statement ... it sent shivers up my spine :sad:
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Old April 8th, 2005, 12:08 PM
Prin Prin is offline
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See really, a normal vet will cut the tendons one by one (shown by my badly drawn arrows) gently with a scalpel. There is almost no blood. If any vet were to use the method above, they shouldn't be a vet. The cutter is not accurate and you have no way of knowing if you're cutting the bone or not and these are tiny bones. So many vets don't know how to properly use a nail cutter for cutting nails, why would they even attempt a surgical procedure with it?
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Old April 8th, 2005, 12:11 PM
Prin Prin is offline
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Here is a picture minutes after declawing using laser surgery. A little bit of a different picture. No blood.
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  #21  
Old April 8th, 2005, 12:40 PM
Trinitie Trinitie is offline
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Although I agree that those pictures are disgusting, and made me sick to my stomach as well, it's a reality that some vets may very well amputate the toe in that manner.

Not all vets are ethical and use lasers to do surgery. Some are still in the dark ages, and probably aren't going to be jumping into the new way of doing things. If these pictures deter ONE person from doing this horrible thing to thier pet, then I'll gladly put up with them being in this thread. I may be going against the grain of the other mods and admins, but this is how I see it.

Every person considering declawing as a "humane" surgery, and are thinking of declawing thier cats, should be made to look at those pictures and told "your vet MAY do it this way".
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I'm firm - but fair. Mind the rules and enjoy your stay.

According to the Humane Society of the United States:
There are an estimated 3-4 million dogs and cats euthanized each year in the US alone! PLEASE - spay and/or neuter your pets!
  #22  
Old April 8th, 2005, 12:49 PM
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Beaglemom Beaglemom is offline
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Unfortunately, there are vets out there that do use the clipper method. It is very sad, but it does happen. The vet that I worked for did it that way. I was horrified. Lets just say that I didn't stay there very long.
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Old April 8th, 2005, 12:58 PM
lucyvanpelt lucyvanpelt is offline
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this may be a stupid question, by why is it common practice (unfortunately) for people to declaw cats but no one would ever think to declaw a dog. can't a dog's nails do as much damage? i've gotten some pretty good marks from my puppy when we let his nails get too long. why is this such a cat thing?
just curious
  #24  
Old April 8th, 2005, 01:02 PM
Lucky Rescue Lucky Rescue is offline
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Lasers, scapels, clippers, saws or an axe - it makes no difference HOW. This is a multiple amputation (however humanely it's done) that has NO benefit to the animal and is done ONLY for the convenience of people who cannot be bothered to train a cat. I've never had a cat who simply could never learn to use a scratch post, but some effort is required.

It is an unnecessary cruelty that *can* have serious consequences for the cat, in terms of deformed regrowth necessitating a second amputation, infection, avoidance of the litterbox, aggression and helplessness when dumped or let outside and declawed cats are dumped all the time.

If you have such valuable and beloved possessions that you are willing to multilate an animal to protect them, please don't get a cat.

I've never seen anyone advocate removing a dog's teeth to stop it chewing, (I( I wonder what a vet would think of such a request??)or amputating it's tail to stop it from breaking valuables and cannot understand why the same attitude does not prevail in the case of cats' claws.

I think many people really feel "declawing" is a manicure and many are horrified when they find out it's not. Education is the key here, as it is with so many other issues.

This argument could go on forever and has been discussed in depth on this board, so I am going to end this one.
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