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Do people not realize, when getting a pet of any type, that some things can, and more than likely will, get damaged while the training is underway?
Do people REALLY not know this?
If you know that toddlers will damage things as they learn, how can you not know that pets will also damage things, as they learn? How is it possible that people do not know these things BEFORE they get a pet?
If you don't want things chewed, torn, ripped, shredded, moved, hacked on, dirtied, or have fur on it, THEN DON'T GET A PET. This isn't rocket science...do some people even THINK before they adopt?
No one would even think to hack off a child's hands or feet for ruining the carpet or walls, but don't even blink twice when they do it to their pets. Sickening.
Do people not realize, when getting a pet of any type, that some things can, and more than likely will, get damaged while the training is underway?
Do people REALLY not know this?
If you know that toddlers will damage things as they learn, how can you not know that pets will also damage things, as they learn? How is it possible that people do not know these things BEFORE they get a pet?
If you don't want things chewed, torn, ripped, shredded, moved, hacked on, dirtied, or have fur on it, THEN DON'T GET A PET. This isn't rocket science...do some people even THINK before they adopt?
No one would even think to hack off a child's hands or feet for ruining the carpet or walls, but don't even blink twice when they do it to their pets. Sickening.
Unfortunately some people consider a pet an object or possession instead of a living being, and probably don't give much thought to how that animal is going live in & relate to the home environment. Through lack experience, they don't realize what they are getting into, and when problems come up the animals suffer for it in one way or another.
IMO education/being informed about what to expect when getting a pet (especially a cat) is very important. Then the person can decide where their priorities are before they get the pet, rather than after.
I wouldn't declaw a cat no matter what. We had much of our furniture scratched up when we had kitties, but I learned which materials they'd leave alone--smoother ones with no nubby surfaces. They liked to dig in a bit, so the smoother materials/surfaces they left alone. But, trial and error. I couldn't ethically declaw a cat.
When my fiance and I wanted to get a cat, our landlord agreed on the condition that the cat be declawed. I flat out refused to do this to a poor cat, but we got lucky and found a cat already declawed that the the county had found abandoned. She's beautiful and a great member of our family! So it worked out great for everyone. I would urge anyone that is insistent that their cat be declawed to check at local humane societies and animal shelters for cats that already have been. They need homes too!
When my fiance and I wanted to get a cat, our landlord agreed on the condition that the cat be declawed. I flat out refused to do this to a poor cat, but we got lucky and found a cat already declawed that the the county had found abandoned. She's beautiful and a great member of our family! So it worked out great for everyone. I would urge anyone that is insistent that their cat be declawed to check at local humane societies and animal shelters for cats that already have been. They need homes too!
That is good advice, of course, and hopefully at some point in the future declawed cats in shelters will no longer be available because there aren't any more, due to de-clawing being permanently banned in this country.
While I understand a landlords' concern about possible damage, there are better ways to address it than requiring a cat to be de-clawed. They could either (1)require a deposit (perhaps partially refundable), or (2)a modest increase in rent/lease payments to cover possible damage that may or may not occur. The third option would be to not allow any pets at all. For a landlord to say "you can live here, but you have to mutilate your cat to do so" is contributing to the problem. The potential renter may not know the damage he's really doing to his cat.
I really think the sad part is that so many cat-guardians assume that any given vet only does what is OK for the animals in their care. That if something were cruel, or improper, a vet would never conscience it. Unfortunately in the case of declaw procedures, this just is not true. And I believe in the case of the food often sold by vets, too. It's a matter of the training they do or don't receive, and whether they have taken it upon themselves to go the extra mile and do their research outside of whatever education they were given, I suppose.
IMO education/being informed about what to expect when getting a pet (especially a cat) is very important. Then the person can decide where their priorities are before they get the pet, rather than after.
This is why I started this post. I was impressed that the staff at this humane society brought up declawing and the negative health and behavior aspects BEFORE we adopted the cat. This was impressive to me. DH had adopted a kitten from another shelter in the are years ago, and the subject of declawing never came up. I hope times are a-changin', for the cats' sakes.
I really think the sad part is that so many cat-guardians assume that any given vet only does what is OK for the animals in their care. That if something were cruel, or improper, a vet would never conscience it. Unfortunately in the case of declaw procedures, this just is not true. And I believe in the case of the food often sold by vets, too. It's a matter of the training they do or don't receive, and whether they have taken it upon themselves to go the extra mile and do their research outside of whatever education they were given, I suppose.
That's true, no doubt. They're putting their trust in the vet to do no harm. The vets that are still doing this need to be the one to educate the cat owner about all the down-sides to de-clawing, as they are the ones in the perfect position to do so. But that would require two things; (1)the vet would first have to realize & admit that de-clawing is going to cause long-term harm, and (2) put aside his desire to please a paying customer & lose the income from the procedure. Unfortunately, I don't think either are going to happen in the foreseeable future. Most vets (still doing it) will remain in denial, and continue offering it until they are forced to stop, either by law or lack of demand from the public.
I've had 5 cats in my adult life. The first was an inside/outside cat with her claws intact but who also had toileting issues (i.e. she sprayed every room) and destroyed my sofa. The second two (adopted together after #1 died), I had declawed and kept them inside. one acted as if I'd amputated her front legs, the other never blinked an eye. One was a well-behaved sweetie, the other had toileting issues.
After these 2 died, I adopted two more together who were already declawed (I sought out declawed cats as I'm on chemo and my immune system can't tolerate scratches). They run and jump and rampage through our entire home and climb our two-story cat tree with no signs of hesitation that would indicate pain. They are meticulous in their toileting habits. The only accidents in our house are from hacking up a hairball or if they have diarrhea (three times in 6 years for the 2 of them combined).
Do I feel guilty about the cats being declawed? No. No more than I feel guilty that I had them spayed.
I've had 5 cats in my adult life. The first was an inside/outside cat with her claws intact but who also had toileting issues (i.e. she sprayed every room) and destroyed my sofa. The second two (adopted together after #1 died), I had declawed and kept them inside. one acted as if I'd amputated her front legs, the other never blinked an eye. One was a well-behaved sweetie, the other had toileting issues.
After these 2 died, I adopted two more together who were already declawed (I sought out declawed cats as I'm on chemo and my immune system can't tolerate scratches). They run and jump and rampage through our entire home and climb our two-story cat tree with no signs of hesitation that would indicate pain. They are meticulous in their toileting habits. The only accidents in our house are from hacking up a hairball or if they have diarrhea (three times in 6 years for the 2 of them combined).
Do I feel guilty about the cats being declawed? No. No more than I feel guilty that I had them spayed.
Moderator cut: off topic
It is not necessary to put the word mutilation in quotes when speaking of declawing, because it is mutilation. It is the amputation of the first toe digit, of every toe. For a front declawed cat, that is ten amputations, that the cat must walk on for the remainder of his life.
I'm glad you are adopting previously declawed cats now instead of mutilating more. You should have their paws x rayed annually to check for bone chips and regrowth.
Last edited by Keeper; 09-03-2014 at 05:54 AM..
Reason: Please do not respond to off topic comments
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