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Mom....no, You know I don't mean to insult you...but I do have very strong feelings about this. Until you have seen it done first hand...no one can know. I was physically sick the first time. Thankfully, the vet I worked for soon decided against these type of surgeries. He was willing to lose clients over it...and I know he did, but he stood by his principles. Not only is it illegal in parts of Ca., it is illegal in most European countries.
Sure, some cats make it thru fine...but why? So we can save our furniture? Like someone else posted...why not pull dog claws out, and while we're at it, all their teeth too? I have brand new leather sofa, loveseat and chairs...My cats, and I have 5, have never even attempted to scratch them. Why? Because they are provided with all the scratching stimulus they need....
My daughter, at one time, worked for a PAWS....Performing Animal Welfare Society. They took in exotics...lions, tigers, bears, etc...that were confiscated thru Wildlife, fish and Game...for whatever reason. Many of these animals, the Big cats and Bears...did have their teeth pulled and were horrible maimed from their claws being TORN out...all because a few idiots wanted to have them as pets. People were horrified when they saw this....yet, some do the exact same thing to our domestic cats!
I also do rescue/volunteer work....the shelter, at the moment is full of cats who all have litterbox problems. At the moment...out of maybe 30 cats we have....about 13 or so....are all de-clawed. 3 of them have been there forever and will most likely die there....they are given love and attention by all the workers. But it is sad to see....Don't know who performed the surgery on these guys, as they all came in at different times....but all three have at least one paw that is mutalated. One in particular, it is his back right paw, looks like a stump! Toes were cut too short. So. all declawed and they still ended up in a shelter! Go figure!
I apologize for this being so long....I had promised myself I wouldn't even post in this thread, since I've posted on the topic in so many before...but then I figure, if I can stop just one person from de-clawing, then it was well worth it.
There is a reason why this practice is against the law in some parts of Ca. And it is the same reason why many reputable vets REFUSE this surgery. It is barbaric and painful. Clip the tip of your finger off and tell me it is not painful!
And there are many declawed cats sitting in shelters this very minute BECAUSE they are declawed and have developed litterbox problems (the #1 reason why cats are turned into shelters)because of the de-clawing.
There are other alternatives to de-clawing...One must do a little research and work. Clipping of the nails, providing scratching posts/pads, nail covers...yes, declawing is just the easier way out
When we got Eddie we didn't declaw him. He only scratched his cat tree and a carpet sample. Until the day 3 years after we got him the vet convinced me he was to heavy and put him on Eukanupa Resricted Calorie diet. He loved the food but he went psycho. Shredded the trailer we lived in, would lie in wait to attack us. Take him off the food, he was fine. Vet said he's too fat let's try again there's no record of it bothering any cat. He went psycho. Then my hubby got laid off, found another job, and we had to move. We searched and searched for a place to let us have a cat, but since we couldn't use our landlord as a reference, we could only find 1 place that would let us have a cat, and we had to declaw him to do it [front only]. At that time we were still having major problems with him being allergic to his urine/cat litter and even had we wanted to give him away so we didn't have to declaw him - which was actually NOT an option - we worried that he wouldn't be taken care of properly.
Since he was 3 the vet said let's do a tendonectomy. Less pain, more humane. NEVER AGAIN. The surgery itself was ok, he was up walking around the same day. But he hates having his claws clipped, and they have become thick and splintery. When we got Zippy [who by the way was found downtown Louisville at age 3 weeks old] we felt we had to get him front declawed because Eddie couldn't use his claws, and we had already had Eddie to the vet for an infected punctured paw from Zippy's claws. So when he was 6 months old he got neutered and front declawed. When they called me after the surgery and he woke up, they said he was running all around and they were having to take turns holding & petting him to keep him quiet. When we got to pick him up the next day, it was like NOTHING had been done. He wasn't sore, he attacked Eddie upon coming home.
Both my kitties are lovers, they walk ok, no bathroom problems. NEVER use anthing but the litter box, even the time we were gone for a week and the person who was supposed to come check on them daily and scoop the litter box never did. [Thankfully I always put plenty of water and food out even when somebody is coming to check on them and scoop.]
I think it's the vet on how the cat responds to the declawing. I have had NO luck with small animal vets. I prefer country/farm vets. Will I front paw declaw if we get another cat? Probably. For sure if we still have Eddie or Zippy.
Some might think I'm terrible. I think Eddie and Zippy might have to argue with that tho.
Sometimes I wonder if these critters are meant to be pets. I know y'all are loving pet parents -- all of you -- and they are great pets. But the species itself... I really wonder if they're not meant to be out in the desert, prowling, hunting their prey & all, as they are designed by nature to do. (No, I'm not going PETA on y'all -- can't stand 'em -- just my perspective the more I read about cats themselves.)
As for declawing, it's just another example of how we've taken something wild (yes, little tigers) and conformed them to what is ideal for us humans and our settings. They can be as lovable as any dog, but they are what they are -- little tigers. If I had a dime for every curseword for all those rotten cats leaving mouseheads... and dead bird feathers near our feeders....
NO, Serate, you are FAR from terrible! You seem like a very loving, caring cat owner (with autrocious vets who should be out of business, but that's another thing), and you/we go by what you think is the best thing for all because you/we really CARE about these critters.
We've had cats, and we'd get all disgusted when they'd catch mice with those hideous claws, and leave them in our shoes (EWWW! Stupid, gross cat!) but we never realized it was the natural thing for them to do because they were our pets, and we fed them! One cat liked to climb on our backs while sleeping with the almighty Claw thing going on, so she got banished from bedrooms. I mean, she HURT! (Another stray, so we couldn't change her.) We never really thought they could really be declawed -- it was just a joking threat -- like our parents threatening to ship us off to China if we kept acting up -- let's get that crazy thing declawed! I guess we may have been sheltered, but were never really aware of this issue until I've seen it on forums.
If your animal is happy & healthy, you do what you gotta do. It's no one's place to judge. But at the same time, I think just what the species is may kinda gets a little lost in the shuffle. Frustrating, cats are. Why do they keep ruining the curtains over & over... why can't I train this thing?! I spray vinegar -- they're SUPPOSED to hate vinegar!! Why won't it ever listen to me? I tell it over & over to NOT ruin my chairs, give it all kinds of nice cat trees and houses to scratch on -- this thing just won't "get it!!" Why oh why can't this thing be just a little like my dog?!
I know it took me years to realize --no matter how much love, how many treats, how nice a home --this little creature no matter how adorable -- it's a pint-sized Tiger.
Mom....no, You know I don't mean to insult you...but I do have very strong feelings about this. Until you have seen it done first hand...no one can know. I was physically sick the first time. Thankfully, the vet I worked for soon decided against these type of surgeries. He was willing to lose clients over it...and I know he did, but he stood by his principles. Not only is it illegal in parts of Ca., it is illegal in most European countries.
Sure, some cats make it thru fine...but why? So we can save our furniture? Like someone else posted...why not pull dog claws out, and while we're at it, all their teeth too? I have brand new leather sofa, loveseat and chairs...My cats, and I have 5, have never even attempted to scratch them. Why? Because they are provided with all the scratching stimulus they need....
My daughter, at one time, worked for a PAWS....Performing Animal Welfare Society. They took in exotics...lions, tigers, bears, etc...that were confiscated thru Wildlife, fish and Game...for whatever reason. Many of these animals, the Big cats and Bears...did have their teeth pulled and were horrible maimed from their claws being TORN out...all because a few idiots wanted to have them as pets. People were horrified when they saw this....yet, some do the exact same thing to our domestic cats!
I also do rescue/volunteer work....the shelter, at the moment is full of cats who all have litterbox problems. At the moment...out of maybe 30 cats we have....about 13 or so....are all de-clawed. 3 of them have been there forever and will most likely die there....they are given love and attention by all the workers. But it is sad to see....Don't know who performed the surgery on these guys, as they all came in at different times....but all three have at least one paw that is mutalated. One in particular, it is his back right paw, looks like a stump! Toes were cut too short. So. all declawed and they still ended up in a shelter! Go figure!
I apologize for this being so long....I had promised myself I wouldn't even post in this thread, since I've posted on the topic in so many before...but then I figure, if I can stop just one person from de-clawing, then it was well worth it.
Gosh, It is all so sad.
I think I overlooked this post but, Well said ShelbyGirl!
Such sad stories, and unfortunately these and simlilar accounts happen, too often, one suffering kitty=too often
What can We do... ??? Really?
Just "try" to educate others? I know everyone has their opinions, But I am thinking for the Cats, for the Pain that they will feel... that does Not need to happen, It Just does Not have to be this way.
we are disrespecting them and their body...
UGH!
I am so sensitive about this too, I have Feelings and Feelings for Each and Every Kitty Life.
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