Alright, I have no doubt that the vet that did this has nothing up the utmost love for my cat, and would not let me be abusive to my cat.

Does it make any difference that it was done via laser surgery?

No. Declawing a cat is cruel. It is part of who they are. The surgery itself is painful (imagine having your fingernails removed), and God forbid your cat every gets out, or something happens to you and the cat ends up in a shelter, unable to defend itself.

The reasons are endless as to why you shouldn't have a cat declawed, which is probably why many vets won't even do the procedure anymore.

I adopted a cat two years ago whose front claws were removed.... he won't let you touch his paws (front or back) and cries as if you're killing him if you do. His back claws are always too long for lack of being able to clip them properly without him screaming and crying and hissing. When he tries to play with his toys, he can't grab onto anything and has to "hook" his feet around toys to be able to hold onto them and play. He can NEVER go outside on his own because he can't defend himself. I would never declaw a cat, no matter how it is done, and I feel badly that someone declawed the cat I adopted.

That's my experience on the subject.

Well i now have 3 cats, as you know i have a new one as well. I personally have never had a cat declawed, yeah they do put the claws places it shouldnt be. I have chosen not to do it though.

I do provide plenty of things for them to scratch though. Also if they get out by chance they do have a type of defense. THats just my view on it man. No judgement being passed here at all.

Youkan

I just dip my cats into boiling water for a minute to learn them not to scratch my furniture.

He got out and lived on his own for a week. He did just fine. Plus we've got a neighbor that has a declawed cat living outside all of the time.

I'm far from convinced that this is a death sentence for the cat. Hell, he holds his own against a 40 lb dog all the time.

And I don't think waking up to find my fingernails surgically removed would be terribly traumatic.

my cat lived exclusively outside for the first 10 years of her life.


she used to mess with the furniture but she's pretty smart and stops when she is asked. We gave her a big blanket to stretch her claws on.


I don't know that it's all that awful with the lazer surgery for indoor cats. I've seen and played with plenty of other peoples perfectly happy cats with no front claws.

It also isn't necessary. It's a selfish act of the owner, nothing more. Your neighbor is an ass for letting a declawed cat out. Don't the vets down south explain what you're doing and tell you the rules for a declawed cat or do they just take your moonshine as payment and be done with it?

All the cats we've ever had were declawed in the front and I've never felt that I did them any kind of serious harm by doing so. They're a little ginger for a couple of days after the surgery, but then they've been normal.

cltaylor, your pound cat might have other issues besides his declawing.

Also, we can't let cats outside here in Wisconsin or my neighbor might shoot them.

Surgical Claw Removal ... An Extreme Solution
Scratching is a natural behavior for cats. This removes the dead husks from their claws, marks territory, both visually and with scent glands in their paws, and stretches their muscles. Unfortunately, what is natural behavior for a cat often is considered misbehavior by a cat's human guardian, especially when furniture or other household objects are damaged in the process.

The sensible and humane solution to undesirable scratching is to modify the cat's conduct by making changes in the environment. Many guardians, however, choose to modify their cats by having the cat's claws removed. Usually, the front claws are the only ones cut off, but some guardians also have the back claws removed.

A Painful Surgery
Surgical claw removal or declawing is called onychectomy. By any name, it is an extreme measure in which the entire last part of the ten front toes are amputated. A graphic comparison in human terms would be the cutting off of a person's finger at the last joint.

General anesthesia is used for this surgery, which always has a certain degree of risk of disability or death associated with it. Because declawing provides no medical benefits to cats, even slight risk can be considered unacceptable. In addition, the recovery from declawing can be painful and lengthy and may involve postoperative complications such as infections, hemorrhage, and nail regrowth. The latter may subject the cat to additional surgery.

A less invasive procedure, called tenotomy or deep digital flexor tendonectomy, sometimes is done. In this procedure, the tendons controlling the claws are severed without removing the claws. Although postoperative problems are lessened by this procedure, the risks associated with general anesthesia and the ethical question of performing surgery which does not benefit the patient still apply.

Physical and Psychological Effects
Declawing robs a cat of an integral means of movement and defense. Because they cannot defend themselves adequately against attacks by other animals, declawed cats who are allowed outdoors may be at increased risk of injury or death. Moreover, it is unknown whether declawing causes some degree of privation with respect to satisfying the instinctive impulses to climb, chase, exercise, and to mark territory by scratching.

Some declawed cats behave as they did before they were declawed, but others undergo a profound personality change. They may become extremely timid or unusually aggressive. Whether such problems develop from the trauma of surgery or the absence of claws is a matter of speculation.

Philosophic Concerns
Anesthesia and postoperative analgesics may minimize the pain and discomfort experienced by cats who are declawed. It may also be that there are no long term psychological effects, if this could be assessed adequately. But, these are not the only issues and may not even be the most important issues. A major concern that the AVAR has about declawing is the attitude that is evident in this situation. The cat is treated as if he or she is an inanimate object who can be modified, even to the point of surgical mutilation, to suit a person's perception of what a cat should be. It would seem more ethical and humane to accept that claws and scratching are inherent feline attributes, and to adjust one's life accordingly if a cat is desired as a companion. If this is unacceptable, then perhaps a different companion would be in order.

Some Options to Declawing
Scratching Posts
Training a cat to use a scratching post is the most common alternative to declawing. Ideally, cat guardians should install scratching posts in their houses before they bring home a cat. Otherwise, guardians should put scratching posts next to the sofas, breakfronts, or carpets into which cats are currently sinking their claws.

A scratching post should be well anchored so that it will not tip over when the cat uses it. The post also should be tall enough so that the cat can stretch herself or himself while scratching. The scratching surface should be made from a strong material like sisal, hemp or carpet, whichever the cat prefers. Even better would be a combination of materials. Scratching posts, like litter pans, should be deployed on every story of the house to which a cat has access.

To teach a cat to use a scratching post, wave a toy directly in front of the post so that the cat's nails dig into the post as he or she grabs for the toy. Play this game two or three times a day for a few days and the cat will soon be climbing the post spontaneously. You could also apply some catnip to the post for additional enticement.

Discourage Certain Behavior
To keep your cat off what you do not want scratched, try changing the texture of the item, such as placing a sheet over the sofa or using aluminum foil or double sided tape on the object. You may also be able to discourage her or him by using a scent which cats generally do not like, but which is not unpleasant for human beings. One which may work is the fresh smell of citrus.

Trimming Nails
Keeping a cat's nails trimmed is another alternative to declawing. Cat guardians can lessen the amount of husk-removal scratching their cats engage in by seeing that the claws are clipped regularly. The tip of the claw should be removed along with any loose husk covering the fresh, sharper claw underneath. If their claws are clipped as needed, once every week or two, cats will have less desire to remove the husks of dead claws by scratching — an activity frequently mistaken for sharpening the claws.

To trim a cat's claws, place her or him on a table or on your lap, and facing away from you. Lift one of the legs so that the lower part of the leg rests in your upturned fingers. Holding the leg securely but non-threateningly between the heel of your thumb and the tips of your middle, ring, and little fingers, grasp the paw between your thumb and forefinger. Press down gently on top of the paw with your thumb, spreading the toes and extending the claws. Check each claw individually. Do not trim blunt or rounded claws. If the nail is honed to a talon-like point, clip it. Be careful to clip the hooked part of the claw only. Avoid cutting into the pink tissue visible inside the nail.

Nail Caps
There are commercial products which cover the claws and reduce the need for frequent trimming of the nails. A non-toxic adhesive is used to attach a plastic cap over each claw. These are alleged to last up to 6 weeks and are not harmful if eaten by the cat.

The AVAR's Position
The Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights is opposed to cosmetic surgeries and to those performed to correct 'vices.' Declawing generally is unacceptable because the suffering and disfigurement it causes is not offset by any benefits to the cat. Declawing is done strictly to provide convenience for people.

Some veterinarians have argued that some people would have their cats killed if declawing was not an option. We should not, however, allow ourselves to taken 'emotional hostage' like this. If a person really would kill her or his cat in this case, it is reasonable to question the suitability of that person as a feline guardian, especially when there are millions of non-declawed cats living in harmony with people.

The AVAR believes that people who desire cats as companions should endeavor to learn about feline behavior prior to adopting a cat. If certain behavioral traits are unacceptable, then the desire for a cat should be reconsidered.

For people who already have cats, undesirable behavior with respect to claws should be modified by correcting deficiencies in the cat's environment or by other options such as nail clipping. Only in extreme circumstances should surgical measures such as declawing or tendon cutting be considered. What those circumstances might be are beyond the scope of this brochure, but it must be emphasized that these should be considered only a last resort after having tried all other options for resolution and only if the person will not then accept the cat on her or his terms.

The AVAR encourages veterinarians to adopt a policy which mandates that declawing or other surgery is extreme and should only be done as a last resort.

I don't know why my neighbor lets the cat out. It might be a previously owned stray that found them.

But seriously, the property damage was adding up, and I felt two days worth of discomfort for the cat was worth it, because honestly, I love my cat and didn't fancy sending him to pound.

Just to play devil's advocate, should dogs and cats be subject to spaying/neutering, Kelli?

Population control is a more noble cause than furniture/window protection.

Given the number of animals killed to control the population, yes, it is.

I had my cat declawed, she loves me, and is perfectly happy and not uncomfortable in the least. In fact, I've never seen a cat more babied in my life. Plus protection was one of my wife and I's worries and our vet assured us that the back claws can be used for her protection.

Our cat has her claws. There's a scratching post in the living room and one in the bedroom, she rarely touches anything else.

We had two scratching boards and a carpet covered house thing. My cat ignored them and scratched the couch. He also tore up the screens trying to catch the bugs outside.

He might, but in the same claw category, I had another cat from a kitten who never had an issue when I clipped his nails every four or five weeks, until the one and only one time that I actually clipped too low and hurt him (drew blood). From that point on, he was afraid of getting his nails clipped (I'm talking years).

I suspect my pound cat (Rascoe) may have been hurt during the process or that it perhaps hurts afterward alot more than we are aware, and that he hasn't forgotten that physical discomfort to the point of not letting anyone near his feet. Speculation on my part, but not an unreasonable proposition.

My view of pets in general is, if you don't want them to mess up your stuff, don't have them. I give my cats plenty of toys, they have several scratching posts and boxes in the house, and I have spray around to spray the places I don't want them to scratch, and it works fine for me relative to claws.

Getting Rascoe to keep his rear end down when in the litter box versus periodically peeing accidentally over the edge, however, is another matter. He's a pretty big boy so I don't begrudge his not totally fitting in his litterbox because its my choice to keep him indoors. I bought the ones with covers on them, but sometimes he faces with his rear at the opening.... so,.... (shrug) that's the way it goes. I'm off topic now, sorry....


I'd say yes, because they can't wear condoms for themselves, spaying and neutering works to keep the population under control. The animal shelters are never at a loss for having pets to adopt,.....There were about 10 at the pet store this weekend needing homes, at least four of which were adults several years old. I've got four in my neighborhood wandering around with no collars and no tags, I have no idea if they are strays, ferile, or someone's outdoor pet. Spaying/Neutering isn't stunting the population of cats as far as I can tell, and from all the barkers in my neighborhood, it's not hurting the dog population either.

Animals that I've lived with that were not spayed or neutered were a hassle because some other animal would come around looking for the females when in heat, and the males would want to get out of the house or yard and go wander, and it was a complete pain in the neck with which to deal. The argument I suppose would be "Are surgical procedures on pets for human owner's convenience appropriate?" and can be argued pro and con for both declawing and for spaying/neutering, but I think the population control argument is probably a stronger pro than keeping a cat from scratching one's furniture. I dunno - I'll leave that debate to you all.

As far as the procedure itself and whether or not there is post procedure trauma associated with it, I can only say that I've owned or lived in households with at least 10 different cats and dogs, all of which were spayed/neutered, and none of them had any apparent fear of anything relative to being pet or interacting with people. I don't know how one would determine if spaying or neutering causes an animal distress.

All I know is my poor cat can't hold onto his toys and won't let us touch his feet, and my opinion of that is it is a sad thing.

c-

So you had his toes amputated.

I could never get my cat declawed.

he has a scraching post,and I have to cut its nails.And that solves the problem.