View Single Post
Old 12-27-2006, 04:50 AM  
pocketkangaroo
Confirmed User
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 8,452
Don't declaw the cat. Not only is it cruel, it's also a safety issue you have. Cats naturally have the ability to use their claws to move around, jump, and defend themselves. Cats have a knack of getting themselves into tricky situations and having claws is often vital for their survival and safety. It also allows them to scratch themselves and groom themselves better. Cats that have been declawed will also use their mouth and biting as their primary defense mechanism since they are not left with alternatives. This causes some major behaivoral issues in them.

But the biggest reason is that it is extremely painful and traumatizing for a cat. Besides the fact that you are essentially cutting off their fingers (most likely with no pain medication), you are also leaving them without one of their most important parts.

My suggestion is to train your cat to use scratching posts. It can take awhile, but eventually they'll learn. There are sprays that are putrid to cats that you can put on the furniture as well. If all else fails, there are alternatives such as capping the nails. But I still feel like the best option is to be patient and leave her as she was intended to be.
pocketkangaroo is offline   Share thread on Digg Share thread on Twitter Share thread on Reddit Share thread on Facebook Reply With Quote