Declawing cats -- Cruel or normal procedure?
 

My GF's neighbor wants to declaw his cat cuz it fucks up his furniture. I think this is a fucked up reason to strip a cat of its natural defenses. What do you guys think?

Tell him to put it to sleep instead.

it is but if you take good care of the cat, what does it need its claws for? ... pretty much nothing but ripping up your furniture.

It's cruel, cuz if they accidently get outside, the cat has no defense, I'm totally against getting a cat declawed, even thought I just got clawed tonight!

jDoG

defence from other cats with claws, duh

That's cruel.

You GF's neighbour is an idiot.
Why the fuck did he get the cat in the first place ?

Cruel. Kill the fucker instead :thumbsup

we have two, and the little bastards do claw the furniture. Not as much as before I got them the scratch box. I would never think of declawing them, as they go outside all the time:thumbsup

Why do you let them outside?

I used to have mixed feelings about it but after just a little research it became clear that declawing is cruel. I guess I figured it was like trimming a human's nails...it's more like cutting off the finger at the first knuckle.

Cats are easily trainable (mine is better behaved than my dog); there's no reason the furniture or the owner OR the cat should have to suffer.

Have you not discovered the wonders of the squirt gun? Cruelty free (well, maybe a little cruel) and fun as hell. :Graucho

seriously that's cruel... tell that neighbour to spend some time on the cat...

if you massage their paws (the "pillows" under the paw) regularly from the start they get used to not using their claws. This is what I've done with both my cats and they don't fuck up anything :2 cents:

because cats have lives.. why wouldn't you let a cat outside?

If I'm the cat, I'm gonna let her have a taste of my claw. And then I'll run!

Cruel and just plain nasty :feels-hot

My cat hardly ever scratches anything, he's stretched out on the grass outside now looking very content :)

I can't quote a source for this info off hand, but I recall reading that indoor cats have an average life span of 20 years, whereas outdoor cats average 5 years. I'm not going to argue whether keeping cats in vs. letting them out is cruel or not; from my selfish, human perspective, I've lost too many kitties to traffic and wildlife and who knows what else. I keep my critters in, and I don't think they suffer for it. (My little familiar is currently perched on his pillow next to my desk, and he doesn't seem too terribly upset.)

taking their claws away is cruel buy the cat one of those scratching post things if it stays inside all the time.

Ok, not going to argue about it either, it's just known that 99.9% of creatures will not want to be locked inside all their lives and it would be cruel to certain degree to do so.

had that before, but the gun seems to be always in the wrong place @ the wrong time.:thumbsup

Twistyneck.....Why wouldnt anyone let their cats out ? They have the freedom to roam here at will. I will not keep them caged up !

As Long as it's always an indoors only cat ... then I see no prob ...and understand his reason:2 cents:

I think it's mean.. if you cant deal with what cats do.. don't get a damn cat.

They kill birds and sooner or later they will get ran over by a car or shot by some kid with a bb gun. At least put the thing on a leash.

lol, it's called life. :glugglug

No, it's called a non-native predator that should be exterminated but I was trying to be nice.

we will not declaw our cat.... He does live inside only, and we do not let him out because he was used to living inside from birth, but like some people have said, there are good ways to teach your cat to not scratch furniture, and not use the claws when you handle him.

For one, get a scratch box or tree, and every time he scratches something he is not allowed to scratch, take the cat and take him to where he MAY scratch, and show him that he did a good job when he actually does scratch there. He'll learn rather fast.

Then, like someone else said here also, massaging/petting his toes so that he pulls in his claws makes the cat realize that you prefer them inside. For our cat its kinda funny since he loves the massaging, so he comes to you, shows you his feet and puts the claws out just so that you take and massage it :)

If you let your cat outside, declawing it is DEFINATELY bad, since they have no defense at all then.

No. :glugglug

It's cruel. Your cat's claw is not a toenail. It is actually closely adhered to the bone. So closely adhered that to remove the claw, the last bone of your the cat's claw has to be removed. Declawing is actually an amputation of the last joint of your cat's "toes".

its crule

buy it a scratching post and spray cat nip on it:2 cents:

Sounds very painful:(

And just think that after they have the surgery they still have to walk on their paws :(

So if I take good care of you, can I just pull your nails out? How about your teeth? Don't worry I'll feed you creamed vegetables :thumbsup

Does the term 'natural habitat' ring a bell?

It's cruel and unnecessary there are better ways to keep cats of the furniture.

People like that should not take cats in the first place.

Cat on a leash? What's wrong with some of you people?

this is crazy! What kind of fucker does that shit? Why doen't your neighbor rather gives the cat away...

No more non native predator than you are, we should put your twistyneck in a leash, and I'm being nice

:1orglaugh :thumbsup

Its the law here. Nobody really follows it anymore, but a few years ago there was a bylaw passed saying all animals had to be on a leash.
I really wish people listened to it too. If I see the neighbours cat shitting in my yard one more time I'm going to tie it to the back of a car. :feels-hot

I agree with Alien_Out though. If its an indoor cat then it doesnt know what its missing outside, and doesnt need claws. My cat was way better behaved before we started letting it outside.