Another helping of ignorance about declawing cats

Just answering on-line questions about declawing, or even browsing around, brings up so much total ignorance it's really very frightening ! My thoughts are in blue.

A reply to someone asking what to do about a newly declawed cat chewing at her wounds.She’d wrapped the poor creatures bleeding painful paws in torn up old shirts:
Use sanitary gauze instead of old shirts. It is not bad to bandage the wounds, but apply a generous amount of Vaseline so the dressing doesn't stick to the wound
How very helpful, gauze stuck with Vaseline to open bleeding wounds.

This person know all about declawing:Declawing a cat isn't exactly major surgery. Many people decide to have their cat's claws removed, which is their decision. Stitches aren't even used after declawing a cat, just surgical glue is used to glue the flaps of skin together. The cat does have pain, but the pain usually alleviates about a week after being declawed. Most veterinarians prescribe pain medication to the cat. The cat is put under while the procedure is being done, which means the cat cannot feel anything. Pain meds usually help the cat to be pain free if the meds are administered properly and on time.
Oh, so 10 amputations is not major surgery, well what on earth is ? And the pain alleviates after a week does it ? Yet pain meds usually help the cat to be pain free,that’s if the meds prescribed by most vets are administered properly and on time,so that's fine then.Someone who has had this cruel operation performed on their cat is hardly likely to have the brains to handle the pain medication correctly, that's IF they've even paid the vet the extra to get it of course.

Question:If I get a kitten,shall I get it declawed ? :
1.yeah duh! take it to the vet and get it de-clawed
2.yes, but only to a certain age so if you decide to get a kitten, get him/her declawed as soon as you can.
3.Yeh, cats are animals, and animals heal way faster than humans do
Such deep knowledge and expert advice !

Part of a question ‘I do not understand why they can not go through some temporary pain in order to have a comforatable, safe home for their entire life? We as humans do things to our bodies that cause temporary pain to be healthier or happier with them...so why should I think differently about my pet?’
Maybe because people can choose whether to have uneccessary cosmetic surgery and don’t have to use their wounded parts immediately afterwards, like cats do. Temporary pain ? comforatable safe home ?they must be joking of course ! It's hardly a safe home when a cat is taken from it for horrific surgery of no benefit to him at all.Is the cat supposed to be grateful for that ?

Question why does my declawed cat bite me
1.SHE BITES BECAUSE YOU AND WHATEVER MONEY HUNGRY VET YOU BROUGHT HER TOO RIPPED OUT HER CLAWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That answerer felt so strongly she SHOUTED ! Good on her !!!

2. cuz u took away her claws dude, why would you do that, ima report you to animal cruelty inc.
If only we could !

A question about a declawed cat biting hard, this reply was from someone having the temerity to call herself ‘catlover’
She needs a negative response to biting. You can say NO and put her on the floor if she is on your lap. You can say NO and give her a short time out. You can say NO and give her a gentle bop on the nose
Yes that’s right catlover, give her time out or better still bop her on the nose, why not hurt her sensitive nose as her sensitive paws have already been hurt.

No advice from this one, just a sensible answer:
My friend's cat is declawed and he just bites really hard... It hurts more than scratching ever did...

Question,how much does it cost to declaw a cat ?

i got my cat declaued. it cost 85$ for me. i got it really cheap
Fancy, just like going to the sales and getting a bargain,wasn’t she the lucky one !

We know all about declawing:
1.It is not like cutting your finger off below the nuckles. Cats do not have fingers, they have claws. The claws are not part of their toes. They are another part of their feet
A bit confusing ? Their claws are not part of their toes but another part of their feet. Wherever do they grow from I wonder ?
2.It's also better to get them declawed at the same time as the spay or neuter that way they only have to go under anesthesia once. Hope this helps!
Yes you’ve guessed correctly…from a ‘vet tech’ I suppose she has ‘blood money’ in her pay packet.

This from someone VERY knowledgeable:

its compared w/taking the tips off of the human finger tips,which honestly are not vital
I don’t know about her, but my finger tips are certainly vital !!!

How to stop your cat scratching the furniture…..2 really helpful answers:
1.i recommend that you get rid off the scratching post and discipline your cat for all scratching. Your cat does not understand that its allowed on the cat post but not somewhere else.
2.Put the scratch post on the fire,it will keep you warm then then give the cat to someone you need to get even with . problem solved.

I'm speechless !!!!

Quetion:Are my cats claws growing back ?
Answer 1.I have a 14 year old cat that has a couple of those"claws" growing but on closer examination, it looks more like calluses. Could be thats what your cat has.Mine still "sharpens" his non exsistant nails and we think thats how he got his callus.
Poor cat trying frantically to ‘sharpen’ non existent nails for 14 years. Still, what does it matter if he has callus from doing that as long as the furniture is perfect !
Answer 2:When a cat is declawed, if the vet doesn't get down far enough with the scalpal, the nail will just keep growing, until it finally protudes to the point tha you can see it. I guess if you still want it to be declawed-which it may have to in order to be sure there will be no problems with them-then you should go to a vet and have it done
What a good idea, go back to the vet and have the cat declawed all over again, if you still want it to be declawed that is. If you’ve changed your mind though it doesn’t matter that the cat may be in pain from these protuding nails.After all, it was the vet with the scalpal to blame.

Question:So i now realize its wrong to declaw your cat but...?i had it done almost a week ago and it looks like they took off half his foot........ i know they took part of the toe but why does it look so bad. please no hater comments.
Answer 1:I don't think there is anything wrong with it as long as your cat doesn't go outside. If you keep it in the house then who cares.
Such sympathy for the poor cat !
2.I think you should keep him in for a week or two to be on the safe side to prevent any infection to the wounds. Keep him in until it looks pretty healed up. If it hasnt by 2 weeks i suggest you take him to the vets.
General experience (Own 5 cats)
Keep him in for a week or two ? General experience ? At what ? Certainly not with cats !

A question about a declawed cat peeing and pooing on the bed which had some very good replies about this being a problem from declawing.She chose one but said:
i think this is a stupid answer. i had to get ym cat de-clawed because he use to rip up my furniture. if ur not going to help me than dont write anything. thanks. now. f off.

Thanks but f off, I can't make out if this is polite......or not !

More words of ‘wisdom’
1.you can have the nails in her front paws removed if you think she will ruin all your furniture
We had to get my cat declawed, not that we wanted to. He was tearing apart. Like our tv, our chairs, and ourselves. He is terribly happy. Terribly happy ? With no toe ends ?????2.so when you get your cat declawed at the VET they put them on meds so it rly does not hurt them At the VET ! Well, where else do they mutilate cats ?
3.If they're indoor cats it's not mean because the don't need to defend themselves and to scratch they can just use their paw and all of the cats I've ever had (a lot) just roll around on the floor or have me scratch them. It's also better for your furniture, carpet, and if their mean you. I'm pretty sure that they numb the area before taking out the claws so they can't feel anything
i mean what do they ever use them for apart from fighting? and scratching you? they might not be able to scrat themselves as much as they would like, but you can brush them or summat instead. I guess its not natural to do it but i dont think they really use them to be honest, not like wild cats do Phew pretty sure they numb the area,ahh but NOT certain !
4.to an out door cat yes very mean but to an indoor cat not as much. just like people they grow back They grow back ?????? Well yes if its a botched job, they do! 5.there is a new machine to declaw pets and itl be good only 14 or 13 dollars ??????????????

And just to finish this dollop of stomach churning indigestible tripe,a strong contender for the most idiotic comment ever, in reply to this which also had a photo of the poor cat looking thoroughly miserable:
Kiki got declawed and is home recovering now. See does not like to take her pain or her antibotic medicine. In fact when I give them to her she tries to spit them right back out. She looks like she is in a little bit of pain when she walks. We are hoping she is back to her feisty self in a few more days.
Answer:Kiki looks so sad! She'll be better soon. Dewey, Kitti, and Tucker all send their best wishes. They've all been declawed and from what I can tell, they love it (after the first few days).
They LOVE it !!!! Are we in that parallel universe again ??????

The more ignorance about declawing that comes to light ,the more need for it to be banned !

http://www.petitionthem.com/default.asp?sect=detail&pet=4312

Frightening ignorance about declawing

Just browing through a few recent questions on declawing,I came across some very uneducated,incorrect and misguided statements.

I've left the spelling and punctuation exactly as it was written.
My comments are in blue.


Some of the answers to general questions about declawing:

Is there ever a reason NOT to declaw? Cats are already just annoying. They have to scratch the sh*t out of you and anything they please too?
As I've said before, having a cat is NOT compulsory.This person should be allowed nowhere near any cat let alone own one.


I declawed my kitten years ago because it kept climbing up my back and legs for attention. Yes, also because the furniture. I never let it outside because it wouldn't be able to defend itself. I didn't get the back ones done and dont know if they do it anyways. I'm about to get my two new kittens done within a few months because I have small children and I dont want the cats sticking to their backs!
Obviously hasn't done any research on declawing before she had her kitten mutilated ! And I've never known any kittens stuck to childrens backs !

We declawed two of our cats because they jump up on our curtains and rip them,they also scratch us really bad,and dont worry,i think the cats are put to sleep while they get declawed,its not that the owner does not love them or like them,they just want to be safe,i mean the cats use the litter box and they use there paws to cover up there buisness and when they scratch you there claws are not clean,and you could get infected from the sratch.
This person THINKS the cats are put to sleep while they get declawed ! THINKS they are....for 10 amputations I should HOPE they are. They don't 'get' declawed, their selfish ignorant owner 'gets' them declawed ! Oh dear their claws are not clean ! Nor are other parts of bodies, peoples bodies especially, but they don't have to be amputated !


I would declaw the cat. Cat scratches can cause infections and destroy furniture. Our cat was declawed and she was only in pain for maybe a few days afterward and she did not change in personality.
So that's OK then that the cat was ONLY in pain for maybe a few days afterward ! This person probably wouldn't know if a cat was in pain even if it was dying before her eyes !I wonder if she would like to be in pain for a few days after a totally uneccessary operation ?


A Question:
So we just got my kitten home from getting declawed and on our way home we had to pick up our super so we ran into walmart for like ten minutes and left the kitten in her carrier in the car. well when we got to the car she had chewed on her feet so bad that they were bleeding and torn up. She kept trying to chew on them so when we got home i took some old pieces of t-shirts and some medical tape and bandaged her feet up. What should i do? Is it o.k that i bandaged them up? is this normal or do i need to call the vet? thanks tons!
Had to pick up their 'super' leaving a cat which had just had major surgery, alone,in pain and shock, in the car !Bleeding and torn up feet, is this normal ?Just wrap them up and hope for the best ....oh, or should they call the vet ?

An answer to that question:
Take her to the vet!!! i have declawed both my cats and they NEVER chewed at their paws!! your vet sucks and obviously messed your kittens paws up!!
So the vet sucks ! Right, now we know.
But didn't we already know ALL vets who declaw cats 'suck' Apparently the asker didn't, nor this person who had their cats declawed and they NEVER chewed their paws !
Are people who have their cats declawed to be THANKFUL for that ?


Another Question:
Why is my cat chewing their declawed paws?
Two of my cats just got their front paw declawed a couple of weeks ago. One is doing just fine, but the other, however, has been chewing and licking at hers to the point where there is no fur on the specific part of the paw. I'm so worried, I don't want her to get an infection and rI'm almost regretting even getting them declawed at all! What can I do to keep her from chewing on them and causing further harm to her poor paws? Is this even normal for a cat to do, and will it eventually blow over?
A couple of weeks of chewing and licking mutilated paws, is it normal, will it blow over ? What might blow over is that poor cats life.At the very least she will be lucky if her stumps EVER heal, she may even lose her 'poor' paws.ALMOST regretting getting them declawed ! ALMOST !!!! Did this person receive any information from the vet before or any advice as to how to care for them after subjecting her cats to declawing ? I doubt it !
She had a very 'helpful' answer
Pop her on the head every time she does it, that will stop her.


Some more answers to someone asking about declawing:
Here is a description of what will happen to your cat if you do this.The wild fire in your cats eyes will burn out.Your cat will have depression, and wont be able to defend him/herself from other cats, or catch mice, or climb.This is part of the cat, If you do this, then go ahead and chop your own fingernails off and lets see how you feel.Might as well shoot your cat in the head with a gun since your pretty much ruining its short life.
WELL SAID !


Some pro declaws have their say:
Declawing is a choice that any cat owner should be able to make. The radicals who tell you it's a monstrous thing are hypocritical in the fact that they'll vouch for spay/neutering, a process that is equal in mutilation and removes an organ that actually effects how the animals body works. From vet tech, and involved in hundreds of declaw surgeries that went smoothly and had no long term side effects.
Another 'vet tech' who believes neutering is as mutilating as declawing and has been involved in hundreds of declaw surgeries that went smoothly and had no long term side effects ! REALLY ? And has this person statistics ? No, because none are ever kept !! This is probably another of those 'vet techs' who are in reality the surgery cleaner who disposes of cats amputated healthy toe ends as if they are merely rubbish.


Think about it like this you chop your fingernails offit hurts for 1 hour1 hour of your life is pain big whoopshe might be nicer Thats what happened to my cats. And your furniture wont get scratched up :)
Chop your fingernails off, it hurts for ONE hour ! One thing for sure , this person has never had their finger nails chopped off. She might be nicer ! I think not ! Best of all your furniture won't get scratched up. That's VERY important, look after your precious furniture it doesn't matter if your cats suffer, they are only living feeling beings, inanimate furniture is FAR more important.


They still have their back claws when you get a cat De-clawed.Cats also have very strong back legs thus letting them be incredible jumpers. While intruders can scratch but the de-clawed cat still has teeth does it not? While they can use tooth or claw they have teeth and back claws. While also they can pounce on their opponet with claws sheathed letting them knock out the opponet
Well they can knock out their 'opponet' Fancy that, just like in a boxing ring ! Intruders can scratch, so that must be intruders with their rightful claws. So what are intruders doing in the declawed cats home OR are they in the garden ? But surely declawed cats should NEVER be let outside ?


I believe in declawing because i hate dealing with claws. I got my male cat when he was 8 weeks old and he tore up my furniture and my legs. I tried to teach him how to use the scratching post but he refused. I love love love love cats. I have a tattoo for both my cats now and they are 11 and 1. If anything does happen in surgery with your cat getting declawed, its because your vet sucks
The cat refused to use the scratching post. So he paid the price by losing his toe ends.How hard did the owner try to teach him ? It's not a cat's fault if an owner fails to teach the cat to use a scratching post, it's the fault of the owner !! I love love love love cats.REALLY? You could have fooled me ! Your vet sucks ! Yes that bit IS true, as I've already said ALL vets who declaw 'suck'


I firmly believe declawing a cat is akin to a marriage ceremony whereby you solemnly promise to shelter and take care of that animal till the day they die. If you are unwilling to make that commitment, don't declaw.
So you should take an oath when disabling your cat should you ? Lets hope all the vets who declaw cats have this added to the pre op form which people sign their cats healthy toe ends away upon !

Another question:
How old does a kitten have to be to get declawed?
My Kitten is around 8 weeks old.
Thanks. I know it's bad to do, but my kitten is WILD he destroys EVERYTHING!
Wow, an 8 week old kitten WILD and destroying EVERYHING ! He must be a BIG kitten, is he a tiger ?


Another question:
I got my cat de clawed and now she wont use the litter box! help what should i do?
ok so my cat is now de clawed! thank God she was ruining my house! my arms, o and my poor dog's face.( i got the new laser removal de clawing) but my cat isnt supposed to use real litter in her box instead it needs to be filled with paper, but the problem with that is she wont use it. she goes potty everywhere else but the box, so im just curious if giving her real litter is it gonna hurt her? or wont it matter?
A cat ruining the house, her arms , AND the poor dog's face too! Naughty puss. Wait a minute though, hadn't the cat got a scratching post ? And what was the dog doing to the cat to make her retaliate by scratching its face? Where was the owner to let this happen ? Oh well, it's OK for the dog now as it will be able to pester the life out of the crippled cat without being scratched any more.
Will it matter if real litter hurts her ? Why worry about hurting her more, the poor cat has already been hurt beyond endurance !
A short answer from someone obviously VERY 'knowledgeable' indeed about declawed cats:
Its time to upgrade your litter


This poor girl couldn't convince her mom not to declaw her kitten:
The vet told my mom that amputating the joint was the OLD method and inhumane, so he "only takes out the nail and nailbed" Um, hello, same thing! the nailbed IS the distal phalanx! She believes him. No point in even telling her he's twisting it.
This is dreadful, this girl did her research,found out the terrible truth and tried to educate her mom who wouldn't listen.Foolish mom trusting a person trained to help animals but who agrees to harm them.


Another question:
How much does it cost to declaw a Tiger?
Someone has asked me to buy a baby Tiger. It would have to be a house cat though. I put in for a permit with the city. They told me they could train me to train it.
A sensible answer:
NEVER declaw any animal.and if this is a Large tiger ... call yourself dinner.


A plea:

Another question:
Why do my cats scratch the carpet, sofa etc, even though they have no claws?
They were declawed when they were little, most people do, because its comon sense to declaw your cats, if they have two, you know so they dont tear eachother up?
So most people do, its common sense is it ? NO most people do NOT . that's common sense ! They research declawing and change their minds when they find out the truth !
Two cats tearing each other up ? That's strange,over 35 years of mulitiple cats in our home and NONE of them have EVER torn each other up !Nor have any others in multiple cat households I know of.

Some answers:
They are taking their anger out on it.
They don't love you. you tore out their claws you sick person.
I have to agree !


Oh look a pro declaw popped up to answer:
Declawing cats is not animal abuse. it is a way to keep yourself, younger kids, and you furniture safe. think about what you house would look like if you cats still had claws. i don't think it would look to good.
Keep safe above all !! Cats are very dangerous ! AND keep 'you' furniture safe whatever you do !!!! Shock, horror if your house doesn't look 'to' good !

An anti declaw who sounds as fed up as I am of the crass ignorance of people trying to justify having their cats disabled:
Its a losing battle people, you can't fix stupid no matter how hard you try.
How true !!!!

Another reply:
My kitty does that too! They do have glands in the paws and it's another way of marking their territory...they're also just stretching too. Oh! My cat does it sometimes after using the litter box because sometimes the tiny pebbles get stuck in between their toesies. =) But still, my cat never had a problem being declawed. If he still had them, I wouldn't be able to let him knead and "make bread" on my arms and legs like he does a lot, haha.
Pebbles get stuck in between their 'toesies' I think that means STUMPS don't you ? Ah, he couldn't 'make bread' if he had his rightful claws ! Why not ? Our cats have 'made bread' for 35 years with claws and all !!!!


Another very frightening question:
I need my cat declawed due to excessive scratching. How much is average cost to verify that I am getting a good deal? How long do the cat not able to go outside?
Apparently this asker doesn't even know the cat should NEVER go outside after declawing. Not much research done by this person I'd say. Still he/she is more worried about getting a good deal ! Oh well, plenty vets to snap this up and whack off the cat's toe ends eagerly, without explaining what the operation is and the physical and mental problems which can develop afterwards.


And to finish this blog, a VERY sad question:
Please answer, need to undo de-clawing?
i wish i didn't de-claw my cat. she is so sad now. it was a mistake. how can i undo the declawing? i love my cat, please answer.

As we all know, declawing can NEVER be undone,the last joints of the cat's toes are gone FOREVER !

I think everyone reading this will agree that education and knowledge about the cruel reality of declawing is VERY VERY lacking !

Therefore declawing MUST be banned:
http://www.petitionthem.com/default.asp?sect=detail&pet=4312

One more point,there seems to be a lot of pro declaws saying it's declaw or death for cats, they say that is what last resort means.Strange, I thought last resort meant for serious scratching behaviour ? Why do people get cats if they don't like that they have claws ? And another thing puzzles me, how can it count as a last resort for kittens, before people even get one, knowing full well they can take them to be declawed. That's definately not last resort, that is not declaw or death, it's pre-meditated mutilation, as they shouldn't get the kitten in the first place.

Ed Boks turns traitor

Mr Boks turned traitor on Dr Jennifer Conrad who he had supposedly supported in her battle to end declawing ! He spoke from a script,against a declawing ban in Santa Monica. He had no facts or statistics to back up his argument and thankfully, the voting council saw straight through him:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np0DUXLHC_A
He said he abhors declawing yet he believes that it should not be banned because it saves cats lives and more cats would be abandoned if the owners hadn't the option.Yet when asked if the ban in West Hollywood had led to more abandoned cats, he couldn't answer the question, he stuttered and flannelled but had to confess there were no records available of how many clawed cats were abandoned, how many declawed cats were abandoned, nor the reasons why the cats were abandoned.
He tried to make out that people are eager to adopt declawed cats from Rescue Shelters, of course he had no statistics of how many were adopted out. Nor did he give the reasons why the declawed cats were in the Rescue Shelters in the first place.Surely if declawed cats were so desirable and sought after, there would be NONE needing homes.
The horrible truth is that declawed cats are often in Rescue Shelters because of behavioural problems resulting from declawing ! Why are no records kept of these cats ? How many are destroyed because they can't be adopted out ? Come to that, why are there no records kept by vets of the physical and mental problems of declawed cats ? It's all conveniently swept under the carpet !!!! Out of sight , out of mind, what the eye doesn't see and so forth. These innocent mutilated creatures are looked upon as 'cats' But they are INDIVIDUAL cats,each one a living, breathing , feeling creature, just like people are !
Mr Boks also tried to say that ear clipping of feral cats after neutering is akin to declawing.What rubbish !!! A cat doesn't need the tip of its ear, to walk, to groom, to exercise and to defend itself with ! Ear clipping is for the good of the cat, it's plain to see which cats have been neutered by that and therefore save them the trauma of another trip to the vets.
He talks about vets only declawing as a last resort ! So what about kittens being declawed ? What about people getting a kitten knowing full well they don't have to bother to teach it to use a scratching post, they can just go to a pro declaw vet and have the kittens toe ends removed, no questions asked. In fact, they can even sometimes get a neuter/declaw package or a discount coupon to encourage them to have a kitten declawed and some vets receptionists even offer declawing with neutering, without being asked about it by the client. The people who are of this mind simply wouldn't get a kitten if they couldn't have it declawed and that would be a very good thing. They don't want a cat, they want an adapted creature. Only people who truly love cats as they come, claws and all,would have cats if declawing was banned.Anyone who would only have an adapted cat is NOT a fit person to have a cat.
In our country no one goes out and brings a kitten home and goes into shock because it has claws !! No one expects those very essential claws to be taken away. No one with babies, children, frail or elderly people thinks a cat should be mutilated for their sake and especially not for the sake of replaceable furniture.
USA pro declaw vets are running scared now that more people are finding out the truth about declawing, they've got away with this cruelty long enough, it has filled up their coffers nicely.But now it's time to catch up with other countries where declawing is banned as animal abuse.
Will Mr Bok change sides AGAIN now he has been uncovered and defeated in Santa Monica ? Whoever's pocket he was in must be bitterly disappointed in him !!!!
http://www.petitionthem.com/default.asp?sect=detail&pet=4312

Very disturbing ignorance about declawing

A very disturbing blog came up on a Google alert today.There was no way we could save the kitten from being declawed as he was already undergoing the operation at the vets. One of the corrupt vets who offers neuter/declaw packages no doubt, oh and not forgetting, this baby creature was to have his 'shots' and a flea dip too. Bad enough, but the writer wasn't in the least bit concerned about the pain the kitten would suffer from the amputation of his toe ends and one of the answers was particularly very ignorant,cruel and wrong:
They are NOT allowed to jump at all! and they are supposed to have special litter for a week or two. They have it at the vet. they usually wont give pain meds because if the pain med takes away the pain then the cat will jump and not know better and bust the tips open and they will get infected- I have experienced this firsthand with a cat before. It is best not to give them the pain med even if the vet does offer it.
So the cat has to come home and suffer the agony of 10 amputations with NO pain medication !
Some of the other replies:
They don't actually cut anything off. They slice the tip and remove the claw, I guess.
They guess ?? They guess wrong !
The cat I had went crazy for the first couple days after because of the pain. You also have to make sure that he doesnt lick his paws. Good Luck. Hope all goes well.
Good luck ! Hope all goes well ! Who for ? Not the kitten that's for sure.
All my cats have always had their front paws declawed- otherwise I would not have any furniture left! They dont go outside EVER so they dont NEED them anyway.
But they DO need them, has no one told you they need to exercise by digging in their claws to keep their leg, shoulder and back muscles healthy ? No ? Well why didn't you do some research before you mutilated your cats ?
From the asker to another pro declaw reply who said people give you 'shit' for declawing:
Some people have nothing better to do then bitch of stupid stuff on BG.
Stupid stuff ? Mutilating a cat is stupid stuff ? I'm speechless !
The asker justifying having it done because of her 17 month old child who she especially got this poor little kitten for:
I agree it is a little mean, but it would be meaner if I killed the cat for attacking my son and scratching him all up. Not saying the cat would do that, but if he did....
But he didn't did he, he didn't even have the chance to prove he wouldn't and now he's defenceless at the mercy of a child who will grow up thinking pets can be adapted to make soft toys for him to torment.
Another answer from someone else who thinks indoor cats don't need claws:
I have had 5 cats declawed and other than the initial time period right after the surgery they dont even know they dont have claws! It doesnt bother them one bit. as long as they are strictly indoor cats what is wrong with it?
What is wrong with it they ask ? I ask what is RIGHT with it ????
Hey at last someone sensible in reply to another answer from some one who had this cat declawed too for the 'kid's sake' :
If a cat is scratching your child, you should moniter the child with the cat, not be cruel to the cat. It's not the cat's fault you can't keep your son from pulling it's tail.
Well said !
The asker:
I love the kitty, hate the claws
Shock and horror, they obviously didn't know cats come with claws !
Hey another sensible person answered too:
If you can't protect both the cat and the child, then you shouldn't have a cat.
There follows page after page after page of pro declaw people trying to justify it and anti declaw people being called crazy,lots of lol included, oh yes it's such a laughing matter ruining a cat's life. What is with people who look upon animals as possessions to be adapted to suit them ? How could someone take a tiny kitten from his mother, planning to have him disabled at the very first opportunity? I just hope and pray that poor little soul did get the pain medication he would need and I hope and pray he has no ill effects from the mutilation.The asker is certainly one of those type of people who will turn around and call the kitten a dirty cat if he messes on the floor because his stumps are such agony he can't dig in the litter tray or if he bites the child as he uses him as a plaything.The kitten will be 'got rid of' his life ruined before it hardly began.
There is such rife ignorance and there are so many heartless people, yes some will listen and be educated to the truth but because of the ones who won't, declawing HAS to be banned.
http://www.petitionthem.com/default.asp?sect=detail&pet=4312

Declawing dogs

I do not condone any mutilation of dogs such as ear cropping, tail docking etc, let alone the declawing of them, but what inspired this blog today was a question on Yahoo Answers:
'Can you declaw a 6 month old puppy'
No more information than that, but it was obviously a serious question as the asker gave the puppy's age.
What an outcry in the answers 'why on earth would anyone do that' and 'how cruel it would be' and 'what pain it would cause the puppy' and 'the asker should give it away rather than declaw it'
A few bright sparks came on:
'I've never even heard of vets offering or doing the procedure on anything but a cat'
'No vet in their right mind will declaw a puppy......maybe a cat, but not a dog'
'No ethical vet would EVER do it because declawing a dog will literally cripple them. Dogs and cats have a slightly different structure to their feet'
Do they think declawing doesn't cripple a cat too ?

Dogs only use their feet to walk on and their claws to scratch themselves. Cats use theirs to defend themselves, to groom,to exercise, and to play, as well as to walk on and to scratch themselves.
See my previous blog:
http://kattaddorra.blogspot.com/2009/05/putting-straight-some-facts-about.html
about why cats claws are necessary and why declawing cats is not acceptable.

Why no outcry every time someone asks about having a kitten or a cat declawed ? Why is a 6 month old puppy different to a 6 month old kitten ? A kitten feels as much pain as a puppy!
Imagine the shock and horror of people seeing someone walking along with a limping declawed dog! Well the vet who did that dreadful operation would be as hated as the owner who had the dog declawed, as the poor things mutilated feet ending in stumps would be plain for all to see. Who sees the stumps of a declawed cat who is then a prisoner for life (unless they escape of course and their life is soon over, with no defence they are easily cornered and killed by wild animals)? No one sees that poor cat limping and in pain apart from the family, no one sees the bewilderment of the poor creature desperately trying to use non existent claws, no one sees the cat being punished when the behavioural problems from declawing begin, such as biting, and the using of carpets and soft furnishings because digging in a litter tray hurts so much. No one misses the cat written off as a 'bad cat' when it ends up unrehomeable in a Rescue Shelter because of those behavioural problems.No one sees another new kitten come into the home and oh so casually off it goes to have its toes removed too, because of the baby, the children, the frail person, or the very important furniture! Cats are living feeling beings, they should not be replaceable possessions!
So come on everyone who shudders with horror at the thought of declawed dogs, shudder with horror at the thought of declawed cats too and help us end this barbaric operation once and for all !!
http://www.petitionthem.com/default.asp?sect=detail&pet=4312

Vet techs

I find it very worrying that some supposed to be vet techs have very little knowledge about cats.For example, this is part of an answer posted recently to a 'shall I declaw my cat' question.

In short,declawing is not cruel,and if done right by a competent vet,easily recovered from and they will not miss them or act like part of them is missing.Actually they will still try and sharpening their claws that they don't have.To add to my previous answer.You have to remember,it's your cat.If you want him declawed then do it.IT WILL NOT HURT THEM.
Vet tech,cat owner

This is supposed to be an educated professional person ! Surely anyone who knows much about cats knows they don't 'sharpen' their claws, they dig them in to exercise their leg,shoulder and back muscles and to remove the outer shard of the claws. They will not miss them or act like part of them is missing ? I thought this person said they would still try and sharpening their claws ??
'Easily recovered from' I think not ! IT WILL NOT HURT THEM' Which planet does this person live on ? It's the most painful operation a cat can endure ! She probably works for a vet (if she really IS a vet tech)who charges extra for the pain medication the poor cats need. Is she shouting in CAPITAL LETTERS, to convince herself ?

This inspired me to look closer into what training vet techs are supposed to have,this is from the AVMA:
http://www.avma.org/careforanimals/animatedjourneys/aboutvets/becomingtech.asp

But a fellow member of a group I am in, says:
Many vet techs in the USA are not 'trained' in a recognized training programme and many are 'trained' by the vets for which they work.Not all vets here are licensed techs but there seems to be a move toward tech training in training programmes(schools) and then take a license exam.There is a real shortage of good techs in the USA and many of the good ones are just getting experience and then go onto vet school. What is weird here is that veterinarians do not have to attend college.While it is preferable ,there is no requirement that a candidate for vet school have a college degree.

I found this with a google search:
I can promise you that an RVT has NEVER been able to legally spay,neuter, declaw, in Texas.This is the case in all states as surgery constitutes the practice of veterinary medicine and is only allowed to be performed by a licensed veterinarian.Unfortunately, there are lots and lots of misconceptions and blatant information about this profession all over the US and the laws governing the practice of veterinary medicine and veterinary technology are not covered extensively during on-the-job training or a formal education.Most states give you a list of statues/rules to familiarize yourself with prior to taking the state jurisprudence exam and leave it at that.
Cindy D. RVT
President-Elect
Texas Association of Registered Veterinary Technicians
This excerpt is from this link.
http://www.indeed.com/forum/job/veterinary-technician/laws-slowly-changing-doctors-putting-boundary-between/t60655



Yet I've read about one person starting work as a receptionist at a vets surgery,the vet tech quit her job and this person with absolutely no experience with animals was promoted to vet tech that same day.That surely can't be right ? Another vet tech reckoned she'd declawed cats, her own included.If this is true then both she and the vet she worked for were breaking the law that says only licenced vets are allowed to perform surgical procedures on animals.
From the AVMA site link above:
While a veterinary technician can assist in performing a wide variety of tasks, they cannot diagnose, prescribe, perform surgery, or engage in any activity prohibited by a state's practice act.

This is part of a supposed vet tech's blog:
'A love for animals is essential for anyone pursuing a degree in veterinary technology.You will spend most of your time around animals and should have a patient misdemeanor for pets experiencing pain or illness,as well as their owners'

Definition of the word misdemeanor or misdemeanour, in many common law legal systems,is a 'lesser' criminal act.
Mmmm, I suppose it IS a lesser criminal act to be holding a cat's paw up for its toe ends to be amputated,rather than being the one actually doing the amputations.But I don't think that's quite what the writer meant !
Sadly it was closed for comments as I'd liked to have pointed that out.

The obvious lack of education of these people is frightening.Many times on Yahoo Answers someone will answer a question with totally wrong sometimes even dangerous advice, then at the bottom where it says source ? they write'vet tech' or 'I work at a vets' I wonder what as ? A cleaner maybe ? A lot of young people are members on Yahoo Answers,they could so easily get the wrong idea from one of those so called 'knowledgeable about animals' people.Maybe some of them don't really work for vets, there's no way of proving it ! The ones who say declawing is just removing the nail, certainly have obviously never seen a declawing operation, nor have the ones who say it doesn't harm the cat.They maybe want to justify the fact their own poor cats are crippled by declawing because it's oh so much easier having a cat mutilated than having to bother about scratching posts.

There are some genuine animal loving vet techs who do give good advice,I'm not tarring them with the same brush, but ignorant people calling themselves vet techs do get genuine vet techs a bad reputation.

The decline of songbirds

I am so fed up of some people blaming the decline of songbirds on cats ! In particular some people in the USA are always saying 'Keep your cat in at all times,they are killing all the birds'
What rubbish ! It's just an excuse to justify their distaste of people, especially us in the UK, who let our cats have their freedom.
What about all the pesticides used now on fields, what about all the natural habitat, hedges and trees, taken from birds to make more space for the ever breeding human ? What about weed killer on gardens and less people who bother to feed wild birds any more ? What about all the fumes from more and more vehicles on the roads and the stink of barbeques rising up into the air ?
Cats have been around and free a long long time now but it's only in recent years the number of birds have declined , so how come cats are suddenly blamed ?
Has no one heard of live and let live any more !

Leaving cats home alone

I can't get over the mentality of people who think it's acceptable to leave cats on their own for days on end while they go away ! For example, today on Yahoo Answers someone asked how to go about finding a reliable pet sitter for his 2 cats as he was going away for 3 days. This person and rightly so, wanted to make sure his cats were OK, more so because one of them is a sensitive cresture and when she gets stressed, she is sick.
So, what did quite a few 'advise' ? Only to leave the cats at home alone !!! One mentioned leaving plenty food and water, one mentioned they might need an extra litter tray, but all agreed they'd be fine for 3 days on their own.
Thankfully a few sensible people had been on too, one especially sensible suggestion was that he asked his vet to recommend someone trustworthy to cat sit. I could only add to that to suggest the sitter came to meet the cats before he went away, so he could see what he/she was like and if they interacted with the cats well.
Cats can get ill very quickly, have an accident, someone could break into the house and hurt the cats or they could get out of a broken window, maybe cutting themselves as they do.
Apart from that, if none of those things happen, the water left for the cats could be spilled, the food go off,the litter trays overflowing.
Cats deserve better than being left alone for more than a day !

Confining pets in small spaces

Yesterday I saw a question on Yahoo Answers from a girl who was getting a kitten. She said her dad HATES cats but as she's his 'lil girl' he said OK as long as the kitten stayed in a cage until she grew up. She went on to say that of course she'd let the kitten out for a while when she was home from school but it would have to go back in overnight.Was that OK ? I was astonished to see some answers saying yes that was acceptable !
That kitten would be shut in a cage for at least 18 hours out of the 24 hours in a day and with no companionship.Poor little soul, leaving her mother and siblings and condemned to that life.I pointed that out and that kittens need regular feeding and interaction with people and fun and games, they did not need shutting away alone in a house ruled by someone who hates cats.
What is it with these 'kitty cages ' and 'dog crates' I can't understand why people get pets and then lock them away for hours on end. Here in England our pets have the freedom of the house and the garden at the very least ! Pets are not possessions to be taken out of cages or crates when it suits.It's not compulsory to have a pet, so why why why do some people take them and possibly deprive them of a loving happy home where they'd be one of the family ?

Punishing cats is wrong !

Every day people ask questions about how they should punish their kitten. The kitten is usually called 'bad' 'aggressive' or 'mean'
There is always a spate of answers advising 'yelling loud' 'rattling coins in a can' 'squirting water or some other liquid at the kitten' 'hitting the kitten on it's butt' 'blowing in its face' 'locking it away for time out' 'bopping it on the nose' and other variations on the same theme.
Why do these people not realise that kittens are babies,just like human babies and they surely wouldn't punish a human baby .....would they ??
I always reply, the best way to train a kitten is by distraction, they simply need lots of catnip toys around to throw or put gently by the kittens mouth when they go to bite or scratch someone or scratch a surface they shouldn't. Some of these kittens have no toys and no scratching post ! People play with them with bare hands when they are tiny and then wonder why they grow up thinking it's acceptable to bite their hands.
I also recommend that they don't speak when they gently redirect the kitten but when the kitten is good, to praise him, using his name a lot. The kitten soon learns it's a good feeling to please !
A kickable sized catnip toy is a good thing to buy or make, it's very easy to make one with an old soft towel.You just cut the shape of a fish or whatever,sew the edges securely and stuff it with the rest of the towel with catnip sprinkled in.
You can't put an old head on young shoulders is a very appropriate saying and kittens have to learn about the world, just like children do. I wish people would understand this and realise that the kitten will soon grow up anyway and in comparison to ours, their lives are very short.
Their lives should be made as happy as possible, enjoying being kittens and then cats.

Tenants can not be forced to declaw their cats

Sometimes a question comes up from someone upset and asking what they can do because their landlord has told them that to continue their tenancy, their cat must be declawed. This is wrong ! Declawing cats is animal abuse and the links below are very informative about tenants rights and how to explain to your landlord that a declawed cat is a far greater risk to their property than a cat with claws:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Tenants-Rights-and-Pets---The-Landlord-Vs-Your-Cat&id=1920561

http://network.bestfriends.org/celebrateclawsnotdeclaw/news/16849.html

Cats declawed for their own safety ! Whatever next ?

I really couldn't believe it when I read it, that supposedly 9 vets had told the writer that indoor cats need to be declawed for their own safety !!! Why ? Well they reckoned that a cat might snag its claws on something while playing and may break its toe bones.Also, using a litter tray the cat could get germs under its claws and spread them around the house. This writer adds that he/she hates it when cats nibble and yank out their own claws and that it hurts then as bad as a hangnail hurts a human( he/ she thinks they yank whole claws out, not simply remove the shards from them as cats naturally do when manicuring !!! ) Then he/she adds that cats with claws can hurt each other and if they don't get treament immediately, the wound can get infected. I'd say a bite was much more likely to become infected than a scratch !

This person obviously knows zilch about cats and what's more, is desperately trying to justify having his/her own cats declawed.
It would be funny if it wasn't so serious,because someone who doesn't know much about cats and declawing, could read that, think it was true and have their poor cat declawed on this person's say so !

In all my years working with vets and doing cat rescue and having cats at home too, never once have I seen a claw injury so bad it justifies declawing ALL cats. Nor have I seen a cat with a broken toe.
Who are these pro declaw people who can't understand the concept that cats are born with claws because they need them ? As for spreading germs with claws, well I'd think it more likely that more germs would be spread by a cat with mutilated feet,especially before the wounds are healed.And as for cats might hurt each other !! Are all animals to be disabled,have their claws and teeth removed, just incase they hurt another animal ? We might as well say humans should be disabled too as we are more likely to hurt each other and animals than ever an animal would be !

Different cultures

Here in England most people believe in giving their cats their freedom if at all possible.We've had cats for over 35 years now and never a thought of always keeping them in the house, to keep them safe. So when I first came across Yahoo Answers, which is mostly USA questions, as well as the shock when I discovered cats are still being declawed there, I also found out that many people are adamant that cats should never ever be let out. Looking into this, I can understand why, if there is danger outside, such as busy roads, I think the USA roads are far busier than ours, and also wild animals out there which could kill a cat.But many of these people were asking questions about 'bad cats' when in reality, these 'bad cats' are simply bored out of their skulls ! These people don't seem to learn about cats before they get a kitten, they don't have the slightest idea how to look after them or when to get them vaccinated and neutered.Worse still are the ones who feel it's routine to have a kitten declawed ! Or that it's compulsory, kids as young as 13 replying to questions on Yahoo Answers and 'advising' people to 'get it declawed' or 'why isn't it declawed yet?' They have no idea what they are saying, and thankfully when they are told about it by the many anti declaw members, there's shock and horror from most of them 'But I didn't know they did THAT to the cat' And some don't even provide a scratching post for their kitten, why should they bother to train the cat when it's so easy to have it crippled so it can't scratch their precious furniture.Or another excuse'It might scratch the baby'
Of course not everyone is like that, many USA people I've come across and stayed in contact with, don't have their cats declawed and they give them the best life an indoor only cat can have, with plenty to do, scratching posts, toys, and kitty grass, and these cats are content, we know cats adjust to their lifestyles. But cats on leashes and cats in strollers, having a sniff or a sighting of freedom but not allowed to enjoy it,to roll in the grass, to climb a tree, we can't understand. Here in England, leashes are for dogs.And I don't visit the dogs section of Yahoo Answers very much but sometimes see in passing 'how do I crate train my dog?' That seems routine too, that dogs are shut in crates instead of having the freedom of the house and garden as our dogs do here.
I think once declawing is banned and I have my life back, as my every spare moment is spent on this project now( and YES it WILL be banned one day as the USA must soon catch up with the rest of us in the civilised world .....we have Pet Welfare laws here now, maybe the powers that be in the USA will realise that animals are not mere possessions to be adapted for human convenience and will pass some new laws, once they admit that declawing a cat IS animal abuse) When I do have time,it will be interesting to study various cultures and the different ways they treat their pets.
But back to cats and their freedom, our cats are always kept in at night and never left out if we go anywhere,they enjoy the garden and the embankment and trees opposite where we live,we are very lucky,it's a cat friendly place. Our old home was cat friendly too, until some cat hating neighbours moved in......we soon moved out, but meanwhile we stood on guard while our cats were out in the garden ! Our cats are the most important things in our lives and deserve the best life we can give them.
I'm not saying anyone is right or anyone is wrong, it's not clear cut like declawing is, that IS wrong, no question about it !
Just musing over the diferences in culture, that's all.

Putting straight some facts about declawing

I just want to put a few incorrect facts straight for the benefit of anyone who thinks declawing cats is acceptable.
1. Some people say a cat's pain threshold is higher than ours.That is untrue, cats hide their pain remarkably well,for instance a cat can be seriously ill before the owner knows anything is wrong.To a cat, showing pain is a sign of weakness.
2.Some people compare the pain of declawing to the pain of spaying.Untrue again,the pain after declawing is much worse than after spaying, which as we know is an internal procedure.Cats need very strong pain killers after declawing, actually the same strength given to terminally ill people.A spayed cat goes home the same day and is up and about in no time.A declawed cat stays at the vets at least overnight, some throw themselves around the cage in their pain, which shows how bad it is,I’ve already said cats prefer to hide their pain,so you can only imagine the intensity of that pain! The more stoic cats hunch in the corner. Some tear at their bandages, they bleed, the cage walls are splattered with their blood, their stumps have to be reglued…. imagine that, sore bleeding stumps being handled …and all declawed cats are shocked and bewildered.
3.Some people think lasering is less painful than amputation. Untrue ! the only difference between lasering and amputation, is that lasering is less bloody and heals quicker.
4.Some say but cats don't actually need their claws.Oh yes they do !Claws are necessary for everything a cat does,grooming,regulating the body temperature, walking, yes cats walk on their toes,like a ballerina dances, it takes a fortnight after being declawed to learn to walk differently, and this walk, along with being unable to stretch their muscles properly,as cats need to dig in with their claws to stretch and strengthen their leg, shoulder, and back muscles,being unable to do this can lead to arthitis in later life.There’s no more pitiful sight than a declawed cat trying desperately to scratch for exercise.
5. Some reckon it's daft to compare declawing a cat with a human losing their finger tips.No it's not daft at all, it really is equivalant to a person having their finger ends amputated.A person like that would be disabled, well so is a cat, they are classed as disabled once they are declawed. Anyone taking a perfectly healthy cat to be declawed is making it into a disabled cat.The last joint of the cats toes, along with the claws are gone for ever.Some operations are botched,in which case, in time,the claws grow painfully back and the cat has to go through another operation,as I’ve said and will say again, cats hide their pain, so the first the owner knows of this, is when the cat is in so much pain, he starts limping.Another botched job is when a splinter of bone breaks off and the vet doesn’t notice, the splinter is glued in the stump, can you imagine the pain from that ? These painful situations can happen years after the declawing was done.
6.Some people say well vets wouldn't do it if it was so cruel.Well, yes some would, the money from declawing tops up their bank balance very nicely.Declawing is banned or considered extremely inhumane in 38 countries as it is animal abuse and even before it was banned many caring vets in those countries wouldn't do the procedure,vets are trained to help animals, not to mutilate them.
7.Another misconception is that there would be more homeless cats if their owners couldn't have them declawed. Well that's untrue too as Rescue Shelters are full of declawed cats,the very people who have them disabled, turn them out when the behavioural problems from being declawed begin. Many start biting as they feel (and are) defenceless without their claws, many have litter tray problems,imagine having to dig with sore stumps, they find the carpet or soft furnishings much less painful to use.Having urine soaked furniture is far worse that a few sctatches on it !
8.Some people say well indoor only cats should be declawed.Not so ! Indoor cats need their claws to exercise too, so should not be declawed, also you can’t guarantee they will never get out or that someone won’t break into your house sometime and the cat will escape through a broken window ,easy prey for animals out there,and if the cat didn’t get out,people who rob others homes couldn’t care less about cats, the poor defenceless cat would be totally at their mercy.
9.Some people say well it's no big deal for a kitten to be declawed.But, that's wrong too, declawing is supposed to be, according to the AVMA , a last resort procedure for serious scratching problems, not a routine operation on kittens the owner isn’t even going to bother to train.It is very very easy to train a cat to a scratching post:
http://clawsforever.ning.com/group/anniesbible/forum/topics/scratching-posts-and-training
To deprive a kitten of its claws just incase it scratches is very wrong !
10.Some say but cats are more cuddly without claws.But that's morally wrong,cats are born with claws because they need claws,they have a right to keep those claws.People know cats have claws, so why get a cat only to adapt it, it’s only for human benefit that cats are put through this barbaric procedure,it is of no benefit at all to the cat.
11.Some say but cats with claws are dangerous around babies and children. Wrong again. Cats don’t have to be declawed if you have a baby, we in countries where it is banned, bring up our babies and children alongside our cats,watching over them and teaching children to handle pets gently and to respect them.They don’t grow up thinking that cats can be adapted and treated like soft toys.They learn that they are living feeling beings, just like us.Besides, a declawed cat, if abused by a child, will naturally retaliate by biting and a cat bite is far far worse than a warning scratch.
We have 2040 people who have signed our ban declawing petition so far, including 12 USA vets,authors who are trained cat experts and other educated well known people.the signatures come from 43 different countries, but 50% are from USA citizens who are against declawing.
http://www.petitionthem.com/default.asp?sect=detail&pet=4312

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I've just created this blog, will be writing more soon.