Sunday 29 November 2009

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

4 comments:

  1. God help cats! I can't believe that people who know so little take it upon themselves to so arrogantly give dangerous advice that can literally ruin a cat's paws and life. Finding those questions and answers must have been traumatic for you so thank you for exposing the level of ignorance of some (but by no means all thank goodness) cat owners

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  2. This was an excellent expose of how ignorant so many people are about cats.

    It only highlights the difference between cat owners and cat lovers. Cat lovers would never subject their cats to the horrible pain of declawing, and care far more about their cats than their darned old furniture. Cat owners on the other hand must consider their cats to be their property so can do anything they want to them.

    I was sickened reading some of the"expert" advice these "owners" provided. It saddens me so very much.

    Why do people like this even get a cat in the first place. A stuffed animal is far easier to care for.

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  3. Top post Ruth!

    It's beyond words my response to the levels of ignorance amongst the cat owners of the USA. They seem to have no clue that the drivel pouring from their mouths (and arses) constitutes pro-cruelty propaganda (not to mention advertising their utter stupidity and lack of education) Minimising the surgical crippling of a cat with such shallow regard marks them as totally unfit to go near any animal.

    Claws out!!
    xx

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  4. Brilliant expose Ruth. There are too many people taking on cats without having the first clue about their behaviour or how to care for them.

    I don't know which is worse - the callous disregard for any feelings the cat may have, or the total ignorance voiced by these idiots.

    I thought the whole idea of inviting an animal into your home as a pet was to love it and protect it from harm. Whereas these people seem hellbent on inflicting pain and suffering on these poor creatures. That vets willingly aid and abet these acts of cruelty is absolutely disgusting.

    Michele-Cat

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