Declawing. What are your thoughts?

[Tiffany_Kay]

I will say my cat was rehomed to me all 4 declawed. At the time I didn't know what a cruel process it was. My cat apparently had it done very very young. She has had no negative issues due to the declawing. She jumps and runs like a normal cat. My furniture and my apartment have survived. But if I were to ever get another cat I would not declaw. It's a cruel process. I've also known cats that with proper training and redirection they never claw the furniture or people

 

[KittyLover01]

My resident cat, Mr. Kitty (not sphynx) has his front claws taken. I wasn't old enough to understand what declawing was. He's 3 years younger than me. If I had known, I wouldn't have let it happen. Now that I understand, I know for sure Macy is NEVER getting declawed. Taking the claws of a cat is taking who they are. Born hunters! I'm pretty passionate about this, but I suppose owners do what they must. It is still overly unfair. The cat has no say.

 

[bisingular]

We've never declawed our cats. Our childhood cats weren't declawed, and it's not something I would ever consider doing. I find it horrendously inhumane. I can't imagine losing my fingertips and toe pads, it would cripple a human, so why put an animal through it, especially when they have no say in the matter?

 

[Catzzzmeow]

I have shared this a few times, but will do so again. As many know i speak my mind here in a politically correct manner. Years ago declawing was the norm. Our 18 year old Bengal is declawed as well as our 11 year old Sphynx Babas. There have been no behavioral issues as so many site ALWAYS occur. I only now see Babas in his senior years would benefit from having claws to help jump up on bed as he is not an athlete...lol. Actually he was never an athlete. Years ago our vet at the time said better to declaw a cat and let them be part of a loving home than to be locked up in a room all because one worries about scratching etc. many speak of cats not having a say and it is wrong. If that were the case then cats would not be neutered or spayed let alone vaccinated.

Our last 3 babies we decided not to declaw and will not in the future, but as long as one educates themselves we need to respect their choice. Declawing of this breed seems to be on a major decline. Those I have seen recently have a reason and have shared and yet feel guilty and that is something we all need to sit back and appreciate they have even shared as they know this is looked at as a negative action.

Many breeders have a no declaw clause in contract and that is great, but we need to all respect members who have to make this tough decision and support them. Guaranteed there are many who never share because they feel guilty yet they deserve positive thoughts as well.


Patti

 

[BrianT]

I post this for every declawing thread. Here it is again....

 

[Sam lewis]

My cats aren't declawed. I wouldn't ever think to do it. but I will admit I don't really know very much at all about it. I'm not sure I've ever seen a declawed cat. But I don't really know why it would be necessary in any circumstance?

 

[Zoya]

All the cats in my childhood were declawed as well. I thought this was the normal to have an indoor cat. I, like many people, am now researching and learning.. My cornish rex rescue is fully declawed and he's a great little guy! I can say that he's a biter though too. The day he came into our home he was rightfully scared, he was very sick and tiny. He jumped up on the cat tree but missed the jump, fell to the ground and my daughter went to pick him up and he bit her arm up pretty good. After that first week he's never bit like that again, but I'm sure that's his response when frightened since he has no nails. Seeing what declawing actually is it does make me cringe a bit, feel bad for ever doing it to cat's, but I can't say that I'm 100% against it...yet...but I'm a pretty accepting person, very nonjudgmental, so if someone makes that choice it's about what they need. Aside from the procedure itself I think reading that it can cause arthritis is what's tipping me to I won't do that again side!

 

[Zab]

In Sweden declawing is against the law, and personally I think that's good! Don't know much about the procedure but I'm thinking "do I want to be declawed?" Propably not....

 

[Annika Laybourn]

Are people actually still declawing in the US? And Canada? Denmark is of course like Sweden, so no declawing here at all. I have never seen a declawed cat in my life. So it's beyond me that its still done.

What about The plastic tips I've seen on some photos? How do the kittys react to that?

 

[Sphynx Asylum Dad]

We had the nail caps on Raskol for a while, he suffered no ill effects than we noticed, and it resolved the issue (he was itching and overdoing it badly). One application lasted several weeks, and we only replaced one or two. Once they all fell off, he was fine and we no longer needed them. Judicious attention to nail trimming is all we do for all of our babies now. My thought (in addition to the potential for pain and injury) is that declawing takes their ability to scratch an itch and that would drive me absolutely batty!!! Just my .02¢ on the matter.

@KansasSphynxMom

 

[AMEDooley]

I don't have a problem with declawing a cat. If that's what a persons wants to do. I've declawed most of the cats I've owned. I don't like, and won't use, the guillotine method. That I would say is barbaric. Just cutting a knuckle off isn't something I'd ever want to do. But either laser removal or just the bone that the nail grows out of would be no different than plastic surgery on a human. But again it would be up to then owner as to what is best for them and their family.

 

[AlexaEels]

My grandmas cat was declawed before it was illegal and he was never able to walk right again. It was very sad to see. I would never do it and it is illegal in most states also most vets around where I live refuse to do it. It is the choice of the owner, but personally I think it is cruel.

 

[AMEDooley]

With Anubis I've decided to not declaw him. With all the baths and cleaning he gets it just makes sense to clip his nails as part of cleaning. And it hasn't been an issue yet. The worst claw mark my kid's or I've gotten was just a small mark that didn't break the skin. I do think I'll need to train him on what is okay to sratch though. He likes my ottoman, so do I lol.

 

[AlexaEels]

With Anubis I've decided to not declaw him. With all the baths and cleaning he gets it just makes sense to clip his nails as part of cleaning. And it hasn't been an issue yet. The worst claw mark my kid's or I've gotten was just a small mark that didn't break the skin. I do think I'll need to train him on what is okay to sratch though. He likes my ottoman, so do I lol.

Lol. I find with my Maine coon trimming and use soft pass works great. With my sphynx boys I cut their nails every couple days and have not had an issue yet. They will get soft paws if they start scratching things up other than their scratching posts. My sofa is a bit clawed up from my Maine coon, but it is not a fancy sofa so I am not too worried. I found a leather repair paint that has hid it all. I just make sure to check that his nail covers are on at all times because he hates using scratching posts of any kind.

 

[Xandria]

I use a nail file after clipping and that keeps Max's claws usually pretty tame. However, one seems to always sharpen up in a day and that's the one that draws blood when he uses us as a climbing station -- meh, and then we apply alcohol to our skin and carry on. Sphynx are Sphynx... they can be a bit rough and tumble, and I wouldn't want them any other way.