Cat Declawing

Our daughter bought a cat without our permission. Of course, we pay all of its expenses and vet bills. She plans to move into our house in late May with the cat. She has Mitchell Gold upholstered furniture and expensive linens that the cat quickly trashed with its claws. I am not allowing that to happen in my primary residence. That cat will be declawed before it enters my home. I don't care if it is inhumane. It is inhumane for us to have worked our tails off our entire lives and be expected to allow a cat to come in a tear up our home.

I know this category is for human health and wellness but I hope this thread will be welcomed here. I have encountered alot of people who think that declawing a cat is no big deal. If you are considering this procedure that is outlawed in many countries, please read this:

DECLAWING: What You Need to Know

So glad you brought this to light sbartoldus. I have talked with many who had this done to their cats and wish they had known more about the procedure. There are so many horror stories and I can't bare to think about it!!!!

I've adopted two declawed and they were such unhappy and very scared cats. Always hid behind the couch or under a table. Many may say this is from perhaps bad home lives before the adoption, but I see it as a direct effect from being declawed. I'm not saying every declawed cat acts this way, but why take a chance. We all know how painful it is to cut your fingers or have a nail that is pulled off or ingrown. We can't imagine the pain of having claws and bone removed.

The last 4 cats I've raised from kittens never needed declawing. If you teach a cat where to sharpen its claws, it will not destroy the furniture. If you raise it gently it will learn to "pull its punches." The BB cat is so gentle with us that I'm not even sure she has claws. The late, great Smudge was also notorious for slapping with a soft paw--he would smack at you like he was going to claw you, but you would only feel a velvety pat.

The FFF cat has scratched me a few times, but they're still very young--not quite a year--and he's playful. However, I've found that if he has his claws in me I can take my other hand and squeeze his paws gently and he will retract them. This was pretty much the same way I trained Smudge. I'm not sure why it works; it just does.

They use their claws to climb and protect themselves. If you don't have 20-foot high furniture (they'd rather jump on the couch than climb it) and don't threaten your cat, they forget they have claws.

I have been told that those claw covers don't stay on. Plus I don't really have the time to check all of the claws on a cat every day. And daughter doesn't give a rip -- otherwise she wouldn't have let that cat tear up the furnishings we bought for our Atlanta residence.

Our daughter bought a cat without our permission. Of course, we pay all of its expenses and vet bills. She plans to move into our house in late May with the cat. She has Mitchell Gold upholstered furniture and expensive linens that the cat quickly trashed with its claws. I am not allowing that to happen in my primary residence. That cat will be declawed before it enters my home. I don't care if it is inhumane. It is inhumane for us to have worked our tails off our entire lives and be expected to allow a cat to come in a tear up our home.

Beach Runner I wouldn't know why you feel you are expected to allow a cat to come in and tear up your home. It would be much more humane to put this cat up for adoption. Since you did not give permission for your daughter to buy the cat why give permisiion for her to move in with the cat. I promise you , if this is the way you feel....you will be miserable with a cat declawed or not.

Please take this from someone who has raised cats and spent my whole life with them. There are a number of other things that may get to you by having the cat in the house. And, it's not fair to the cat to let them out with no protection and unable to climb a tree.

Just wanting to bring up another choice.

I was very young when I got my first apartment and decided to get a cat from a shelter. I grew up with dogs, had no experience with cats and there wasn't any internet then to research these things. Being young, I just assumed they were removing the claws and had no idea the breadth of what I had done. It was hideous and I cried for a week watching my poor cat, with wrapped paws, hobble around the house. When they removed the bandages, his paws were covered with dried blood. I had to shred up newspaper for litter so not to aggravate the paws and so they wouldn't get infected. Fortunately, it didn't make my cat introverted, but I would NEVER do that again to an animal.

I have had several cats since Oreo passed away, and they have claws. I found that a cheap jute or sea straw carpet was sufficient for them since they never took to the scratching posts. It did not require training. They went right to it naturally. They need something to remove the sheath that grows on their nails and this works perfectly. I also have a big oak tree, amongst many, out front of my house and they come outside and hang with me. They use the tree as a scratching post also. It doesn't seem to damage the tree. Cats will also stretch their claws out when they are happy to knead like they did when they were suckling as kittens. A blanket or their beds work fine for this.

I was very young when I got my first apartment and decided to get a cat from a shelter. I grew up with dogs, had no experience with cats and their was no internet then to research these things. Being young, I just assumed they were removing the claws and had no idea the breadth of what I had done. It was hideous and I cried for a week watching my poor cat, with wrapped paws, hobble around the house. When they removed the bandages, his paws were covered with dried blood. I had to shred up newspaper for litter so not to aggravate the paws and so they wouldn't get infected. Fortunately, it didn't make my cat introverted, but I would NEVER do that again to an animal.

I have had several cats since Oreo passed away, and they have claws. I found that a cheap jute or sea straw carpet was sufficient for them since they never took to the scratching posts. It did not require training. They went right to it naturally. They need something to remove the sheath that grows on their nails and this works perfectly. I also have a big oak tree, amongst many, out front of my house and they come outside and hang with me. They use the tree as a scratching post also. It doesn't seem to damage the tree. Cats will also stretch their claws out when they are happy to knead like they did when they were suckling as kittens. A blanket or their beds work fine for this.

same thing here. it is heartbreaking.

Our standard poodle Pepper is not a climber, so she would never leave the patio area to which she is confined for potty time. But a cat can jump/climb outside the walls of the patio. I don't want it to be an outdoor cat because I don't want it roaming and bringing fleas into my house.

That cat is destructive, as evidenced by how she has torn up daughter's residence. Tell me how to prevent that, and I won't declaw it. But even then, it will have to be crated whenever we are not at home, just as Pepper is crated when we are not at home.

How do you train a cat not to get on your kitchen counters? I don't want a cat who has just taken a dump to then jump on my dining table or kitchen counters. I'd have to be bacterializing 24/7.

I was very young when I got my first apartment and decided to get a cat from a shelter. I grew up with dogs, had no experience with cats and there wasn't any internet then to research these things. Being young, I just assumed they were removing the claws and had no idea the breadth of what I had done. It was hideous and I cried for a week watching my poor cat, with wrapped paws, hobble around the house. When they removed the bandages, his paws were covered with dried blood. I had to shred up newspaper for litter so not to aggravate the paws and so they wouldn't get infected. Fortunately, it didn't make my cat introverted, but I would NEVER do that again to an animal.

I have had several cats since Oreo passed away, and they have claws. I found that a cheap jute or sea straw carpet was sufficient for them since they never took to the scratching posts. It did not require training. They went right to it naturally. They need something to remove the sheath that grows on their nails and this works perfectly. I also have a big oak tree, amongst many, out front of my house and they come outside and hang with me. They use the tree as a scratching post also. It doesn't seem to damage the tree. Cats will also stretch their claws out when they are happy to knead like they did when they were suckling as kittens. A blanket or their beds work fine for this.

But what if your home is filled with Oriental rugs? I'm not willing to replace those investments with cheap jute rugs.

But what if your home is filled with Oriental rugs? I'm not willing to replace those investments with cheap jute rugs.

If your rugs can't handle a good clawing then they aren't very good rugs.

Our standard poodle Pepper is not a climber, so she would never leave the patio area to which she is confined for potty time. But a cat can jump/climb outside the walls of the patio. I don't want it to be an outdoor cat because I don't want it roaming and bringing fleas into my house.

That cat is destructive, as evidenced by how she has torn up daughter's residence. Tell me how to prevent that, and I won't declaw it. But even then, it will have to be crated whenever we are not at home, just as Pepper is crated when we are not at home.

How do you train a cat not to get on your kitchen counters? I don't want a cat who has just taken a dump to then jump on my dining table or kitchen counters. I'd have to be bacterializing 24/7.

BR, I'm gonna make it real simple for you... don't bring a cat into your house. Your house is not suitable for one.

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Our standard poodle Pepper is not a climber, so she would never leave the patio area to which she is confined for potty time. But a cat can jump/climb outside the walls of the patio. I don't want it to be an outdoor cat because I don't want it roaming and bringing fleas into my house.

That cat is destructive, as evidenced by how she has torn up daughter's residence. Tell me how to prevent that, and I won't declaw it. But even then, it will have to be crated whenever we are not at home, just as Pepper is crated when we are not at home.

How do you train a cat not to get on your kitchen counters? I don't want a cat who has just taken a dump to then jump on my dining table or kitchen counters. I'd have to be bacterializing 24/7.

BR, you crack me up. First off, cats are not like dogs who take to crates like it is their bedroom. You could confine it to a room initially --your daughters- just make sure the litter box is there for it. Many people do that anyway when a new cat enters the house. Then gradually let it roam and explore.

My cats never jumped on my counters. One time, my fat cat did -- he fell trying due to his largess -- but he had a undiscovered thyroid issue and was trying to open the cabinet where he knew his kibble was.

To train a cat, use a spray bottle. If the cat does something wrong, you spray them with the water mister. They hate water and they will equate that behavior with the water, so they won't do it again.

Cats sleep most of the day and my cats have been restricted to certain sleep areas. They are not allowed in my bedrooms. Where they do sleep, I keep a blanket and they curl up on that. They knead the blanket, so put a nice soft one in your daughters room and a bed or even a window sill attachment. They like those so they can look out the windows at birds and things. Eventually, you'll find they sleep in the same place(s). My cats learned quickly. I've even hissed at them when they try to be a little sneaky, but all in all, they are smarter than you realize and have many behaviours like dogs. My cat waits at the front door for my hubby.

I have a small propelene (sp) carpet I bought on-line but you could also first try the scratching posts. You could put catnip on it to attract it to the post. They also sell cat furniture at PetSmart, etc. that have beds and a scratching post attached. I'll find a picture. Cats like to be higher up so they can see around their surroundings. I think that would be perfect for y'all initially.

Relax--A year from now, you'll be all gaga over the cat and when your daughter leaves eventually, you will be wanting her to leave the cat.

Edit: Here's a sample Kitty Condo. They make all kinds. Shop around. You see the roping? That is for scratching. There's plenty of inventory and no credit crunch.

BR...it sounds like instead of having the cat deCLAWed, your daughter needs to be deCARDed.

I agree with the posters above...please put this cat up for adoption.

Our cat is declawed, but we adopted him that way. He has the best personality of any cat we have ever had, and does not seem to have been affected by the declawing. He is now about 13, happy, and uses his litterbox faithfully, which is the the only difference between him and the dogs.

BUT- Sbartoldus is right. Declawing is very very painful. Seeing those little amputated toes with the claws attached wiil make you sick- I almost threw up when I was cleaning up the surgery room after a declawing, and had to empty the little dish of toes.

I remember running out of the room and yellng at my boss- "How can you do this?" He is a very practical vet, and explained that he himself abhors the practice, but here is what happens when he refuses to declaw the cat- the owners don't manage the cat properly from the start, the cat starts tearing up the house and/or them, then the family dumps the cat off somewhere, or worse. In his mind, declawing as a kitten (he would not declaw older cats) gave the kitten a better chance of remaining in a home where it would be cared for, and was better than a cat living as an outdoor stray on the street (and I agree with him on this, because I have huge issues with encouraging a feral cat population). He talked most people out of declawing, but if he ran across someone who was dead set on getting a cat and surgically adapting the cat to their living space, he would grit his teeth and agree, knowing these people would get the cat no matter what and do God knows what with it. So at least he stayed in the loop.

BR- ask your vet to help you find a home for this cat. Another option is to learn how to trim the claws- it is not hard. All of our other cats have had claws and were indoors, and before we knew we could trim their claws, they shredded the house. You have to be patient- one or two claws at a time while they are learning to tolerate this. It takes very little time, and works well. You still need to provide something to scratch on because that's what cats do- even our declawed cat pretends he has claws and sharpens his toes every day!

BR, I'm gonna make it real simple for you... don't bring a cat into your house. Your house is not suitable for one.

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I whole heartedly agree. I can help you find a suitable home for the cat where everyone will be happy. Please consider this option.

I whole heartedly agree. I can help you find a suitable home for the cat where everyone will be happy. Please consider this option.

I've thought about the declawing issue for years. I'm always getting scratched, hissed at, my leg's getting sprayed so she can make sure that everyone knows that I'm "her" territory. Finally I had enough and went to the Vet.
He told me my wife wasn't nearly as bad as I have described...

Declawing is an absolute NO-NO!

I, too, not being a cat person was planning on having Cowboy declawed. He was given to me by a cat person whose opinions I respected. Her two cats were declawed! I told my family of my plans and was very gingerly told how this procedure truly works - amputation at the first knuckle! UGH!

I have very nice furnishings and there is only one item he has slightly damaged - it is one of my favorite pieces, but the love for the animal overrides this. He is now six years old. The squirt bottle came in handy on his initial training!

He lets me clip his nails with no resistance - he just lays upside down in my lap and stares at me while I clip - and he has his favorite trees outside where he sharpens weekly.

BR - I think you're really cool, but please rethink this! Buy a squirt bottle and get a soft shoe to kick him in the butt. Cowboy gets a spankin most every day! In a good way, mind you.

all of this has made me think about the damage my DOGS have caused!!!! Way worse than any cat I've ever had. My beautiful Rudy boy, when he was a puppy chewed and gnawed on every piece of nice furniture I have in this house. And trust me, Mr. JR is never going to replace it just because of that. It has to be broke-down busted before he'll spend big bucks again. Besides, he was MY dog that I adopted unannounced so it was MY problem. :roll:

And let me say this, Mr. JR is anal on the quality of our furniture - it has to be good (which equals $$$$). We just try NOT to look at the corners of our expensive dining room table or lamp tables, book cases, sofa legs - you name it. Even my gorgeous dresser has friggin' deep claw marks across the whole top & down the front where he was trying to "get something." ugh!

I'm actually more of a "cat person" so I never realized the amount of training that goes into a puppy and young adult dog.

Ok that's my rant. Pets in general require lots of maintenance and monitoring. But it can be done if you take the time.

I was sitting next to someone at a meeting today who has show cats. He assured me that those little plastic tips work. So I am not as panicked as I was.

Thanks, everyone, for your advice. I feel a little better about it.

If the spray bottle doesn't work or isn't feasible due to work, social activities, etc. get mouse traps and place them on counters, kitchen tables, dining room table, etc. If you have a glass surface don't use them. Set the trap and place it UPSIDE DOWN, this is very important, and if the cat gets on the area and moves the trap it will go off scaring the cat off the area. The sound and motion will teach kitty a very valuable lesson.

There are also sprays that can be purchased that will repel the cat from things it is sprayed on. It is very effective and after a certain number of sprayings kitty will be in the habit of avoiding those areas anyway.

Some people also have luck with tin foil on surfaces they want the cat to stay away from or off of.

I don't think Cowboy is a sprayer. Thank God, evidently!

And, JohnRudy, Sweet Pea being a rescue, came with her own set of issues. Separation anxiety, which makes her chew and lounge on top of my dining room table. It's funny to see her up there, but she gets up there so she can look out the window for me coming down the driveway. Sometimes she sits in the dining chairs and just sits. Doing nothing.

Anyway, both of my animals have caused some damage, but it just isn't important.

Since the cat in question is a known violator of $ furnishings (and I blame the owner BTW, as I do w/ all poorly behaved pets and children), I don't think BR is being unreasonable to want to protect her house from its new tenant.

Do they really cut its toes off when they declaw it?

Since the cat in question is a known violator of $ furnishings (and I blame the owner BTW, as I do w/ all poorly behaved pets and children), I don't think BR is being unreasonable to want to protect her house from its new tenant.

Do they really cut its toes off when they declaw it?

Yes- to the first joint. Then the feet are wrapped in gauze and tape for several days, with the blood oozing out and lots of pain- it is horrible to watch them walk. Cats respond to pain meds in strange ways so it is not always effective and/or makes them nuts. We never let them go home until the 3rd or 4th day, because the owners would freak out when they saw how truly awful this procedure is, or they would get them home, take off the bandages, and have a bloodbath all over the house.