Comments on: Declawing, whats the deal?

By: Hamish

Hamish — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 08:41:53 +0000

Look, it’s amputation of the end of the cat’s paw. If people don’t want to live with a cat with all of its paws – then jolly well DON’T get a cat for Pete’s sake.

For God’s sake people, get a different sort of pet.

I have three cats and four cat scratchers. And there is soemthing very illogical about comparing neutering with amputation.

By: Leigh

Leigh — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 23:18:20 +0000

*blink* T..I have no idea how you can compare desexing to declawing, being selfish and only for humans?? How on earth is reducing cruelty, neglect and mistreatment due to overpopulation. The destroying of 100,000′s of cats around the world every year…how is that not in the best interest of cats??

By: The Zoo

The Zoo — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 16:45:37 +0000

shes obviously a selfish woman who cares more for her possessions then her pets. i have lost many an item and been clawed to peices before but mine all still have all there claws. we dont even trim ours because they have so many scratching posts. i valus my pets and pets safety more then my stuff. and its not common here as she makes it sound but its easy to get sone, but i dont think any decent vet should do it. i know 1 cat blogger that had it down to her cat but its because her and her husband cant be scratched for their health reasons but they love the cat. thats the only excuse, for health reasons.

By: T

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 06:24:08 +0000

Let me play devil’s advocate… How is this type of mutilation any different than spaying or neutering? Sure, it can be argued that there are certain aspects of spaying/neutering that allow the cat to live longer, but one can also argue that in the case of G, her cat might have been sent off to the pound and possibly put down.

It seems both spaying/neutering and declawing are MOSTLY for humans, yet the former is revered. Seems a bit of a hypocrisy for indoor cats, really. If having clawed up clothes and furniture are part and parcel of having a cat, so should marking and meowing, no?

I’m on the fence about declawing, really. I just don’t get why people think it’s such a horrible thing to declaw. Sure the surgery is described as this horrible procedure, but one could also describe spaying/neutering in vivid terms as well. Do animals as such know the difference and if so, does it hurt them?

I inherited a declawed cat and it seemed rather gentle and sweet. Never had a problem with her biting or acting untoward. I now have a cat with claws (which is fine because he uses his scratching post… most of the time).

By: J

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 18:06:42 +0000

Leigh, oh no don’t think I thought you were attacking anyone, just having a very intriguing discussion!

I just have so much guilt about what I have done and while my sweet cats do not complain it eats me up knowing I did that to them. I do wish it were illegal here but there are a lot of things I wish were illegal and aren’t.

I do hope that as time goes on people become more educated and it stops!