I have to have my 2 1/2 year kitty declawed (I know that it is inhumane, but the only alternative is giving her away and she is actually kind of mean so nobody else would want my little fur-baby. I have tried soft claws and she chews on them 'til they come off and I am doing the less invasive laser declaw, but I digress). Anyway, the day she is supposed to come from the vet's office I am moving into a different apartment (they don't allow cats to have front claws, thus my dilemma. In any event, do you think that it would be too traumatic for her to have the procedure and move in such a short period of time? Any advice would be helpful!
2009-09-25T01:38:46Z
don't answer this question if you're not going to give constructive advice. NO ONE will take her and that's the only apartment that I can afford in the area. The shelters in my area are so over filled with cats that they are doing a buy one get one free promotion.
2009-09-25T01:47:22Z
also, my cat does scratch everything (including me)
Babz2009-09-25T09:28:43Z
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Indeed you don't "have" to have your cat declawed, no one can force you to do that, not even a prospective landlord has any say over your property (and unfortunately for them cats are regarded as property) so you have every right to refuse and so you should. You can negotiate nicely, even offer to pay a higher bond to cover any damage that he imagines will happen, but the bottom line is when push comes to shove you have to fight for your cat's claws! If you don't view that as non negotiable then you should be seriously thinking of rehoming her.
Of course the trauma of declawing and moving would be too much for her, any method of declawing is invasive, it can't be otherwise because it is the amputation of the last joint of every toe, how can amputation, whether by laser, scalpel or even chopping axe NOT be invasive? So, not only the shock and pain of declawing but also taken to somewhere strange and new while she is still feeling ill post op could traumatise her for life. If you consider her "mean" now, I'd hate to think of how she's be after declawing.
You know it's inhumane, you've said so, you call her your fur baby and yet you're contemplating ruining her paws?
Here is a laser declawing...does this look non invasive?
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/clearview-laser-declaw-assistant/2593870111 did you notice the vet yanking the toe end off after he'd made the laser incision? Is that what your fur baby deserves?
Get on your hind legs and fight for your right to a healthy clawed cat, ignore those "vet techs" who'd have you believe it's a mere nothing to amputate healthy toes. Some (by no means all) vet techs get their job title merely by turning up for work.
The other posters have already said just about all there is to say against de-clawing and I agree with them 100%. No cat should ever be de-clawed. You already knew it was inhumane. From the videos and other sites posted by others you understand why.
You know it is wrong and you understand why.
I am asking that you do some very serious self-examination about your values and motivations. Be honest with yourself. If you are an intelligent and ethical person how can you justify it other than from purely selfish motives?
Yes, you need an apartment. You WANT to keep your cat. No, you do not NEED your cat if in keeping her you must mutilate her.
I believe you are fooling yourself that no one else would adopt her because she is "mean". Your "mean" might be another person's "feisty". I know this because I had a cat who was a lot more than a little mean, she was a terror. If I had the opportunity to have her back somehow (she has gone to kitty heaven), would I? In a heartbeat.
I think if it comes down to it you absolutely can find another home for her. I'd take her myself if I had room for another cat.
If you really must take this apartment, I would take it and NOT have the cat de-clawed. How on earth are they going to know? Is the landlord going to come and examine her feet? Yes, violating a contract is wrong too but it is a lot less wrong than violating the bodily integrity of a beautiful creature.
Let me add one more thing. If you think that she is "mean" now what are you going to do about the personality changes that take place after cutting off the ends of her "fingers"?
So sorry, but I wouldn't mutilate my cat to amuse a landlord. Like all of my cats - I would train the cat.
If your cat is destructive, it's a training issue. Declawing is a cop-out, and a stupid idea.
Do you prefer a cat with claws, or would you rather have one who pisses all over your new apt, or bites? There is a good reason why there are so many declawed cats in shelters - because declawing causes behavioral issues.
You are willing to subject your cat to a lifetime of pain, just so you can move into a desirable apartment. Would you cut off your own toes to live in that apartment? Or given that - would you find a solution that doesn't involve amputation?
Oh my god - so you're declawing her only because some stupid apartment doesn't accept cats with claws? How selfish and irresponsible can you get. WTF? Giving her away would be FAR better than mutilating her.
How full of yourself are you that you think your cat would prefer having the first joint of every joint hacked just so she can stay with precious you?
LOL that you're worrying about the MOVE being traumatic but that mutilating her won't be!!!
Wow. This wins for WORST PET OWNER OF THE MONTH. Shame on you. There's a spot in HELL reserved for you, little girl.
edit: those of you calling spaying/neutering "inhumane" are DELUSIONAL. Spaying and neutering has to be done because there's already TWELVE MILLION animals put to death every year because there's just not enough homes for them. Is it better to let an animal breed and then those kittens take homes from the shelter animals or end up euthanized because no one will take them? How can even compare an OPTIONAL SELFISH SURGERY that's ILLEGAL in many countries to spaying and neutering? You need to volunteer with a shelter so you can get a clue about the pet overpopulation problem. I'm shaking my head here at these idiotic comments.
Ok firstly, before I give constructive advice, here is some information on de-clawing.
What happens when you de-claw a cat's front paws is that they go through a mourning period and sometimes do not recover psychologically from it, much like a person who loses a limb. It is a serious surgery that requires rehabilitation and you might end up with a cat that is very unhappy and depressed and might never recover from the ordeal. De-clawing is not just removing the nails of the cat, it involves amputating the bones of the toes. Basically the same as cutting off your finger at the knuckle.
If you are going for the less invasive procedure it might be less traumatic, however I would personally wait 2 weeks in between the procedure and moving as cats react very badly to stress and the last thing you want is a stressed out kitty to deal with as it can lead to illness and other issues.
Ok constructive advice time. My suggestion is to educate the owners / managers of your apartment. Get as much information as you can first - surely they cannot force you to do this!!! And also allow 2 weeks between the de-claw and the move.
Alternatively, you can keep your cat's claws clipped by just checking them each week and cutting off the sharp ends (do not cut the part that is red/pink). You can also get a scratching post or two to save your furniture and your cat will really love it!!! Your personal reasons you put for wanting to declaw your cat can be fixed with a little patient training and a scratching block or post. :)
Good luck and I hope you don't choose to go down this road. It is not an easy one.