Is declawing a cat really that bad if I am keeping her indoors?

It's interesting that you say if you could talk to your cat and give her a choice she would pick being declawed because this is actually written by someone who CAN talk to cats because she's a pet psychic, here is what she - and the cats she talked to - said (I make no apologies that it is long, please stick with it and read it right through it is really interesting)

Pet Psychic Talks to Declawed Cats

Some Find Painful Toe Amputation Hard to Forgive

Friday, November 13, 2009

By Laura Stinchfield

I know a lot of cats that have been declawed. Before I was an animal professional, I didn’t think much of it. When I was 10 years old a family friend gave us a large orange female tabby cat named Samantha. She was previously an indoor-only Park Avenue, New York City cat. When she came to our house she became the barn cat. Though she was declawed, it did not seem to slow her down. She could jump four feet in the air and grab a bird in flight and climb the ladder to the hayloft with ease. Dotti, another declawed cat, could hunt mice and climb trees.

A few years ago, I was called into talk to three cats in the same home. Two had already been declawed and one was scheduled for the following day. I was mortified and haunted by what they told me. They were in excruciating pain. It hurt to walk. They felt mutilated, traumatized, and upset with their person. The other cat was so frightened about what would happen to her the next day that she wouldn’t come out from under the bed.

What I learned that day is that declawing a cat means the vets amputate part of the cat’s paw! They cut at the first joint! Cats walk on their toes. I was sick for days and unfortunately I could not convince the owner to refrain from declawing the third cat. It was one of those times that I could not “meet a person where they are at,” nor could I have compassion for her. I felt she was abusive, with awareness, and I found it hard to forgive her for getting the cat declawed. I wanted to take all three cats away from her. I felt she didn’t deserve them.

Let’s hear it from the cats that have been declawed:

Dottie: I was declawed because I ripped my persons favorite chair. I have never been in so much pain. I survived a coyote attack and being in its jaws was nothing to the feeling of when I woke up and noticed that I didn’t have part of my paws. I hated my person so much after that that I ran away and found a new family.

Magic (recently declawed): I couldn’t swallow for weeks after my surgery. It was hard to breathe, I was in so much pain. I didn’t understand it. I need my claws to climb. I think because I don’t have my paws, my body doesn’t work right. I can walk and play, but it feels different. My neck hurts a lot and so does my back. I never thought people could be so mean. I hated my people so much that I kept biting them. They have been talking about giving me away to someone else. But then you came over and told me they didn’t know any better, they didn’t know it was cruel, and you kept telling me how sorry you were for me. That made me feel better, because you understand how terrible it felt and if I were your cat you wouldn’t have declawed me. I wish you had told my people earlier. I am learning to trust and love them now. I don’t bite anymore and they are going to keep me. I am learning to forgive them.

Susan (the cat that was declawed the day after I told her people how the other cats felt being declawed and how scared Susan was): I felt so blessed that you came over and talked us all through it. I hate my person more than anything now. I can’t stand to look at her. I try to throw up on her things as often as I can. I have a good life with my other cat siblings, but I hate my person so much that at times I wish she would stop breathing. Before this happened I loved her more than anything. I would comfort her when she was upset and I would try to be perfect. It didn’t mean anything to her. If I had enough courage I would run away. I feel half a cat with out my claws. I don’t know if I could survive outside. I wish I had a different life. I wish I was brave enough to run away.

Your sister is right you know, it isn't emotional blackmail it is compassion and bless her for it

Please do not declaw your kitten she WILL grow out of it in a few months time.

Yes, declawing is still very bad even if you keep her indoors.

You've gotten a lot of really good answers, so I won't go into all the gory detail about what declawing really is and how it affects a cat. What I do want to stress though is that your kitten is right at that age where she's at her peak energy level, and she still needs a little more time to master her claws. A few more months and she'll calm down and be more in control of herself. Use this time to patiently teach her to scratch only her posts and scratching pads. Make sure she has both vertical and horizontal scratching surfaces. The vertical should be really tall so she can stretch way up without toppling it.

This stage will only last a few months. Don't make her suffer a lifetime just because she's in a temporary phase in her kittenhood. You can and will get through this, and then you'll be glad you decided not to declaw

This Site Might Help You.

RE:

Is declawing a cat really that bad if I am keeping her indoors?

I have a 6 month old kitten who is tearing up my arms and my furniture. I have tried so many things but nothing is working. I have never had this problem with a cat before but my previous cats also got to go outside and I am not letting this cat outside. I want to keep my kitty but can not take...

If you think you need to de-claw a cat, you should not even think about owning one. I am sure if you ask around she can be re-homed via a charity. I don't think you sound awful - & you are obviously being honest.

But at 6 months tearing stuff up is quite normal for a cat, especially one kept indoors. You say you have not had this problem before - then you say your other cats have been allowed outside. Er, do you see the connection?

I hope you & your cat all the best, but really would suggest you rethink ownership of an indoors cat.

The first thing is to remember that this is a NATURAL function of the cat, it's not that the cat means to destroy it all, if it were outdoors most incidents would mostly not happen at all. First you deter them fom what they are not meant to be scratching. WHile training, make what they were training unappealing, by using: Reversible tape Tinfoil soread over the surface Cayenne Pepper Mothballs (in a old marge tub, sealed, with holes punched in the sides to let the smell out) Balloons Bitter apple spray (pet store) Lemon scented polish They also do not like the smell of clove oil. Spraying with citrus oils on the surfaces. A tin with a few coins to rattle when they do scratch startles them away from it. A water-spray also works well. A loud clap when they do scratch. Then you need to encourage the right behaviour, patiently. Getting scratching posts and every time kitty scratches, putting them on the scratching post. When they scratch it, encourage them by petting them. This encourages the to "dig in", thereby discovering what a nice surface that is to scratch. Remember that you don't only need one, but cats like different things, sisal or cardboard, horisontal or vertical sisal weaves, they all have their preference. Remember that a cat will want to also scratch after a good snooze, so put one near where they like to nap, as well as near where they want to scratch. Even a log mounted on a piece of wood will suffice as scratching post, it need not be something expensive. DO NOT try ands teach them how to scratch - they know full well how to do it, but you have to make them WANT TO. Provide constant, positive re-enforcement. You can drag a toy accross the surface you want them to scratch, another brilliant way to get them "into" the durface. Rub the post with catnip, they love it. If catnip does nothing (33% chance), use Valerian or Honeysuckle. Consider getting a Feliway Diffuser, it does help calm things down as well. Other alternatives to declawing: Clipping the nails short yourself weekly or every second week. Willa's Ark Sofa Shields sofa protectors. Softpaws is like nailcaps. Comes in funky colors too. See, all alternatives cost is time, something a lot of people are not prepared to spend. Remember he is going through an age now, he will grow out of it. He will never regrow his claws. He is showing aggression,now, if you declaw him, it will just get worse and then you can never undo the declaw. That's why 70% of shelter cats are declaws.

NEVER EVER DECLAW A CAT. Its cruel. You are not fit to own an animal if you are more worried about your settee. If you choose to have an animal you have to take the rough with the smooth.

And why is the cat indoors anyway? Cats like to roam and explore the great outdoors, its in their nature. If you must keep the cat inside then get plenty of scratching posts and lots of toys to stimulate the cat or it will get bored.

No, you don't sound awful at all, just ignorant to the subject like a lot of people are. It's not temporary pain and they don't get over it in a week or two. I have cats who are about 8 years old who were declawed by the previous owners. Probably when they were very young. I'm not sure exactly when they were declawed I can only guess but they are STILL having problems at 8 years of age. Does that sound temporary to you??

One refuses to use the litter box because the litter hurts her declawed paws. That's very common in declawed cats. One bites because he no longer has his natural defenses of his claws... another common problem in declawed cats. Again, these cats are nowhere near young and they've been doing this for years and years. They were dumped in a shelter by the person who declawed them because of this unwanted behavior. Which happens all the time to cats by the people who declawed them in the first place.

So you'll only be trading one set of problems for another. The scratching is easy enough to fix and you can easily stop that and redirect it by good quality scratching posts and toys and other methods. These other problems aren't easy fixes. Good luck to you and I hope everything works out for you and your cat.

Man, if you've read that someone wrote above about what cats think about being declawed, I think that will have convinced you if you weren't already. Its got me crying, a grown man, I can't bear to think how them cats feel, its so sad. I think everybody who declaws their cats should be made to read that.

Like the others have said, yes its bad man, its very bad and its not neccessary as your cat is just a baby and will learn to control her claws with a scratching post and pads around.

You rescued that cat from the streets man, surely you won't now spoil the good deed you did by paying a bad vet to take away the toe ends and claws your cat needs to live a healthy happy life.

Your sister is one very wise lady and if my much loved twin sister ever did anything cruel to animals I'd feel the same as your sister does, in fact I'd never speak to her again.

I don't know what steps you have taken to control the scratching, but you need to put real effort into training a kitten not to scratch. You have to provide scratching areas, and learn to clip claws. If you can not take the steps necessary to train the little thing, then taking her to the local animal shelter is an option, declawing is not. You may want to keep her, but you may not be the appropriate owner for her. Just think, if she did somehow get outside and lost. She would have no way to defend herself or climb a tree to escape danger. It isn't just the pain that's cruel, it is the entire change for the cat that occurs after declawing. Please ask your vet to help with training, or give her up, but don't declaw. Your sister is right.

Yes it would be really bad to have your cat declawed even if you are keeping her indoors. This is why... on top of declawing being the most painful operation a cat can endure and no, the pain does not go away for many cats, as even after the initial first agony of walking on painful stumps, they can suffer phantom pain, just like people do when they lose an arm or leg.Cats never forget the pain of digging in their litter tray after having their toe ends amputated, that's why many start messing on the carpet or furniture.Yes it causes psychological damage too, which comes out as biting you,depression, sometimes withdrawal from people, or stress illnesses like eczema and cystitis. Cats need to scratch, it's a natural behaviour.They have to dig in their claws to exercise their leg, shoulder, back and stomach muscles.Declawed cats can't do this so almost every one develops arthritis eventually.

Your sister is right, if you betray this cat by having her disabled she will never feel the same about you because her life will be ruined.At 6 months old she will be a cripple for life.

Also you can't guarantee your cat will never get outside, supposing someone breaks in ?They could hurt her as she would be so defenceless, or if she escaped them and ran outside she'd soon be killed by healthy animals out there. What about disasters such as fire or floods ? Again she'd have no chance.

Yes we humans do things to improve our bodies,that's our own choice and of benefit to us.Declawing is of no benefit at all to a cat.

Has your kitten got a good tall strong scratching post ? If not, get one quickly and show her how to use it, by dragging your own nails down while she watches, then lift her front legs gently up until she connects and has a go herself.After that, if you see her go to scratch where she shouln't, don't say a word, just lift her gently to her post and praise her when she uses it.She will soon learn to please you.

PLEASE don't fall out with your sister, she's obviously researched declawing and found out the truth.Now you know she's right !

I don' t think any cat would choose being declawed over being homeless, no cat would choose to be disabled and have a lifetime of problems. Shelters are full of declawed cats with problems, they are almost unrehomeable.

Your cat is very young, with time and patience you can teach her where scratching is acceptable, you don't need to ruin her life and give yourself her lifetime of vets bills. too.Only corrupt vets declaw cats now, if you love your cat PLEASE don't trust her life to a person like that !

Please read this about the truth of declawing before you make that decision. My first cat was declawed by my parents. I cried when he came home. Mitten was one of the few that was not really affected much by the declawing, tho his balance was a little affected at times. After I learned what declawing really was, I vowed never to do that to any cat again - for whatever excuse there might be.

There never is a good reason - they are all poor excuses for getting it done. You don't say how often you are trimming nails (should be weekly) or if you even tried the nail caps (SoftPaws). There are many many things to do to prevent clawing and scratching.

While your cat might not have physical or psychological damage, why take the chance? You can't "undo" declawing if you have problems. So if your cat decides to stop using the litter pan and start using your clothes, rugs, furniture where it doesn't hurt their feet, then YOU have to put up with this the rest of her life. If your cat decides to bite you more or hide in fear because she has no self-defense YOU have to cope with that and not dump her in the shelter because of something you choose to do.

Your cat is used to having claws and using them. Imagine going to the vet with your feet feeling fine and coming out with them wrapped up, then trying to climb or scratch and not having anything there - its confusing, your feet hurt and you don't understand what in the heck has happened to your little feet. So the cat starts distrusting you.

"give her a choice of being homeless or declawed..........." - I can GUARANTEE she would choose to be homeless and KEEP her claws. Think of it this way (since declawing is removing the joint - like cutting off the first joint of all your fingers) - would YOU like to be taken to the doctor and having ALL 10 of your fingers amputated - then ask you what you think of that - what would you say? Or if your child colored on all the walls of your house - would you cut their fingers off to prevent them from doing that any more?

Read this first - then decide on what you really want to do.

http://maxshouse.com/Truth%20About%20Declawing.htm