Declawing pictures: WARNING GRAPHIC - Page 2

clearjade · 01-06-2004, 12:53 PM

A few problems I've heard off (from other forums) is the cat starts biting and changes in personality e.g. the cat becomes more withdrawn or nervous.

Just a sidenote, my ex-landlady had two cats. One was an indoor-outdoor cat and the other was indoor only because it was declawed. One thing she noticed is that whenever she tried to keep the indoor-outdoor cat inside, it would beat up the declawed cat pretty badly. Now she adopted the cat and it was already declawed, but she felt quite helpless when it couldn't even defend itself and so she was pressure to let the other cat out.

theratlady · 01-06-2004, 06:49 PM

sorry guys but it doesnt look any more grewsome then any other surgery. have you ever seen an amputation? or a cruiate repair surgery? or even a dog that has had a hot spot then developed maggots all over their body?
im not advocating declawing but those pics are no more gross then anything else done in the run of a day at a vet clinic. they are actually quite tame.

theratlady · 01-06-2004, 06:52 PM

oh forgot to add that i rather assist on declawing cats then do tail docking on puppies. we also give pain meds for cat declaws and that helps them a lot.
i would also rather see someone declaw a cat then put one down because they didnt want to pay for a tail amputation that needed to be down on a 8 yr old cat because they didnt think he was worth it. that just happened yesterday grrrrrrrrrrrrrr i hate people sometimes

Brandy · 01-06-2004, 07:00 PM

thats what I said Ratlady....if you look at any pics of sny surgery,,.it looks horrible,,,i am against declawing....UNLESS its neccessary BUT I did have a declawed cat (my dad got it done, it was the only way he would let me keep her) and there was absolutely no change what so ever is her

Im not saying it cant happen but i have known a few declawed cats and theres never been any behavior changes in them

theratlady · 01-06-2004, 07:05 PM

yea if you are declawing because of destructive behavior then sometimes it can make the cat more frustrated that it will use its teeth.
but mostly it wont affect the cat at all if it is done young enough.

Floydian1 · 02-16-2005, 07:15 AM

That's an apalling thing to do an animal and should be against the law.

Banshee · 02-16-2005, 08:01 AM

As far as I'm concerned, I can't think of a single instance where declawing would be "necessary". If destructive behaviour is the issue, there are alternatives to declawing. If it's a matter of it being the only way a spouse, partner, parent, etc. will allow a person to have or keep a cat, the cat is better off living elsewhere. I wonder how many people who think declawing their cat is necessary have actually tried other avenues with their cats such as Soft-Paws, clipping nails, providing scratching posts and/or hanging carpet panels on doors, and/or basic discipline to show the cat the behaviour is not acceptable? When I was younger, I didn't even think of trying other avenues. My vet said it was routine and usually done at the same time as a spay/neuter and I was stupid enough to not question that or to do my own research. Thank goodness I smartened up in time for Bruce and Isobel - I clip their claws, provide them with scratching posts and don't have any problems with them destroying anything.

There are also long-term problems of declawing. Arthritis is the big one I worry about for my Hamish and Aoife.

Declawing is illegal in most of Europe. That fact speaks volumes. If more vets refused to do the procedure or simply stopped promoting it as 'routine' and 'acceptable', there would be fewer cats having to go through it.

Candycane · 02-16-2005, 10:25 AM

Well said, Bridget.

suzoo · 02-16-2005, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Banshee

If more vets refused to do the procedure or simply stopped promoting it as 'routine' and 'acceptable', there would be fewer cats having to go through it.

I couldn't agree with you more!
Most people that agree to the procedure are well meaning but just don't truly understand what it entails. They put too much confidence in their Vet (and they should be able to do that!)..
At the shelter when we get owners surrendering their cats, they use it as a selling point.. "Oh, he's declawed too!" As though that's a good thing.. and then wonder why the cat bites (b/c that's his only defense now!)
Like you, Bridgit, I also followed my Vet's advice with my 1st cat Monte. I was young and didn't know what I know now. I remember very clearly when I made the appointment to get him neutered, he said "we can do the declaw at the same time".. I asked him if that was neccesary and he told me "it'll save having to do it later"... That is one of my biggest regrets with Monte.

bunny_mom · 03-13-2005, 09:38 PM

YUCK!!!!! I have never belived in that!