POST CLOSED he IS getting declawed

i agree on that how any1 can evan consider doing it ill never no iv only ever had ollie so im not to experinced but wot i do no is ill do ne thin to keep him out of harms way. i dont believe sum can call then selves animal lovers or good responosable owner wen they want to go out n put there animal in such pain. if only cats could talk im sure it would be much harsher that wot ppl have put on here believe me

 

I'm not saying that it does not hurt or that it is the right thing to do

BUT>>>>>
has any one here ever taken In a declawed cat??
I had one 1 time & he was the happyiest little thing you would of never known that he had no frony claws but this was a few years after he had the process done it was my aunts cat & she had gotten sick
kathy

 

maybe when posting a topic like this you could use your judgement in terms of what you think we will say....

it is sort of like if you were on a baby forum, and posted the topic of cutting your babies fingers off because you dont like that he is into everything and you just cant deal with it. you sound argumentative in your posts. and you anticipated a negative response from the very beginning by the nature of what your post said..."dont respond if....". people have the right to post whatever they want, within reason. heathy debate is acceptable. but you cant expect to post something like that and get a positive response. thats not using common sense. and maybe another forum is appropriate.

just let me say though. i volunteer at a shelter. we get declawed cats in all the time. and its tragic. they have no defense. at our rescue shelter, we have to sign a contract that NO MATTER WHAT we wont declaw our adopted kitty. there is a reason for that.... :|

 

Re: how much will it cost??

and like i said before,i clip his toe nails every week already.and i have talked to vets about what they go through,they are sedated,and are givin pain killers,and also i know many of my friends have declawed,not mutilated,their cats and they never had any mental or physical problems,the one cat my mother had she had declawed and he lived a healthy happy life,he was still able to catch mice and run and play without a problem,he was twenty years just last month when he died in his sleep,a very peacful way to go.and this is only front i would never think of doing the back feet.if you can find any pics showing a cat in pain,that is mutilated,that can not live a normal live becuz he was declawed,than i will rethink getting my cat declawed.so im going to say this again,if you feel other wish please dont post your message here.all i was asking was how much it will cost, not what do you think of declawing.and thank you kathy

 

sorry but this is a place where ppl give their oppion free speeche n all.its ilegal here in the uk and u think that that would make that a law if they didnt think it was cruel n inhumane im sorry but u came here wiv ppl that love n care fro their pets n ask about somthin so cruel n expect every1 not to voice thier oppion. n as far as not hurting ok lets ripp ur nails off n see jus coz they give pain killers dont mean it dont hurt or is right

 

(also see black & white photos below)
Here is an entire page of "declaw horror stories" submitted by people who have had bad experiences after declawing:
http://declaw.lisaviolet.com/declawstory.html


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

"Complications
Declawing is not without complication. The rate of complication is relatively high compared with other so-called routine procedures. Complications of this amputation can be excruciating pain, damage to the radial nerve, hemorrhage, bone chips that prevent healing, painful regrowth of deformed claw inside of the paw which is not visible to the eye, and chronic back and joint pain as shoulder, leg and back muscles weaken.

Other complications include postoperative hemorrhage, either immediate or following bandage removal is a fairly frequent occurrence, paw ischemia, lameness due to wound infection or footpad laceration, exposure necrosis of the second phalanx, and abscess associated with retention of portions of the third phalanx. Abscess due to regrowth must be treated by surgical removal of the remnant of the third phalanx and wound debridement. During amputation of the distal phalanx, the bone may shatter and cause what is called a sequestrum, which serves as a focus for infection, causing continuous drainage from the toe. This necessitates a second anesthesia and surgery. Abnormal growth of severed nerve ends can also occur, causing long-term, painful sensations in the toes. Infection will occasionally occur when all precautions have been taken.

"Declawing is actually an amputation of the last joint of your cat's "toes". When you envision that, it becomes clear why declawing is not a humane act. It is a painful surgery, with a painful recovery period. And remember that during the time of recuperation from the surgery your cat would still have to use its feet to walk, jump, and scratch in its litter box regardless of the pain it is experiencing."
Christianne Schelling, DVM

"General anesthesia is used for this surgery, which always has a certain degree of risk of disability or death associated with it. Because declawing provides no medical benefits to cats, even slight risk can be considered unacceptable. In addition, the recovery from declawing can be painful and lengthy and may involve postoperative complications such as infections, hemorrhage, and nail regrowth. The latter may subject the cat to additional surgery." The Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights (AVAR)

Two recent studies published in peer-reviewed veterinary journals (Vet Surg 1994 Jul-Aug;23(4):274-80) concluded “Fifty percent of the cats had one or more complications immediately after surgery.... 19.8% developed complications after release.” Another study (J Am Vet Med Assoc 1998 Aug 1;213(3):370-3) comparing the complications of declawing with Tenectomy concluded “Owners should be aware of the high complication rate for both procedures." Many cats also suffer a loss of balance because they can no longer achieve a secure foothold on their amputated stumps.

Vet Surg 1994 Jul-Aug;23(4):274-80
Feline Onychectomy at a Teaching Institution: A
Retrospective Study of 163 Cases.

Tobias KS
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences,
Washington State University, College of Veterinary Medicine,
Pullman 99164-6610.

"One hundred sixty-three cats underwent onychectomy..... Fifty percent of the cats had one or more complications immediately after surgery. Early postoperative complications included pain..., hemorrhage...., lameness...., swelling...., or non-weight-bearing..... Follow-up was available in 121 cats; 19.8% developed complications after release.
Late postoperative complications included infection...., regrowth...., P2 protrusion...., palmagrade
stance...., and prolonged, intermittent lameness....".



J Am Vet Med Assoc 1998 Aug 1;213(3):370-3
Comparison of Effects of Elective Tenectomy or Onychectomy in Cats.

Jankowski AJ, Brown DC, Duval J, Gregor TP, Strine LE, Ksiazek LM, Ott AH
Department of Clinical Studies, Veterinary Teaching Hospital,
School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia 19104, USA.

"Objective: To compare short- and long-term complications after Tenectomy of the deep digital flexor tendons or onychectomy.
Animals: 20 cats undergoing Tenectomy and 18 cats undergoing onychectomy.
Procedure: Cats undergoingTenectomy or onychectomy were monitored for a minimum of 5 months to enable comparison of type and frequency of complications.Type and frequency of complications did not differ between procedures.
Clinical Implications: Owners should be aware of the high complication rate for both procedures."

Psychological & Behavioral Complications
Some cats are so shocked by declawing that their personalities change. Cats who were lively and friendly have become withdrawn and introverted after being declawed. Others, deprived of their primary means of defense, become nervous, fearful, and/or aggressive, often resorting to their only remaining means of defense, their teeth. In some cases, when declawed cats use the litterbox after surgery, their feet are so tender they associate their new pain with the box...permanently, resulting in a life-long adversion to using the litter box. Other declawed cats that can no longer mark with their claws, they mark with urine instead resulting in inappropriate elimination problems, which in many cases, results in relinquishment of the cats to shelters and ultimately euthanasia. Many of the cats surrendered to shelters are surrendered because of behavioral problems which developed after the cats were declawed.

Risk factors for relinquishment of cats to an animal shelter:

"Among 218 cats relinquished to a shelter, more (52.4%) declawed cats than non-declawed cats (29.1%) were reported by owners to have inappropriate elimination problems."
Source: World Small Animal Veterinary Association - 2001

The incidence of behavior problems following onychectomy in cats; two months to five years (median 11.5 months) after surgery:

"(33%) developed at least one behavior problem.
"(17.9%) had an increase in biting habits or intensity."
"(15.4%) would not use the litter box"
Source: World Small Animal Veterinary Association - 2001

Many declawed cats become so traumatized by this painful mutilation that they end up spending their maladjusted lives perched on top of doors and refrigerators, out of reach of real and imaginary predators against whom they no longer have any adequate defense.
A cat relies on its claws as its primary means of defense. Removing the claws makes a cat feel defenseless. The constant state of stress caused by a feeling of defenselessness may make some declawed cats more prone to disease. Stress leads to a myriad of physical and psychological disorders including supression of the immune system, cystitis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)..

"The consequences of declawing are often pathetic. Changes in behavior can occur. A declawed cat frequently resorts to biting when confronted with even minor threats. Biting becomes an overcompensation for the insecurity of having no claws. Bungled surgery can result in the regrowth of deformed claws or in an infection leading to gangrene. Balance is affected by the inability to grasp with their claws. Chronic physical ailments such as cystitis or skin disorders can be manifestations of a declawed cat's frustration and stress" David E. Hammett, DVM"

 

I was lucky in that before i took Vianne home I was working in the clinic of the shelter where i got her and was able to interact with the cats there on a daily basis and assess their personalities. I rescued Vianne solely on her personality, which i find to be exceptional as far as cats go. Because of this, I have never been in your shoes. She is very trainable and I've never had to experience any sort of persistant behavior problems with her and she is the only cat I have ever owned. First off, I have to say that I can't imagine ever declawing her, even if she did start scratching where she wasn't supposed to and ignored her training on this. It simply isn't something that i could bring myself to do. In a lot of ways I even felt bad about spaying her, but untimately it had to be done before i could adopt her as those are the rules of the shelter. There are definitely 2 sides to the declawing argument just as there are 2 sides to the indoor/outdoor cat argument. However, one is a safety issue and the other is not. If you were to compare spay/neuters with declawing, it may be closer on some levels because to spay my cat makes it more convenient for me(no worries about unwanted litters), and benefits for her include no risk of certain cancers of reproductive organs.
With the declaw issue, your convenience(no more inappropriate scratching and destruction without hassles of training) seems to stand alone when it comes to benefits for your cat. That is why you are not getting your desired responses to your original post. In your defense I will say one thing tho, you've elected to consider declawing your cat before abandoning him because you don't want to deal with his bad behavior. Thats very commendable since a lot of people wouldn't feel that way. :y_the_best: But before going to the last resort, please make sure that you've exhausted all other options and at least given them a chance. Even things like hiring a professional trainer and putting the money towards that. If that's the case and you've done ALL YOU CAN, then no one here should accuse you of taking the easy way out with a declaw in regards to your cats undesirable behavior.
That said, i would do an online search for cheap spay/neuter clinics in your area. I live in florida and my county offers it for $15 for residents which includes a microchip and tattoo. There are even Spay/Neuter Shuttles that will drive to neighbors to do it cheap. Some places will even do cats and certain dog breeds for free. Unfortunately I can't quote any prices on a declaw, so you will just have to call around a few vets to get ideas. Good luck on your decision and best wishes for you and your cat whatever the outcome. :m29:

 

o.k. I hate when we get into a topic that is heated & like others have said we each have our own right to what we think

so there is not 1 person on this board who has or had a declawed cat?
do you shun every person who has a declawed cat?

 

Not me perosnally, but i think my thoughts on the matter were reflected in my previous post. I've been around both declawed and clawed cats and seen desireable and unpleasant traits in both. I think it boils down to the fact that cats are individuals who will respond to life with or without claws according to their personality and experiences with it. A lot of people do things with their pets that they regret at a later date, simply because the same things didn't occur to them before they were exposed to new information. This can be in regards to training practices, feeding habits, grooming and many other care issues. From my own experience, I treat my animals a lot differently now than I did 10 years ago. Not because I didn't love my pets or care for them immensely, but since then I've developed a new attitude concerning pet care and educated myself on it rather than relying on what friends/family tell me about how they've always done it.

 

Re: how much will it cost??

im just gonna keep my mouth shut

 

not at all..i have adopted and fostered declawed cats before..its not their fault their owners did that to them..the majority of cat owners know and feel declawing is inhumain that is all..

 

imagine doing this 28 times to a cat!!! That's how many claws Zeus has.

 

I have a cat who was declawed by her previous owner and she bites (not as much anymore). I've heard of cats who have gotten serious infections from declaws, had claws attempt to grow back if 100% of the ligament isn't removed. I have never ever been in a cat board (and I'm in a few) where declawing is approved - that says a lot.

It's not just the possible behavior issues that both me so much as someone is having an important part of a cat cut out to suit their own needs. It's like dating a guy and wanting to change him cause he isn't "perfect"....maybe that same person shouldn't be dating that guy.

If a person's furniture or belongings are so important they have to have their cat's claws torn out maybe that person shouldn't have a cat. If your dog chews your shoes will you have his teeth removed? If your child writes on your wall do you have his/her fingers removed? OF course not...so why do people have to have their cat's claws removed?

The answer is cause in this country they can....if they couldn't get it done so easily they would find other means of controlling the scratching. It's just easier to have this done to the cat. No maintenance other than pay the vet.

And I've never had a cat declawed and i've had cats in my life my entire life. Never would such a thing cross my mind. And with fostering I've gotten some nasty scratches...but it's from scared cats. As far as furniture goes - it's stuff and not being a materialistic person it is just stuff all of it replaceable (yes financially sometimes hard to be replaced - but still replaceable) cat's claws aren't.

 

When I was young, I had my cat front-declawed. I was ignorant and am guilt ridden now that I know better. If the vet or a friend had told me what it really intailed, I never would have had it done.

I don't shun anybody who has a declawed cat. But if I meet someone that is planning on doing it, I'll do my best to inform and dissuade them.

 

sorry I'm tired (birthday party for a now 3 year old and his 1 year old sister at my house today - I need a nap)

Wanted to mention my former cowoker's experience with declawing....after he had his kitten declawed she tried to jump up onto his windowsill and slipped. Since she no longer had claws to help her hold on when she landed she landed hard on a heater. Broke her back and had to be PTS. He learned a valuable lesson

"Declawing is a painful amputation, which involves cutting through bone, liagments, tendons and nerve at the third digit of the toe. Lingering pain and favoring of feet for a couple of months is a common side effect when a cat is declawed as an adult.Phantom pain is experienced by 60 to 70% of people who've had amputations. It is reasonable to be concerned that declawed cats experience this sort of ongoing pain as well.

*Declawing is illegal and/or banned in over 20 countries, including England, because it is considered mutilation.

*The ASPCA says it “does not approve of the declawing of cats as a matter of supposed convenience to cat owners. It is form of mutilation and it does cause pain.”

*Cat Fanciers’ Association is so against declawing that under every breed description they make it a point to say so, and in the CFA guidance statement they say, “Because of post operative discomfort or pain, and potential future behavioral or physical effects, CFA disapproves of declawing or tendonectomy surgery.”

*A significant amount of declawed cats will refuse to use or randomly use the litter box for the rest of their lives, despite the type of litter that is used after their surgery. Instead they use bathtubs, the carpet, clothes, backpacks, etc. Many of these cats wind up at shelters.

*Declawing brings an increased sense of insecurity to some cats. They do not adapt as well to change, such as moving or the birth of a new family member.

*Declawing can turn a social, friendly cat into a habitual biter.

*Some people have their cat declawed so that they won’t get scratched, but a declawed cat will resort to biting, often without warning. A bite is much worse than a scratch. Bites become infected, and most of the time one needs antibiotics to clear it up, whereas a bad scratch can usually be cleaned with an antiseptic, and that is the end.

*Cats have to learn to walk without the tips of their toes and claws after this surgery and will never be as graceful as they were before the declaw.

*Cats use their claws and toes to help them grip and balance. One cat that we know fell and broke his leg shortly after he was declawed!

*Despite what some American veterinarians may tell you, cats CANNOT climb and many cannot jump as high after they have been declawed.

*Cats scratch as part of their stretching routine and to shed dead nails. It is a natural instinct and should not be discouraged. Please see our accompaniment to this article for proven “scratch training” technique.

*You can easily prevent cats from scratching the furniture, as long as you provide the right scratching material and sprinkle catnip on it from time to time.

*We wouldn’t chop the fingers off of the worst criminals in this country, please don’t even consider it an option for your beloved pet!

Orlando Home for the Cats, please distribute freely.

Train Your Cat to Use a Scratching Post, Recommended Posts

How to Clip Your Cat's Claws

catscratching.com

Do it Yourself Cat Trees & Lots of Declawing Info

Declawing Horror Stories, Declawed and Clawed Cats Together, Tips and Hints, Photos of the Surgery, Countries Where Declawing is Illegal and More.
"

 

SING IT SISTERS!! And for the record, I just posted info on the neutering...luckily I was educated on the declawing because that is what I had planned on doing to Copper. I thought that's what you did to an inside cat. I was embarassed by the looks I got from my vet and the staff there when I said the "D" word and now shudder to think I may have had that done to him.

 

What a shame.

 

my little otis who died in march of this year was declawed...front claws twenty years ago, before i had any idea it was wrong. i grew up with declawed cats. one of our siamese had problems after the declawing...and her little feet were clearly not right. she never limped...but she did gradually just stay up in my mothers bedroom. she was a very shy, scared kitty. i have no idea if it was a result of the declaw...

but once i learned what it is...i would never ever do it now.

all i was saying is...if you post on this subject...dont be surprised at the responses. that is one reason why i like the forum. it advocates ethical treatment of animals. and since we know declawing is mutilation, then how could anyone get upset if people dont like it? :0011:

 

Poor little guy. And you took a kitten out of a shelter just to do this to him, when kittens are the easiest of all cats to find homes for. And you want a pat on the back for "rescuing" him. What you did was rescue him from the possibility of an actual loving family adopting him, and instead, he's now stuck with you.

You can't even spell "humane," so I guess you can't be expected to act humanely.

And in all probability you're just a troll who came here to ruffle some feathers, so why am I even replying?

Merry Christmas to you too, and I hope that for your kitten's sake, Santa will bring you some compassion.

 

Why not just take the kitten back to the shelter and exchange it for one that is already declawed? There are plenty of declawed, neutered/spayed kittens and cats at the shelters.