# De-claw that Cat!!!



## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

UK cat - declawing doesn't happen here!


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## swismiself (Feb 26, 2012)

I love Simon's cat 

No de-clawing here, by principle (though it's legal). Softpaws are so much more humane and SO much more entertaining (for me).


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

Declawing is legal here, too and I can get an employee discount, I just can not bring myself to do it. I've seen the surgery performed - ouch.

My justification for not doing it is I have dogs in my house, the cats may need to defend themselves. The dogs are trained and well behaved, but having claws will even the odds (to a point) in the off chance the dogs ever forget their manners.

Although, I will not judge someone for doing it. I would rather someone declawed their cat than dump it outside or at the pound due to destructiveness.


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## swismiself (Feb 26, 2012)

BorderKelpie said:


> Although, I will not judge someone for doing it. I would rather someone declawed their cat than dump it outside or at the pound due to destructiveness.


This exactly. 

Three of my four cats came to me as babies, the fourth still as a young cat, so I had the luxury of training them before they developed any bad habits (aside from those we let them develop :doh: ). Not everyone has that luxury.


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## Scooter's_Mom (Feb 1, 2012)

We had a cat for many years that we did have de-clawed when our 1st son was due to arrive. That was back when we were young and "impressionable" and thought it was the "right thing to do". Two and 1/2 years later, we moved back home to care for my ill father in law and brought the boy and the cat. Sophie had to stay outdoors some after the move and we learned a lesson I wish we'd never had to have learned. She was attacked/tree'd by a pack of dogs one evening, through the night. Once I made it to the porch, there were still 6-8 dogs still there. Some had already started to back away so we can't be sure how many tried to get to her. She wasn't actually in a tree but rather on top of some boxes we still hadn't had a chance to bring in off the front porch and get unpacked. If not for the boxes, she'd probably never have made it. Because we had had the de-claw surgery performed, not only could she not defend herself, but she had absolutely no way of actually getting away and into a tree. She took the only shelter/safe spot she could find. In the midst of the dogs getting a hold on her, they broke her leg and tore some ligaments. At some point, our vet thinks she had to have been also hit by a car during the chase because her patella was broken in two and based on what he told us, to break that small of a bone, it had to be a hard lick. Fortunately for Sophie, she did survive. Our regular vet wasn't equipped to handle the surgery to repair her leg so he sent us on over to a colleague who took excellent care of our little kitty. However, I do believe that because we'd altered her in such a way that she couldn't save herself, she was effected mentally/emotionally from that point on. She just wasn't right after that. 

Sorry for being so long winded and posting such a long story, but I felt compelled to share Sophie's story. I feel much like BorderKelpie--I won't judge you because you choose to do it. But I would suggest that you be informed--very informed--of potential consequences. Sophie never offered to hurt our infant. In fact, she loved him very much. It broke my heart that I caused her injury.

It's strange, too. Neither Sophie, nor the cat that was "dropped" on us, Miss Kitty, ever offered to scratch or tear up our furniture. I'm sure it was partly because we just didn't allow it and if they tried, we nipped it in the bud. I just simply don't recall it ever happening. A girl I used to work with--she bought a brand new sofa with her tax refund and within a week--destroyed. $1500 down the toilet!


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## Rowan (May 27, 2011)

I'm not a cat person, but I don't agree with declawing or cats roaming free outside. (That's a topic for another thread.)

But I just had to say....That kitty in the cartoon needs some "feline valium" or else hide the catnip! LOL


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