Is it OK to Declaw a Cat?

[Dr. Zaus]

Hi,

I've got a cat that's always been a little 'off'. He's violent, scratches a lot, kills lots of little animals in my yard, hates to be pet, etc.

Honestly, I'm allergic to cats and wouldn't have him at all, but he's my Dad's and I'm taking care of my Dad because he's got cancer. So I said he could keep the cat, as long as it stays in his room or outside.

But I'm tired of this cat and all the dead animals, cut up kitchen screen door, and so forth. I'm thinking of having him declawed. Personally, i'd rather send him to the animal shelter, but my dad likes him so I figure this is a good compromise: but he says it's not good to declaw a cat.

I figure the vet wouldn't offer such a service if it was harmful to the cat, but when I search on the question all I get are patchouli stink vegans and no real answers. So, Is it OK to declaw a cat?

 

[doubledeluxe]

Please don't. It's awful. Cruel. It leaves your cat almost completely defensless.

Just don't.

 

[Grooveriding]

No. Would you like to have a third of all your fingers severed from the tip down ? Many vets will not even perform the procedure. My wife doesn't do it and many of her friends in the field also refuse to.

 

[IronWing]

Declawing is a form of amputation, literally. The vet would cut off the last toe bones. You can trim claws w/o declawing.

 

[slpaulson]

Declawing a cat is basically the same as amputating their finger tips at the last knuckle. Personally it's not something I would do to a pet.

It would be especially mean in my opinion to do that to an older pet.

Perhaps more importantly, is this cat a male that isn't neutered? If so that would probably have a big impact on its behavior.

 

[natto fire]

I would never do it. The vet is out to make money. You are definitely in a different situation, but it kind of irks me when people take in animals, and then try to "fix" them in a way more suitable for them.

I have heard that it is really terrible after a certain age, but maybe that is an urban legend from one of those stupid hippy websites you were talking about.

 

[MongGrel]

I never have, the only cat I've ever had someone else had done it, we rescued her from the Humane Society.

We had even left the place, I turned around went back and got her, she turned into my wife's best friend and passed away after 18 years a few back.

Trimming is better.

 

[ultimatebob]

I wouldn't declaw an older cat. They don't deal with it well, and can get even more aggressive with marking and biting.

You can trim the cats claws, but they grow back quick. When I do it to mine, it just motivates him to scratch more to resharpen them.

Cats seem to adapt OK to declawing if it's done young, though. I didn't declaw mine, but my parents do. Their cats do OK without claws, and their furniture isn't trashed like mine is.

 

[doubledeluxe]

In my opinion those $5 cardboard scratching boxes with catnip should be your new best friend. They're amazing.

 

[doubledeluxe]

Also, solo cats that are not given attention can turn rather mean. So rather than mutilate the cat try giving him a bit more love. A buddy maybe.

 

[bbhaag]

If this was a strictly indoor cat I would say yes do it but since you let it outdoors it would have no way to defend itself if it was attacked.

 

[Ruptga]

As others have said, it's a pretty extreme option for an older cat, but it is an option. Try spreading around some scratching pads and having someone else trim its nails about twice per week. If that doesn't work, declaw the cat, but do not leave it outside if you do. Declawed cats are strictly indoors only, unless (maybe) only the front claws were removed.

 

[ThinClient]

It was the worst decision ever made for my cat. She's long since gone and I still feel badly about it. She was attacked by another cat, got fucked up and couldn't defend herself. She fell out of a tree she usually climbed, resulting in a nasty gash on her head and we're pretty sure concussion.

For fuck sake. Don't declaw your cat.

 

[TechBoyJK]

Catify the environment first. Buy a cat tower, or build something it can get high up on. Make sure it has pathways to run through the house without feeling cornered.
Put scratching pads out. Prevent the cat from seeing other cats as often as possible so it feels less territorial.

A cat being able to see another cat across the street can change it's behavior.

 

[WilliamM2]

It was the worst decision ever made for my cat. She's long since gone and I still feel badly about it. She was attacked by another cat, got fucked up and couldn't defend herself. She fell out of a tree she usually climbed, resulting in a nasty gash on her head and we're pretty sure concussion.

For fuck sake. Don't declaw your cat.

You let a declawed cat outside? What did you expect would happen?

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I wouldn't if I had to do it over again. She was young, but always seemed a little off afterwards.

Soft Paws are pretty cool.

http://www.softpaws.com

 

[ThinClient]

You let a declawed cat outside? What did you expect would happen?

It wasn't my decision to declaw the cat. It wasn't my decision to let her outside. I was a child. I had no control. I still feel guilty about it because she was my cat.

 

[postmortemIA]

I cut its nails one a month. He likes his claws, even when they are trimmed. Good luck finding anybody willing to declaw cat that is not a kitten.

 

[gevorg]

 

[norseamd]

No it is very horrible and cruel to cats and it is illegal in at least more than a few countries.

 

[slpaulson]

I wouldn't if I had to do it over again. She was young, but always seemed a little off afterwards.

Soft Paws are pretty cool.

http://www.softpaws.com

These worked ok for my cat. You just have to kind of watch that they fall off when they are supposed to. I've had some not come off on their own, to the point that the claw was curling all the way back to my cat's paws.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

These worked ok for my cat. You just have to kind of watch that they fall off when they are supposed to. I've had some not come off on their own, to the point that the claw was curling all the way back to my cat's paws.

Well, you still have to trim them. The caps just save the furniture.

 

[doubledeluxe]

They don't drive the cat crazy?

 

[poopaskoopa]

Needs a poll. No.

 

[cubby1223]

Don't declaw an outdoor cat.

Indoor cat... declawing them causes greater psychological damage to humans than any affect to the cat. They don't care. They sleep and they eat from the food dish. And occasionally they puke, but not from the lack of claws.