Declawing: Yay or nay?

[Azusanga]

Lieutenant Shotgun

C4ffeine_C0rruption

C4ffeine_C0rruption

[ G E E K - G I R L ]




I'm not a big fan of declawing myself. My first 2 cats were declawed since they were indoor cats and had no "need" for them...or so my mother thought.
After a few years we have added cats to my house (I have 5 now mind you, and a dog) but when we got a full bred Maine Coon we were FORBIDDEN to declaw the cat or risk having her taken away from us. The solution is simple, you start with them young and take nail clippers to their claws, this way they get used to it and it's not a wrestling match between the two of you to clip them... all 4 of my babies have all their claws while my oldest doesn't have her back claws.
It does seem a bit too inhumane, it'd be like pulling off our fingernails.

I've lost a fingernail once. Slammed it in a car door.

The impact hurt like hell but it didn't hurt when the nail actually fell off...

But I digress ;D

Nice.

A nail will grow back. A digit won't. Look at your fingers. See that little bendy part right below that nail? If you were declawed, they would take that digit and chop it off. If they just took off the nail, it would regrow.

that's coming from the girl who lost the end of her middle finger in a bizarre couch incident, and has a white painted nail on her middle finger. they grow back (not the bones but nails.)  

[Lieutenant Shotgun]

Azusanga

Lieutenant Shotgun

C4ffeine_C0rruption

C4ffeine_C0rruption

[ G E E K - G I R L ]




I'm not a big fan of declawing myself. My first 2 cats were declawed since they were indoor cats and had no "need" for them...or so my mother thought.
After a few years we have added cats to my house (I have 5 now mind you, and a dog) but when we got a full bred Maine Coon we were FORBIDDEN to declaw the cat or risk having her taken away from us. The solution is simple, you start with them young and take nail clippers to their claws, this way they get used to it and it's not a wrestling match between the two of you to clip them... all 4 of my babies have all their claws while my oldest doesn't have her back claws.
It does seem a bit too inhumane, it'd be like pulling off our fingernails.

I've lost a fingernail once. Slammed it in a car door.

The impact hurt like hell but it didn't hurt when the nail actually fell off...

But I digress ;D

Nice.

A nail will grow back. A digit won't. Look at your fingers. See that little bendy part right below that nail? If you were declawed, they would take that digit and chop it off. If they just took off the nail, it would regrow.

that's coming from the girl who lost the end of her middle finger in a bizarre couch incident, and has a white painted nail on her middle finger. they grow back (not the bones but nails.)

Yeah, I know [that nails grow back]. My fingernail grew back in a few weeks.

And, whoa. "Bizarre Couch Accident." o.o;

I knew about that, but I only heard that if you hit your nail in a certain place (with force and stuff) the nail will fall off and will not come back.  

[Azusanga]

@Lieutenant: I know, that was at Coffe Corruption :3

I have no clue how long it took mine. I was frikin..... 5?

Really? I never heard that.

Bizarre couches rule.  

[Lieutenant Shotgun]

@Azusanga: Oh. Well.

XD I lost mine last year. I thought that the part of your finger that is covered up by your nails would be soft, but it was hard and wrinkly. (pukes)

I heard it when I was still in girl scouts. 8D

In my couches, if something get pushed into the crevices of the couch, it will fall inside. That happened to my hi-polymer eraser, and I made my dad lift the couch up so I could cut a hole into the bottom and retrieve it.  

[Azusanga]

Doesn't mean I can't converse with you though, right?

Ewwwwww. My dad slammed his hand in a car door, and two weeks later his nail fell off. he insisted on shoving it in my damn face xP

THAT WOULD EXPLAIN IT

Same with ours. Except you just tilt it up, and open up the back flaps and feel around until you find one of the remotes, the phone, a wallet, some money, maybe a packet of M&M's..  

[Lieutenant Shotgun]

I don't know how to answer. 8D!

I knoooow. I put the nail in a bag and brought it to class. I think it's under my bed nao. (I put the bag under my pillow to see if I'd get money for it)

YES IT WOULD

D8 Your couch seems easier to manage.  

[Scorpions Glance]

Well not all declawing is cuting off the first nuckle. my cat was declawed((not my idea my mom)) but she has her nuckle i think they used laser but thats way more expensive. shes just fine tho she still catches mice and beats up my younger cat. but if your cat is old dont do that to her. always do it when they are young.  

[lhomg72]

disaggree  

[Christizzle]

Nay.  

[Hester Peche]

I disagree, it's bad for the cat...but I don't have a cat anymore so I'm not saying a lot.

(What's more inhumane though is taking a dog's ability to bark...)  

[finalfantasyfreak1O1]

I dont believe in it bacause i think of it as how would u like it if someone took ur nails of.
It would hurt because it is very sensative under ur nails.
Also i use my nails for self defence.
A lot of the people at my school like to hurt me so i leave a nice scar on their face or arm.
It might sound stupid but it keeps people from hurtting you.  

[Irish Orchid]

I have a cat, I chose not to get him declawed because i let him wander outside if he wants too, and to let him wander at will he needs his claws (in case of other cats, dogs etc.)

That and i heard it is quite painfull for the cats  

[Seawicket]

I don't think it's inhumane.

Now, if you have an outdoor cat, I say no to declawing.
They need em to defend themselves.

But if they stay inside, do eet.
My cat tore up our furniture,
which led to her being declawed.  

[Christizzle]

iCrickle

I don't think it's inhumane.

Now, if you have an outdoor cat, I say no to declawing.
They need em to defend themselves.

But if they stay inside, do eet.
My cat tore up our furniture,
which led to her being declawed.

It is inhumane.
Just like you said, they need them to defend themselves. Cats have claws for a reason, to mutilate/deform an animal for your benefit is inhumane. But hey, that's just my opinion.
And how do you know your cat won't end up outside? My cat has escaped a couple of times and gotten into fights with bobcats/other cats. Without a way to defend herself she would have died.

And cats like to scratch, did you bother buying the cat a scratch post? It was likely scratching your furniture because it didn't have anything else to scratch.  

[Call Me Apple]

Rei Uchikino

I really don't like the idea of it. I do agree that it's inhumane.
A better way of protecting furniture and not hurting the cat would be claw caps. A rather unknown alternative.

I tried that from a brand called Pretty Paws or something. Where it looks like your cat has painted claws xp They didnt work for us.

I have hard the good and the bad. I have both of my cats declawed (Oldest is 2 years, youngest is 8 months) They arent bothered after the 2nd week.

My cats are indoors, we have screened in porches so if they DO get out the front door, it's just onto the porch. So I think if your cat is outdoors, OR it has a history of getting out - use another method.

In the US, declawing is legal so people really shouldnt put others down. There are vets FOR it and AGAINST it. But since we cant ask the cats 1 year later.."Are you in pain?" It's hard to say. I know my cat lives her life like she did before. She plays & jumps, she eats, she sleeps.