How do you feel about declawing cats

[Babz]

I want to stress that I am absolutely and completely against this cruel mutilation of cats which is banned in just about every country except the USA and Canada. It is usually carried out to stop indoor cats being able to scratch furniture but according to the American Veterinary Medical Association should only be used as a last resort and for far more serious reasons that merely scratching furniture.

I just want to know what opinions you have at present, though shortly I will have another more important question related to this.

Thank you

[clawrence251]

I posted an answer about this yesterday after seeing a TV programme about a crazy American lady who had this done to her cat. I think it is cruel and unnatural. Cats are meant to climb and if people don't want them to ruin furniture don't have a cat!

[Ethel]

It takes away a vital defence and inherent behaviour traits of cats and is downright cruel

[fredpuli47]

Cruel. Americans complain that it's necessary to protect furnishings. American furnishings must be of quite extraordinary value, beyond that of anything that British bilionaires have, if that's the case !

Americans are still allowed to crop the ears of dogs, something made illegal in Britain over 100 years ago. They may be beyond hope, if they think that practice is either necessary or desirable! They may also dock a puppy's tail, something only permitted exceptionally in Britain.It ought to be outlawed completely but at least we've made a start.

[Ethel]

The Americans debark their dogs too.

Not all Americans, obviously

[x31tna]

i agree with you babz its horrible..

if cats werent supposed to have claws then they wouldnt be born with them

its un natural to remove them and i agree with clawrence251...if people want to do this to a cat then they shouldnt have them!!!

i cant understand why anyone would agree to it xx

[tiggerblue10]

It is cruel. My cats scratch all over my house apart from their scratching post but I love them so I put up with it. They also scratch me when they are nestling in my lap but thats just what a cat does.

Declawing them will prevent them from climbing, digging holes for their toilet business and defending their territory. I agree, if you don't like it don't get a cat! Simple.

[Barmaid]

My older female has ruined more bits of pine furniture than I care to think about. I keep a bit of sandpaper handy to rub it down, and spray it with citrus scented spray. Irritating as it is, I could never have her declawed. It is cruel in the extreme and would rob her of a vital part of being a cat. As far as she is concerned, any untreated wood is fair game, and I can't blame her for that instinct. I had a choice, nice furniture or a cat. I would rather have cats with all their bits (apart from the reproductive bits) and sh!tty furniture anyday.

[bensmum]

A cat's claws may occasionally need clipping if it doesn't have access to something to scratch on or if it has certain health problems which makes it difficult. I have taken the point off of my cats claws or a vet can do this but to remove the whole claw is unnecessary and cruel. Cats need their claws - how many of these americans would like their finger nails removed?

[wolf63]

My two monsters are indoor cats and they do need to have the tips of their claws clipped every so often. It cuts down on the injuries Frankie gets when he tries to wind up his sister. Princess Merlin is into girl power and has one hell of a punch.

Declawing cats is certainly OTT - woodwork and 'things' can be replaced but the companionship and personality of a cat can't be, cutting their claws is like chopping off your OHs remote control hand. Cruel!

[jen78]

It's just unecessarily cruel, I've never heard of it and am quite shocked and appalled it's allowed.

If you're that precious about your furniture then don't get a cat in my view.

They can be little monsters sometimes but I could never do that to a cat of mine.

[CheekyChops]

I agree that it is cruel and if they people don't want to risk scratch marks then they shouldn't get a cat! I'm luck in that my cat doesn't scratch anything but I wouldn't entertain the idea of declawing him even if he did!!!

I read once that it isn't like just geting the actual claw removed (like a human fingernail), they remove to the joint - like removing to the joint below a human fingernail.

http://www.moggies.co.uk/stories/declaw.html

[Sammc]

Oh my god thats unbelieveable, I've never heard of this! It has always angered and baffeled me when people cut dogs tails - saw a litter of Jack Russle pups the other day that were docked. Why?! But this is even worse, those poor cats!

[justmetoo]

its cruel, horrible, my cats ofter scratch the furniture, ingnoring there scratch post, that what cats do. But I love them and it dosnt bother me, I could never declaw them.

[Babz]

Thank you very much everyone for speaking up about this, it's so encouraging to see that you are all against it. Cheekychops that is a very good link which I hadn't seen before. Thank you for that.
If any of you ever go on Yahoo Answers/Pets/Cats you will be amazed at the number of people who think this is an acceptable procedure to carry out on cats and even kittens routinely at the same time as neutering, mainly for no other reason than to protect furniture and there are vets willing to do as such it even though it should be as a last resort (I can't see where there is ever justification for mutilation). A colleague is organising a world wide petition to send to the American Veterinary Medical Association and if I am allowed to do so I will post the link on Answerbank.
Thank you again, I am sure there are more people who are genuinely kind pet owner than otherwise but sometimes we only seem to come up against the selfish and cruel ones.