I have found this thread about declawing. I think it is informative and everyone should read it.

http://www.animalsheltering.org/resource_library/magazine_articles/may_jun_2004/the_declaw_dilemma.html

I have just read it oldwoman and it´s very very interesting, particularly the following paragraph:

"For instance, a 2001 study published in JAVMA found that behavior problems began in 33 percent of declawed cats following onychectomy—with nearly 18 percent either starting to bite or increasing thefrequency of their bites, and more than 15 percent ceasing their use of the litter box. On the other hand, a study published in Companion Animal Practice in 1988 found that similar proportions of declawed and fully clawed cats were reported to be biters and housesoilers. Subsequent research has failed to explain the contradictions or provide more conclusive information, in part because behavior problems can take years to develop—from origins that aren’t always traceable."

And this one:

"It’s easy to spot a declawed cat at the Healdsburg Animal Shelter. They don’t come out of their shells for days, Joly says, surmising that declawed cats are more stressed when they’re in an environment they can’t control. “They sit in their cage and[growl], and then I go back and[think], ‘Hmm, I bet he’s a declaw,’ ” she says. “And then four days later, when I can finally get my hands on him, he is.”


Thanks for that oldwoman.

Thanks for the very interesting (and very long) article, oldwoman.

First, it was I found it unusual that this article was published by the American Humane Society yet all but one shelter quoted was Canadian. Second, the position of the AMVA on declawing has been adopted verbatim by the CMVA. Third, there are only two universities in Canada that offer a degree program in veterinary medicine. One of them no longer teaches any of the three declawing procedures. I couldn´t find any info about the other but have sent an enquiry.

The "official" position in the US and Canada is that vets should counsel their clients about the alternatives to declawing. But as one vet admitted in the article "it´s a business". So how many vets are going to tell an owner to buy a spray bottle and scratching post when they can make a fast $200 doing the operation? This is cynical, but I believe it´s also reality. And some vets claim they don´t want to perform the operation but do so to prevent cats from being operated on by untrained professionals. How considerate of them!

The theory behind not teaching the procedures is that these new vets won´t declaw because they haven´t been trained. It´s not a difficult operation in terms of the surgery involved, so is not being trained really going to stop some of them? And if the new vets can´t/won´t operate, what about all the procedures that will be performed in the 30+ year wait until the old vets disappear?

So let´s go ahead and declaw. While we´re at it, we can also have our cats´ vocal cords removed so they don´t annoy us with meowing and have their teeth pulled so they won´t bite us.

Thanks for the very interesting (and very long) article, oldwoman.

First, it was I found it unusual that this article was published by the American Humane Society yet all but one shelter quoted was Canadian. Second, the position of the AMVA on declawing has been adopted verbatim by the CMVA. Third, there are only two universities in Canada that offer a degree program in veterinary medicine. One of them no longer teaches any of the three declawing procedures. I couldn´t find any info about the other but have sent an enquiry.

The "official" position in the US and Canada is that vets should counsel their clients about the alternatives to declawing. But as one vet admitted in the article "it´s a business". So how many vets are going to tell an owner to buy a spray bottle and scratching post when they can make a fast $200 doing the operation? This is cynical, but I believe it´s also reality. And some vets claim they don´t want to perform the operation but do so to prevent cats from being operated on by untrained professionals. How considerate of them!

The theory behind not teaching the procedures is that these new vets won´t declaw because they haven´t been trained. It´s not a difficult operation in terms of the surgery involved, so is not being trained really going to stop some of them? And if the new vets can´t/won´t operate, what about all the procedures that will be performed in the 30+ year wait until the old vets disappear?

So let´s go ahead and declaw. While we´re at it, we can also have our cats´ vocal cords removed so they don´t annoy us with meowing and have their teeth pulled so they won´t bite us.
well said! I could not have said it better. Teri

Sorry about the length of it, it is a bit of a marathon I like this comparison

“Because a dog chews, are you going to take his teeth out?” asks Lombardi. “No, you use a crate, and you give[dogs] something to chew on.”

But I am worried, that it will give some people ideas about routinely pulling dogs teeth out.

Cats have claws, dont like it dont get one!

Thats my opinion anyway of course their are circumstances where declawing may be necessary and the only option but I feel that it should be a last resort!
Basically my cats welfare mean more to me than any piece of furniture of carpet

I agree with you entirely mollybellashakes. I never heard of declawing before I was on UC and the idea of routine declawing horrifies me.
I did not want to get into an argument, just present pople with some facts.

Why would anyone accuaire an animal and then go ahead and change it to ones satisafction.

I think it is just horrible that anyone would do this to an animal.

My cat has terrible claws that he uses quiet frequently....however i would never ever think of getting him declawed. Its the price one has to live with when owning a cat.

It would be like me having my 2 year old daughters nails removed permanently because she fiddles when i have to clip them and it would just be easier if she didint have them at all.

We are what we are.

We need to accecpt living things for what that are claws, teeth and purrs and all!!!!!

word deleted by mod!! I don´t know what people do in other parts of the world but fortunately here in Greece we do not know the term declawing! Really I am really shocked. I didn´t know there were people who did so.

It is illegal in the UK so isn´t something we know about. We do hear almost as an urban myth that ´they do it in New York´ but I´m afraid none of us quite believe it. I always believe that if you don´t like the characteristic of a pet of if you can´t endure a little inconvenience then please don´t get a pet at all. If a few more humans had their brains inserted rather than removed the world would be a better place!

Now getting a cat´s nails trimmed is OK. Indoor cats can´t really do this themselves and leaving them long is uncomfortable for the cat. OK it is more for our convenience than theirs but if we didn´t do it the cat would ultimately suffer, so that makes it OK to do in my book.

Kimmy´s Mum x

I´m shocked. Never heard of it before and will never ever consider it. Very informative, though. Thanks, Oldwoman

I agree with Kimmy´s Mum about trimming indoor cats nails as I have seen cases at work where a cat has needed surgery because its nail grew into its pad on its paw because the owner never clipped it!
I trim my kitties nails once a month and they are all good about it and basically it doesnt hurt them

Both of my cats have claws I don´t belive in declawing, and I also show websties to my friends when they talk abot declawing them.

Sorry peoples, but I have 5 cats, had 6 when Lacie was with us. And all of them have been declawed in their front paws. We have not had any problems with any of our babies!! My sister has 2 cats & they are also declawed. Several people I know have felines that are declawed. I guess it depends on which side of the fence you´re on.

I haven´t read it, I´m too tired to read. But, my sister has always had her cats declawed. One ended up with floppy feet after the surgery and to be honest. I dunno if it´s just her cats but as much as I love cats I can´t stand my sisters cats. They all seem to have an attitude lol I don´t have a clue if it´s because they were declawed or if that´s just how her cats are... I don´t like them being declawed, as long as they are clipped there is rarely a problem with them having claws. Although a friend of mine who was a room mate had a kitten and WOW he is one cat that needed to be declawed. He had a problem with using walls as scratching posts and it didn´t matter what you did to him he kept doing it. Cost me to lose my security deposit when I moved out. NONE the less she never even bothered to give me a dime for my loss. To this day I rarely talk to her and when I do all she does is talk about her kittie how he´s so sweet etc. I sooner not ever hear the cats name again let alone see him lol

Normally I do not like cats being declawed. None of mine are and don´t plan on ever declawing a cat. BUT, in my friends situation that is one cat that needed them claws removed and fast lol

I don´t support declawing.I think that is a cruel.First of all,cats have their unicate personality,just like a people.If cat make a problems and scrathes owners,furniture,etc...then that cat have a behavior problem,and must resolve with right way,but declawin is not right!You can declawe your cat,but then cat can start bite,or escape,or etc...´couse you didn´t resolve real problem but just a manifestation,sympthom of problem.If you have a children who´s run allot and escape from backyard to street,do you think that is a right thing to amputate their legs?!Or you will use other method to change that unwonted behavior?