My view on cat declawing is that every cat owner should make her own decision. Declawing a cat is not inhumane. It is a reasonable option for people who want to own a cat and nice furniture.
I don’t feel so bad for the pampered indoor cats that get declawed because I know these cats are lucky to live in homes where they are loved.
Many cats are not so lucky.
In 2010, 446 impounded cats were killed in our three local pounds located in Fargo (N.D.), West Fargo (N.D.) and Moorhead (Minn.), according to the pound stats reported by Adopt-A-Pet of Fargo-Moorhead.
I do not feel bad for cats that live in homes without their claws while so many cats are killed in pounds.
Josh and I got a new couch Friday, so now we are facing the question most cat owners ask at some point:
Should we declaw our cats or not?
Josh is all for it, and I’m on the fence so we probably will have Beamer and Scout declawed eventually.
I’ve written about the pros and cons of declawing a cat before, so I won’t repeat myself here.
Instead, I want to share my personal take on this issue because I do believe it is a personal choice for every cat owner. I’m not telling you what to do. I’m just explaining my point of view as a cat owner who loves her cats very much.
Personally, I want to do all I can to teach my cats not to scratch the furniture. If nothing works, then I am 100 percent in favor of declawing them.
So right now we are teaching them they are not allowed on the couch at all (I know, I know. Just hold off on the laughter a bit). Dogs are not allowed on the new couch, so the cats aren’t either.
It’s not just the actual scratching from cats that damages furniture. It’s years of cats “kneading” into the cushions with their claws as the get comfortable and relaxed. It’s years of jumping onto the arms and the back of the couch. It’s years of wrestling and playing on the couch.
So we’re trying a new concept: No cats allowed.
Our cats respond pretty well to a voice correction – “Hey!” or “No!” We use that if they approach the couch, and we also have a water bottle nearby. We haven’t had to use it yet. The cats have plenty of other seating options such as an old chair, pet beds and a new, two-level scratching post. Their favorite spot is Ace’s dog bed.
To keep my cats entertained, I’ve been making sure to play with them every day. We play chasing and pouncing games so they have less energy for scratching the couch. I’m also trying to rotate their scratching posts to keep things interesting, and to rotate their toys and randomly put treats and catnip on their appropriate scratching and sleeping places.
And obviously I’m keeping their nails clipped.
When we can’t supervise our cats, we put them in our laundry room (their catpartment).We’ve been doing this for months already because Beamer eats everything in sight, and Scout … well, he poops on rugs 
I really don’t believe these attempts will stop them from scratching the couch, but I’ll feel better if I give them this chance.
It does help that Scout and Beamer are 6 and 8 years old – not kittens – and they sleep for a good 19 hours per day.
Isn’t it inhumane to declaw a cat?
You have to decide what is right for you and your cats. There are always going to be people who tell you it’s cruel to declaw a cat. There are always going to be people who believe that declawing an indoor cat is just what you do. Read up on the pros and cons of declawing a cat and discuss it with your cat’s vet.
It’s never made a whole lot of sense to me how some people can be so against declawing cats but so in favor of spaying and neutering cats.
People will use certain points to argue against declawing, but then they will totally ignore those same points when it comes to spaying/neutering.
Here are the most common examples:
Declawing a cat will cause the cat pain.
Yes, declawing a cat causes pain, but so does spaying/neutering a cat. Any surgery will cause at least some amount of pain for an animal.
Declawing a cat is far less invasive than removing her ovaries and uterus, a procedure most cat owners do not think twice about.
Declawing a cat is convenient for the owner.
Of course it’s convenient to own a cat that doesn’t destroy property with his claws. It’s also convenient to own a sterilized cat that doesn’t spray everywhere or go into heat.
Beamer marked in the house right up until the day he was neutered (poor bastard). He will also continue to scratch as long as he has his claws. He’s a cat!
Declawing a cat is not necessary.
Declawing a cat is not necessary, but either is sterilizing a cat.
Some people will argue that spaying/neutering is necessary for controlling the cat population. Controlling the cat population is important, but sterilizing cats is not the only way to accomplish this. Cat owners can prevent unsterilized cats from breeding by keeping them indoors and away from other unsterilized cats.
Others will argue that spaying a cat is necessary because it decreases her risk of mammary gland tumors, ovarian cancer and uterine cancer. I’m not convinced this is a real reason to spay every female cat.
Removing body parts such as the ovaries is going to eliminate the chance of future cancer to those body parts. But just because a cat has ovaries does not mean she has a high risk of developing ovarian cancer.
Removing a dog’s ovaries could actually decrease her lifespan, according to research from the Gerald P. Murphy Cancer Foundation. And sterilization can contribute to certain cancers in dogs, according to the department of veterinary clinical sciences at Purdue University.
Ted Kerasote, author of “Merle’s Door,” has a book coming out in fall of 2012 called “Why Dogs Die Young,” and it addresses these very issues. I can’t wait to read it.
Pet owners need to look at the pros and cons of sterilizing their animals and declawing their cats and make their own decisions. These are personal choices. What is or isn’t necessary is debatable.
To declaw or not declaw?
Beamer and Scout destroyed one couch over time. They will likely destroy another.
I’m going to give my cats a week or two with the above “behavior modification” plan and then re-visit the declawing issue. I have made up my mind that I am OK getting them declawed if they don’t leave the couch alone.
I love my cats very much. They have a good life.
Photo by Tawna Whitford
Photo by Tawna Whitford
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I’m just gonna put this out there: http://www.declawing.com/htmls/declawing.htm
Declawing is very different than spay/neuter. The two can’t even be compared. One is done purely for cosmetic, the other is done to prevent unwanted litters.
If someone feels the need to amputate their animal instead of training, perhaps a cat is not the right animal for them. The boyfriend is allergic to cats, so we don’t have one. However that doesn’t mean I’m going to go get one and skin it so that it’s convenient to own one.
I think they can be compared. Both are used to make living with pets more convenient for the humans.
So someone who will get a cat declawed should not have a cat? If that were the case, there would be a lot more homeless cats, and many more would die in shelters and pounds. Most landlords require cats to be declawed. Are you saying people who live in apartments should not have cats? I know it’s easy to get around these rules, but most people really do want to follow the rules.
I do appreciate your comments, Mel! Thanks for the discussion!
Unfortunately people don’t realize what declawing really does to a cat until it’s too late to turn back. It’s both a physical and a psychological assault that strips the animal of it’s self confidence and its ability to protect itself. I’ve never spoken to anyone who went through it and didn’t see it as one of the biggest mistakes they ever made (assuming they were sensitive, intelligent people). I’m all for the training (obviously) the new couch is just a thing. Two years from now you and hubbo will have spilled a variety of things on it yourself and no one will even think of amputating your hands to prevent further damage. Please tell the cats we’re in their corner, Ace too naturally. All the best, S
My cats have never used their claws to defend themselves, and I’ve had about 50 different dogs visit over the last couple of years. They defend themselves with their energy. I’ve never met a cat owner who regretted getting her cat declawed. Everyone says it’s no big deal. However, the majority of the people who speak up online are very against it. That’s usually the case with any topic.
Thanks for your email yesterday!
Another thing you might want to try is tin foil over the hand rests and the back of the couch and even over the seat when you are not there. However I think its a great thing that you are playing with them more and making sure they have toys to scratch on and keeping them in their cat apartment when you aren’t there. I uderstand keeping the declawing in the back of your mind. I realize its an option but I am glad that its going to be your last option instead of first. I think that’s where people go wrong. They use declawing as a first fix instead of a final one.
I hope that you don’t declaw your cats. Its a very long recovery from what I have seen and there is a very high probablity that you will have secondary infections even if you watch them and do everything right…
I’m sorrry that Beamer is pooping on the rug. Did you make sure that he doesn’t have a bodily issue or is this a mental thing???
Belle got an impaction this weekend and had to have surgery. She’s home asleep on her bed right now. I am so happy she’s going to be ok!
Thanks, Elizabeth! Always appreciate your thoughtful comments! I’m not such a big fan of always keeping foil on my couch! Kind of defeats the purpose of a nice couch. But it’s something to try for a bit just to get them out of the habit of jumping on it. Or, it might even attract them to it … who knows
The cats were at the vet yesterday and got a healthy report. Scout is the one who has “accidents” and it seems to be purely a mental thing. We’re trying a few things, so hopefully he will change his ways.
So glad Belle is OK!
Well, I for one, think it’s fine to declaw your cats if your training doesn’t work. I know you. I know your cats. They have good lives. They will still have good lives without their claws.
Good luck with the training and with your decision.
Well thanks for your support!
This is not an easy decision. My mom used to take cardboard and place it around the corners of her couch to keep the cat from destroying the couch. (She’d hide it away when there was company.) We’d always had indoor outdoor cats and it never occurred to any of us to declaw.
Then my mom moved from a house that backed up to BLM land to a busy neighborhood. Our cat needed to stay indoors (or at least closer to home) for her own safety. The vet recommended delcawing for this purpose.
I have to say it worked because for the years my mother was in that house, the cat wasn’t hit by a car.
Personally, I am not going to keep tape, cardboard or foil on my couch as that defeats the purpose of having a nice couch. I don’t have a couch to show off to visitors. I have a nice couch for myself.
I’m glad the declawing thing worked out OK for your mom’s cat.
Hey.
Hope I’m not too late in posting this. I would like to suggest considering trying a product called Soft Paws. They are little caps you can attach to cats claws that are totally harmless to that cat and will make it so they can’t scratch anything. They are reasonably priced and last long enough to make it worth the money. I have tried them myself with my 4 year old cat and he is completely unaware he even has them on. I would strongly suggest giving them a try before you do the declawing.
Best Wishes,
Kat
I ordered some last week and they are on the way!
Personally I think declawing is completely inhumane and you can’t even compare it to neutering or spaying, which isn’t done so much for convenience, but also to prevent more unwanted animals from being produced. Declawing is essentially removing the first joint in the cats claw and is as cruel if not more so than docking. Can you imagine how painful that must be? Why inflict that on a cat? I’m in New Zealand and this isn’t a procedure that a vet would even consider here. Some of the procedures carried out in other countries are just barbaric.
Neutering and spaying our pets are definitely done out of convenience for the owners. There are other ways to prevent our pets from breeding, but sterilizing them is the most convenient method for the owners. The pets go through some amount of pain after sterilization, but we see this as a small price to pay for everything we give them – food, shelter, veterinary care, love.
I have to disagree with this. Spaying/neutering is also done for their health, and to prevent cancers.
P.S. Even though your blog posts piss me off, I love ‘em. Makes me think.
Mel,
Maybe we can agree somewhere in the middle on some of these issues.
As I said in the post, sterilizing an animal to “prevent” cancers is a pretty weak reason to have them sterilized. Just because a dog has ovaries does not mean she is going to get ovarian cancer. Here is some research that shows how removing the ovaries can actually lead to a shorter lifespan for dogs: http://www.gpmcf.org/ovarianhome.html
In this post and the one you linked to, you say “most” or “nearly every” landlord will not rent to a tenant with a cat with claws. Is this a fact or based on personal experience?
I used to help folks find rentals as a part of my job, and while I recall speaking to landlords who had a preference for declawed cats, I don’t recall offhand anyone saying it was an across the board, strict policy. It didn’t come up that much.
Personally, I would not declaw a cat. My partner had his cat declawed when he got her and he said it was heart wrenching watching her recover.
It depends on where you live. Most rental properties in Fargo do not allow pets at all. Those that do allow them usually require the cats to be declawed. However, they don’t do a very good job enforcing this.
I’m having my cat declawed soon and the way I see it is I love cats and have always had them! I’m tired of them tearing my things up and I’m very much for having them declawed! It’s NOT inhumane and your stupid if you think so! This blog was awesome! And very true! Either my cats get declawed or they stay at the vet and get uthinized like all the other unwanted cats! So what do you you think the cat would like?? Death and loneliness with claws or a very happy loving he without claws???
*home*
Well said, Kris! I agree!
My cats have claws and that certainly doesn’t equal death and loneliness.
I think getting a cat declawed really should be a last resort option in extreme cases where the cats really are destructive. Declawing cats makes as much sense to me as owners who have their dogs voice box removed. I was actually on the phone with a friend of mine awhile back who happened to be visiting a house with a couple of beagles. One of the beagles had his voice box removed because he barked too much. I couldn’t wrap my head around that statement. Why would you get beagles if you can’t tolerate barking? Get a breed that’s less vocal! Or with cats…if you want declawed cats, adopt cats that are already declawed.
As far as these surgeries being barbaric…I don’t quite agree with that. Just because a country has certain laws doesn’t mean that those laws are always justified. Just because something’s law doesn’t mean it’s a good law. And really, a dog getting his dewclaws removed or his tail docked isn’t quite the same thing as a cat getting his claws removed. A cat has use for his claws and there have been instances of behavioral changes in cats who do get their claws removed. Not saying it’s going to happen, but it has…maybe it’s because they feel more vulnerable? I don’t know. Also, I’ve heard about declawing possibly contributing to arthritis in cats later on in life…don’t know the validity of that either but it’s something I’ve heard from a cat behaviorist. People get cosmetic surgery on their kids (circumcision, anyone? And while it stemmed from religion it certainly hasn’t stuck with religion only…) and I’d say that’s about the same as a dog getting dewclaws removed or a tail docked. Is it exactly the same? No. But they’re very minor procedures and really not barbaric. For me, barbaric is someone who beats his animals, who chains them up and starves them or do sick tests on them for amusement. Not quite the same as a litter or puppies having minor surgery but then going on to live pampered, wonderful lives. I think a cat getting his claws removed could have more consequences because like I said, he actually uses his claws…but I still wouldn’t call it barbaric.
My fiance’s sister has had 7 cats at some point and she lived in a VERY nice house with VERY nice things and they weren’t destroyed and they were in perfectly fine condition. A current friend of mine has a cat who is not allowed on counters or tables and is not allowed to scratch the couch and seats…she enforced that with a squirt bottle which she rarely has to use now. My point is that it can be done. Obviously all animals are different and I have no idea how destructive your cats are but nice things and cats can co-exist. It’s nice to see that you’re using declawing as a last resort. I don’t see it as something that’s off the table, inhumane, or barbaric but I also see it as a very poor option.
I guess the reason I have a harder time with this is because I see things as things. Sure there are nice things and pretty things and expensive things but objects, for me, don’t carry the emotional value of a living creature. I wish I had that mindset earlier when my brother was just a kid and he would destroy my things (unintentionally of course) and I would yell at him and make a big deal. I can honestly say that those things he destroyed really don’t seem like such a big deal 7 – 8 years later but I DO still feel bad for yelling at him for them and as a result, making HIM feel bad for them. I wouldn’t make my animals go through a procedure that will cause them pain simply to preserve objects. But that’s just me…and I understand that people view things differently and that for certain people, objects carry a lot of value. I don’t think one viewpoint is wrong or right, just different.
I agree with you that it’s a personal decision and I also agree with you that spaying/neutering isn’t quite the perfect thing for every animal. As far as population prevention…it’s possible without spaying/neutering…just requires more time and effort that people aren’t willing to give. I had my dog spayed because she can’t go to daycare intact…I felt awful about it…but it was done so that she doesn’t have to spend the day alone at home.
Great points, Star. I appreciate your comment. I agree with much of what you said. I have chosen not to allow my cats to walk on the counters or to sit on the couch at all. I have also chosen not to have them declawed. That means they go into my laundry room at night and sometimes during the day when I can’t supervise. They are very pampered, and I think we’ve come to a compromise that works well. They also wear Soft Paws on their claws, but I don’t get around to replacing them right away when they fall off.
They definitely leave the new couch alone, at least more so than the old couch. The new couch is “off limits” and they were allowed to sleep on the old couch. It is possible to set rules for cats, it just takes a lot of patience consistency.