Rick's World

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To Declaw or Not to Declaw

Posted by on Apr 16 2006 in General

About a month ago, I adopted a second cat - Jewel. She's a black and white tiger kitten about 6 months old. She still has all her claws. This is unlike my first cat, Tiger who I had declawed shortly after I got him. Why did I declaw Tiger? Because everyone said I should. Everyone said that he would tear up the furniture with his claws if I didn't have him declawed. I had it done one day, by the vet, and honestly I've felt very guilty about doing it to him every since. Now I am facing the same decision again with Jewel. Should I declaw her or not? I really do not want to do that to her. If I can find any way to avoid it, I am going to try to NOT do it. So far, in the last month that she's been here, she's been great. She hasn't clawed up the furniture, scratched me, or been a pest in any way. I think I've learned some things in the 3 years since I got Tiger. I am handling her better since I know what to expect. Everyone tells me that I should declaw her. I took their advice before, with Tiger, because I didn't know any better. I think I know better now and I'm going to make my own decision here.

Unless it really becomes necessary, she is going to keep her claws.

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5 comments

Comment from: 5-Cat Style

5-Cat Style
Please please please do NOT declaw Jewel. All you have to do is to trim her claws regularly and you'll never have any problems with her scratching.
04/17/06 @ 02:01

Comment from: john

john
You really should declaw her. I've had several cats and in the end they were all declawed. It only takes one incident to ruin something of real value. We tried leaving the back claws on one of the cats and even that caused an eventual problem. Ended up having to take the back claws off when he was over a year old and then it's much harder. He didn't heal as fast and we got blood all over the place from the wounds opening up. Another cat we tried to let go a bit as well and ended up declawing him after a few problems. He ended up getting sick all the time anyhow and vomiting everywhere...so he had to get put down. Bottom line is, do it now while it's not a big deal. It's like circumcision. We talked to a lot of people about whether or not to do it to our son. In the end no one really had a problem with having had it done to themselves or to their child. However, a number of grown men who hadn't had it done as a baby ended up going back to have it done later in life for perosonal or medical reasons....and it was much harder physically and emotionally at that point.
04/17/06 @ 14:37

Comment from:

Rick
5-Cat Style, Thanks for the kind words.
04/17/06 @ 23:21

Comment from:

Rick
John, So let me get this straight. You are suggesting I get all 4 of my cats claws removed? Not likely. Declawing the front two is questionable. Declawing all four is downright cruel.
04/17/06 @ 23:23

Comment from: john

john
I'm not suggesting you do all 4...but definitely the front. I ended up having to do all 4...which really isn't any more or less cruel than doing the front 2 if you are dealing with an indoor only cat. He/she has no need to defend itself. It was a situation where the back claws were becoming destructive.
05/25/06 @ 13:34