# Confessions of a former declawer



## XmalD73 (Nov 23, 2009)

Five cats have graced our home, two in Pet Heaven, three still making our lives wonderful.

I never had cats growing up, but had heard of declawing. My partner Brad had cats, and his Mom always did an all four declaw. So when we adopted our first boys, Phantom and Phoenix in 1998, we did a front declaw (humane society wouldn't allow all four) and never had an issue. Did a front declaw on our girl Phoebe Jean in 2003 as well after Phoenix died. All were done at about 3-4 months of age.

My sister Diana aka White Kitties began to educate me on declawing after adopting her girls Fern and Fergie, and I began to look into it. I was a bit offended initially that she was telling me I shouldn't do it for any future cats! In my mind, all our cats were fine and had never had any issues. I did observe though that nothing in Diana's house was damaged or torn, thanks to diligent claw trimming and scratching posts.

When we adopted our new Bengals Phineas and Phaelan last fall, I decided I did not want to do any declaw, and convinced Brad as well. The clincher was interacting with the boys as kittens, and seeing how they used their claws! Hanging from cat trees, playing with toys, etc. It was amazing, and something we had never observed before. I felt that front declawing these beautiful purebreds would be like buying a Ferrari and replacing the front tires with spare donuts.

I apologize to Phoebe Jean regularly for taking her front claws away. We trim the boys claws regularly (Phaelan is not very cooperative) and have scratchers around the house, and after three months with Bengal kittens, have yet to have anything damaged.

So that's my story...never again a declawed cat in our house, and I now enjoy educating others on why it's totally unnecessary.


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## tigressbythetail (Dec 1, 2010)

Good for you!

My husband and I used to drive a big truck to NYC twice a week where we delivered regularly to this warehouse in Brooklyn. There was a cat living in the warehouse with a death warrant on his head because he was pooping in there. A guy on a lunch truck used to give him cartons of milk. Anyway, we got to know the cat and he was such a sweetheart. With winter coming on and threats of death from warehouse workers, we decided to take him home with us to California. Or I should say I decided. I still can't believe my hubby let me get away with it. We took him to a local vet to have him checked out first and had him bathed and vaccinated. That's when we found out he had been declawed. The poor cat didn't stand a chance out on his own. He couldn't even catch a rat, though believe me, from what I've seen of NY rats I think he was the one in danger. 

We figured later that he must have been someone's truck cat that had escaped because he got back in our sleeper and his entire attitude changed from poor, sweet little cat to king of the road and he didn't want to share the sleeper with us! I've never seen a cat with such strong right hook. We should have named him Rocky but he got stuck with the dumb name of 'Big Apple.' He was a biter too, and I've heard from others that had declawed cats that they had the same problem. You would be petting him and he would bite you for no reason. And if you weren't petting him but he wanted you to pet him, he'd bite. He was a funny cat.


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## WhiteKitties (Dec 22, 2008)

David C said:


> My sister Diana aka White Kitties began to educate me on declawing after adopting her girls Fern and Fergie, and I began to look into it. I was a bit offended initially that she was telling me I shouldn't do it for any future cats! In my mind, all our cats were fine and had never had any issues. I did observe though that nothing in Diana's house was damaged or torn, thanks to diligent claw trimming and scratching posts.


Glad I could help! Fern and Fergie were happy to have a paw in the saving of their new cousins' claws!


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

Good for Diana for educating you, and good for you for educating others. We had cats growing up, but none was ever declawed. My parents are from Europe and they just viewed declawing as cruel. I was older before I understood why, but I would never even think to declaw a cat. About the only thing Muffs and Abby scratch (aside from their posts) is a rug I keep in my front foyer, which doesn't bother me because I don't much like the darn rug in the first place.


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## Kobster (Feb 1, 2007)

I completely relate to your story. I used to declaw too, just as a matter of course. Never thought anything of it. None of my cats now are declawed and they never scratch inappropriately and they are so much happier with their claws.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

My sister in law is completely set on declawing. She claims that with her allergies and 'fine furniture' it's the only way she can have a cat. We've argued nearly to the point of violence. It always reminds me why I live so far from my family....ugh.


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## Monkey_Girl (Aug 1, 2010)

My parents have always had our cats declawed (all four) and so when I found Monkey it was part of the deal of keeping her. Either declaw her or find her another home (we found her at about 3-4 weeks old) so I choose to declaw her.. I didn't know what it really meant so I just went with it.

When I rescued Dexter, I did my research on it and wow... I felt so guilty. Dexter has all of his claws and so will any other cat that enters my home. 

Definitely will never declaw again.


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## Lieke (Jan 12, 2011)

Thank you for your post, and yey for keeping the claws! 

As mentioned by Susan, in Europe, where I grew up, declawing is considered animal abuse, hence non of our cats were declawed. I moved to Canada a couple of years ago, and when I found out that declawing is an actual word, an actual act, I was shocked. In my anger towards people who did declaw, I used to make an extreme comparison: "if your baby cries, will you take out the vocal chords because it's so painful to your ears?" Not fair really, but I was just very upset.

I want to thank you for your thread in that I never realized that a lot of people are just not educated in this matter, I am glad that you don't declaw anymore though! 
(Gorgeous cat on your avatar by the way!)


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## Vivid Dawn (May 31, 2010)

I've heard that "a few cities" in the US now make it illegal to declaw... now if we can only turn that into "all 50 states", I'd be happy!

Whenever somebody adopts from the rescue group I volunteer with, they have to sign an agreement not to declaw. And if they even mention it, we "pounce" right on the issue and tell them all the alternatives - clipping, SoftPaws, teaching to use a scratching post, etc. We even show them how to clip claws, even if we have to do it on another cat than the one being adopted, if they seem nervous about it. MOST cats really don't mind it, especially if you're quick enough. And most get used to it if you do it often enough.

There are rare times when it's needed, for medical reasons. One of the cats in our program has an ingrown claw that is now starting to grow sideways in her paw! So she's scheduled to have that one toe amputated next week (was gonna do it this week, but she had to get over her URI first). It's causing her pain anyway, and she's starting to favor that foot.


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## Monkey_Girl (Aug 1, 2010)

I've been clipping Dex's nails since he came home. I would also play with his paws constantly and still do. Now he's a pro and just sits there for me while I clip away. 

The rescue group I use to volunteer for has a strict no declaw policy as well, as it should be.


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## Hitomi (Nov 15, 2010)

I actually made my Aunt cry one time after showing her a declawing video on my blackberry in a restaurant.She also said she wished she never did it to her cat who crossed rainbow bridge four years ago.


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## colin72 (Jun 25, 2010)

Glad to hear you've had success with not declawing.

Whenever I try and explain why declawing is not humane to someone I never seem to be able to get through to them. You would think people's reaction would be, "wow I never really thought of what declawing actually is"... but no, it doesn't seem to sink in.


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## Vivid Dawn (May 31, 2010)

I explain it this way:
I stick my hand out, fingers spread. "It's just like you chopping off your fingertips at the first knuckle".
MOST of the time that does it. Sometimes people are like "Well, that's not so bad, you still have most of your finger left. And besides, I don't want my cats having claws because of blah-blah-blah".
But usually the chopping motion right above my hand, in a most vicious manner as if I had a butcher knife, does the trick.

Oh, and there's also the argument about that "new laser that's better and not as traumatic". Yeah... you're STILL cutting off a whole joint of the digit, though!


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## raecarrow (Oct 27, 2009)

I never wanted to declaw my Bengal Boys. My reasoning, if the poor kitty had to fend for themselves for any reason, I would want them to have every advantage they could.

I was SHOCKED when I was looking for places that about 50% of them in my area (more so with private rentals) had a declaw clause in their leases. Several even had a "4 foot" declaw clause. I understand "spay/neuter clauses" but this is WAY over the line. Some of these places were listed on "pet friendly" search sites. Needless to say, I wrote bad reports on websites about the clauses on several websites for each one and I contacted the "pet friendly" websites to let them know that these places were requiring you to abuse your pet in order to live there. I'm happy these places are no longer labeled "pet friendly".

@David C - I'm glad you decided not to declaw your Beatuiful Bengal Boys as well!


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## catnapped (Nov 11, 2010)

I had never heard of declawing before I joined this forum. Sad. Claws are so beautiful.


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## Abbie (Jan 13, 2011)

I was also not really aware of declawing before I came on her. I live in England where declawing, rightly so, is banned. I've never heard anyone mention it.

This may sound simple, but... Those of you who trim your cats claws, is this purely to prevent them from scratching furniture etc? As I've never considered trimming my girls claws and they're both indoor cats.

My girls don't really scratch anything- only the base of the bed, but this is easily covered with a sheet so it doesn't really bother me. They stretch up on the sofa leg, which looks like they are about to scratch, but they don't.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

My girls have actually gotten their claws stuck in screen doors and screen windows when they're due for a nail trimming. They also get stuck in the rug, blankets, toys......ME!

They're quite overdue right now, so no doors or windows are left open while I'm at work. I need to call their groomer and see if she'll do a house call for me, it's such a pain to take all four in.


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## catnapped (Nov 11, 2010)

Abbie said:


> This may sound simple, but... Those of you who trim your cats claws, is this purely to prevent them from scratching furniture etc? As I've never considered trimming my girls claws and they're both indoor cats.


I was wondering the same. I dont trim claws either. My kitty does scratch the furniture in my rented flat but it's too late to save my safety deposit now anyway!


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## Time Bandit (Aug 17, 2010)

As I've said before, Samantha is front-declawed, but it was done by her previous owners _before _they abandoned her.  I will never declaw, and it was never a consideration for me. I'm glad to hear that you too have seen the truth, David C! 

As for nail trimming, we do it every two weeks. My girls are really good (most of the time!) with only scratching on their posts and mats. But, I trim, because if they get too long, they sometimes hurt each other in play. It's never on purpose, they just play rough with each other, but a stray claw here and there has caused a few tiny scabby wounds on necks. That always made me feel awful (especially when I found them on poor front-declawed Sammy!), so we now have a schedule.


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

Abbie said:


> This may sound simple, but... Those of you who trim your cats claws, is this purely to prevent them from scratching furniture etc? As I've never considered trimming my girls claws and they're both indoor cats.


I don't trim my cats claws...my vet tech does. But I rarely take the girls in during the winter, only over the summer. My reason is similar to Marie's. If I don't trim their claws in the summer, they get stuck in the screens, which could tear their claws. Few houses in England have screens (wire mesh), but here you can't live without screens because of all the bugs. :?


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## Hitomi (Nov 15, 2010)

I only trim one of Boo's claws which is a extra one he has one his left pinky.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Yay! My groomer is coming over after she gets off work on Saturday to trim their nails!!!!! She's going to call when she's on her way so I can round them up and put them in carriers. That way, I can take them out one at a time when she gets here.


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## Kobster (Feb 1, 2007)

I trim my kids claws purely for my comfort. They don't scratch the furniture, only their (many) designated scratching posts and surfaces. Their claws get long and scratch me drawing blood when they come tearing through the house leaping off of me etc. Clipping doesn't hurt or hinder them in any way. They will also get 'stuck' in blankets and such if they get too long.


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## Vivid Dawn (May 31, 2010)

I don't clip Paizly's because she needs the grip to haul herself around (as she has no back legs)
Nebbie refuses to let me even near her paws... took me 2 years before I could even pet her shoulders, and just barely a couple months ago I can touch her head without her flinching...too much, anyway.


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