Declawing

This is long, so bare with me.

Notice:I post this on another board, but would like more input. I also placed here, because I thought I would get more replies(I hope this is ok Mods.)

If you're on my Facebook, you already know this, but I'll announce it here too-we're getting a kitten. She'll be here sometime in October,& we'll hopefully get to meet the litter next month.

But... There's one issues. A significant one at that. My parents, particular my Dad, is dead set on getting our new comer declawed. Jazzy is declawed, because they didn't want the furniture ruined, & didn't want her to scratch us, or other people. It's the same reason for this car. "She'll ruin our leather couches", "She'll scratch up the expensive table,& chairs", & others things all those lines. They also worry that Jazzy can't protect her self, which worries me too, but, that doesn't mean she should be declawed. I'll admit, I was blissfully ignorant when we got Jazzy. So, I had no idea it was bad.

The breeder we got Jazzy from had a contract against declawing, I am not sure what the punishments/fines where, but I do know this breeder didn't allow declawing of their kittens. Of course, they went against it. Nothing has happened, because the breeder isn't aware of what happened.

Since I live in there house, I live their rules,& they make decisions. This won't be my cat, so I don't have full control over the kitten. Thus time though, IMO, it's in the cats best interest to not declaw her,& to convince my parents otherwise of their decision. I've tried talking lightly about it, but, it didn't go as planned.

Basically, how could I convince them otherwise? I want what's best for the new kitten,& declawing certainly isn't good.

I've had a few people suggest soft claws, so I will be looking more into those. If they agree to this alternative, instead of declawing, I'd be more then willing to pay for them. Of course scratching posts will be provided, but I'll mostly like invest my money to buy some.

While I am so excited to get a kitten- I'd rather not get a kitten if it that means the kitten will be declawed. It sucks so much, but I want whats best for the cat.

I would love to email our breeder about this, because this

The thing is, if my parents find that I was the reason we didn't get the kitten they'd be furious with me. My family has been planning to get kitten for a few years, & have been on the waiting list for awhile. Since the kittens are already born, & are about 4 weeks, I don't think I can convince them to not get the kitten.

As state above, I am willing to email the breeder. I will admit, I am afraid to contact them about this.This is the only reason stopping me. Note: I will only do this if my parents still refuse to not get the cat declawed.

I would assume they would go against this contract, too. Which is truly disappointing. Even our vets office doesn't allow declawing, but they will go to a different vet to get her declawed, which just pisses me off.

And, while I would love to get a shelter, or rescue cat, that just isn't an option for my family.While I am not allergic to cats, the rest of my family members are. Siberians are known to be "Hypoallergenic", to those with cats allergies. While they aren't "Hypoallergenic", so to say, Siberians don't causes allergies for the many of people who own them.

Well, I'll say I had a cat that was declawed and while I can't know for certain it was due to declawing, he had some very weird personality quirks and issues that seem to be tied to declawing (lots of biting).

I also had another cat that was declawed and he had no issues other than arthritis popping up earlier than it probably should have because of feet issues.

We've also up until a couple years ago always had some cats with claws and some declawed and never had any issues with the declawed one being unable to coexist with the natural cat. Actually up until he passed away, one of our declawed cats ruled the house.

I would really sit down with your parents and explain why it's fallen out of favor so much, the behavioral and physical side effects that can happen and how hard on the cats the procedure is. I would go in with a clear idea of ways to make it so your kitten knows where they can scratch (which is very important for them so you'll need to get some scratching places for the kitten) and talk about keeping the kittens nails trimmed.

Be frank, don't minimize their concerns but address them and have viable solutions.

Hmmmmm....it's a tough decision, to be sure. The biggest thing for me is that the breeder explicitly states no declawing, yet they still plan to do it. That seems....unethical.

That aside, I have seen quite a few cats that have been declawed, and are just fine. Not that I'm supporting it (I am completely against declawing), but it isn't a death sentence. And, for many cats who would otherwise find themselves in a shelter due to not having a home because of their claws, it is better than euthanasia, IMO.

Honestly....If this isn't going to be YOUR cat, I'd keep my mouth shut and let it be. When it is YOUR cat, you can decide what to do for its health. But, I'm also a bit if a pansy when it comes to creating conflict.

My mom declawed her cat, for the exact same reasons as your parents. She ended up tearing the couch all to hell with her back claws, anyway, was able to draw blood from the other animals and humans (and did on multiple occasions - she didn't need front claws to be deadly) and not being able to safely be an outdoor cat due to her missing appendages was what ended up killing her thanks to chronic stress cystitis which caused her to pee all over the house.

My parents wanted to declaw Apollo, too. I refused, as he was MY cat. He didn't use his claws inappropriately. He did less damage to their couch than their declawed cat did. I think now my parents see the stupidity of declawing when a cat is given a proper outlet for its behavior.

Histamine isn't declawed, either. We trim her nails every week or so and they stay nice and short. She doesn't scratch up anything. She doesn't scratch us (she's very gentle when she plays). I couldn't imagine taking her nails away from her.

To start I'd offer to take full responsibility for nail trimming, training the cat to use scratchers, etc. When my cats nails are regularly trimmed they do not hurt at all if they scratch and I feel they couldn't do much furniture damage either. I don't KNOW though because they don't scratch the furniture. If we buy a new piece of furniture yes they have to be informed that we didn't buy them new scratching posts, but that takes like a week. Offer to buy the scratchers (and buy a variety of materials!) as well as preventative aversives for furniture (double sided tape/sticky paws, citrus scented air fresheners, squirt bottles if that's your thing) so training can start immediately.

Talk about the potential side effects (arthritis, biting, litter box issues). Talk about how much it upsets you to be putting a young kitten through so much pain. You might even equate it to removing a puppies teeth so he doesn't bite or chew stuff up (no it's not exactly the same...but would follow the same logic).


You could try to make a deal...if the cat is still using furniture or scratching people by the time he's 1 year old they can go ahead and declaw. I mean it's a risky deal because who knows what the cat will be like in a year, but at least it gives him a chance. Why put a kitten through surgery when he may never ever have the problems they're trying to prevent? The other cat having no claws wouldn't even cross my mind, if your cat needs claws to deal with the kitten then there's a bigger relationship problem that needs to be dealt with, you don't just remove their claws and allow it to persist. That's like muzzling two dogs that tend to fight and just letting them go at it muzzled. Not to mention your cat still has teeth, when my cats do fight or even correct each other they don't scratch each other, they bite.

All of my parents cats have been declawed. Muffins, my childhood cat, was a front paw declaw. Maui, our retired show cat, came to us as a 4 paw declaw. Maddie, my parents cat was supposed to be a front paw declaw, but they got talked into a 4 paw. Malibu was also supposed to be a front paw but a different vet at different clinic also talked them into a 4 paw.

None of those cats had any personality issues. They are/were loving cats. They get to go put on the lanai, still use a scratching post, etc. None have had issues with the litter box. They hit when aggitated - and it does hurt depending on how upset they are. An ex had a cat with claws, and it was vicious. It got into everything. It tore up everything. My sisters cats have all claws. The one would go from a seated position and jump onto your back and hold you. The other lures you in for a pet and then rapid fire swats you away claws out.

For me, I'd prefer a declaw, but would not do it myself. I wouldn't get a kitten - I like young adult cats if I were to adopt.

If you aren't purchasing the cat, I don't think you have a right to tell the breeder. If you are against declaw, then sit down and tell your parents why. Provide alternatives such as soft paws or find a breeder that has same breed, that doesn't have that in their contract. If they still choose to do it, then they do it with full knowledge of consequences. If the home is otherwise suited to a kitten, a declaw wouldnt matter to me.

I saw on the other forum where people suggested emailing the breeder behind your parents' back and I really don't think that is a good idea especially if you are nervous about it. It will create drama and tension and could put you in a bad spot.

At the end of the day... not your cat and not your choice. It is HARD to deal with, trust me I know the feeling. At some point you do have to step back and say even if they are family you can only take care of yours and your own. It is very difficult when you're a kid and trying to get your parents to listen to you about important decisions. Especially if they feel like they know better than you (and sometimes they do!) or they feel that the kid is talking down to them.

That said, I would talk to them more about it. Maybe be like 'Hey I found these cool soft paws things' and then tell them a bit about how it's better than declawing. If you could take responsibility for trimming nails and putting the soft paws on then even better.

But if they don't go for it... then there's not much you can do. Yes they are being unethical by breaching their contract but as a minor in the house it's not your decision at the end of the day.

I'd let it go. Let them work it out.

Declawing is not great but if it helps a cat get or keep a home I could care less. I have paid to declaw cats to get them homes. It is sooooo hard to find cats good homes and they are so many homeless cats out there that have short miserable lives.

I've never had an issue with any. My parents declawed our cats when I was younger and I've dealt with the aftercare maybe five times or so. We did get two done that pull off the claw caps recently.

Thanks.

I'm definitely planing on sitting down,& talking about it with both of my parents. Our current cat is declawed,& doesn't show much issues, besides hating her paws getting touched.

I'll also mention to them that our current vet doesn't declaw, for good reasons. Since our current cat is due for her yearly check up, I think I'll bring it up. Ask something like "What do you think about declawing?".


Yeah, I really don't like creating conflict either, at all. I also agree that it's unethical to declaw the kitten, if the contract explicitly states to not declaw any of her kittens.

It's reassuring to hear some cats are just fine with the producer. It just... sounds unethical,& wrong to do in this situation.

I'm going mention that I'll be willing to train the kitten, purchase the soft claws/scratching posts/other items,trim her nails,& any other responsibilities that they want me to do to prevent this cat from being declawed.

I haven't thought of making a deal with them, but, I'll consider it.

Yeah, I didn't really feel comfortable about emailing the breeder about the situation. It wasn't my idea originally, but when other mention it, it sound like a good idea. And, still does. I'm on the fence about this,& I'm really not sure which road I'll take. I just want what's best for the kitten, unfortunately, that might not happen.

This is simply my opinion, but, I don't think many ethical/responsible cat breeders would be ok with declawing. I might be wrong, though.

I agree with a lot you made. Especially the minor thing. Obviously, I'm still a minor,& I live with them,& I understand that it isn't my decision, or choice. It sucks, a lot, to see this kitten be declawed,& there isn't much I can do. Unless, I go down the other road.

Many of the people in my family are uneducated in the world of cats,& dogs especially. You'd probably be horrified if you heard what their opinions where.

Thanks to everyone who has answered.

Tried to add to my already existing post, but, it was too many characters.

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I don't think it's situation where this cat will be declawed, or the cat goes to a shelter.

I'm also going to college soon, so, I don't know what will happen then.

I think it's cruel. If they're dead set on getting a declawed cat, they could rescue an adult one that is already declawed. IMO the worst part is that it's not even a 'random' kitten, but from a breeder who obviously has strong feelings about declawing, and doing it against their back is just plain wrong... how would you feel if someone did that to you.

Frankly I'd call the breeder and let him know, personally. It just really bugs me.

ETA: I understand you're against it, and it's your parents and there isn't much you can do. But if it's from a reputable breeder, I'm sure they'd have no problem finding another home for that cat...

Both hubby and I had declawed (front only) indoor/outdoor cats as kids but decided to try to train Brie to only scratch her posts. In her case it was really easy -- we just praised heavily and gave her lots of attention for brilliantly scratching her posts and calmly said "no" when she even started to look like she was going to scratch furniture and redirected her to her post. By the time she was old enough to have free reign of the house and was integrated with the dogs she was fine and we've never had a problem.

At the very least perhaps you can convince them to try to train the kitten to scratch appropriately before making any final decisions?

I have to agree that it bothers me more that this is a kitten from a breeder with a wait list who has other options...not exactly declawing to save a life here. And perhaps it's because I recently sent the Mirapup to his home but the thought of someone signing a contract with the intent to break it and violate their promise really rubs me the wrong way. Not blaming you, understand, just saying...

I have contacted breeders and rescues behind people's back. A girl I use to be friends with in school should not own a pet. Picture a hoarders house. That's get house. No beds, it smells and honestly people shouldn't live there either. She was dead set in getting a dog even after admitting she couldn't pay food.

I sent an email and explained what was going on. They all found tactful ways to turn her down and she never knew it was me.

Just throwing that out there if you are worried about them finding out.

I will never feel like declawing is a good option for a kitten. The surgery is brutal to watch, the cats are in misery for the duration of their healing process... It's just not a kind thing to do to your pet. If I were this breeder, I'd want to know.

I've never even had a need to use soft claws. Use regular dog nail clippers, the pliers type. Hold cat on your lap. Gently squeeze your cat's foot to extend the claws, and clip them off just before the quick, getting rid of the sharp excess nail. This is what digs into things and causes damage. Maybe do this every couple of days. Good way to build trust and bond with your cat if you start at an early age.

Buying a kitten from a breeder, and knowingly planning to violate the breeder's contract, and trust, doesn't sit well with me. That's not fair to the breeder, or the kitten, or the next person in line who would fully comply with the contract. I'd be sorely tempted to let the breeder know...

My brother's cats (brother & sister) were declawed, and I'm not sure if it had anything to do with it, but the male wound up becoming super aggressive, to the point of attacking people and biting them. My brother and his wife consulted a vet and a behaviorist, tried medicating, but finally had the cat PTS because they couldn't tell what would set him off and my niece was just a toddler at the time. The female seemed fairly 'normal' her entire life (except for a tendency to chew holes in clothes).

We have Molly now, a front paws declawed cat, and she's a bit odd, but part of that is because this is her fourth home and she's a tortoiseshell suffering from torti-tude. She won't jump on anything over her head in height, avoids the other cats (with LOTS of swearing) and does have a tendency to bite when she's angry (which is often).

We've never declawed our cats, we just clip claws as needed and make sure there are sufficient cat scratching pads/posts for everyone. Water pistols work well for deterring from a distance.

I acquired my (one and only) cat as a young adult, so this is limited personal experience, but for what it's worth...

I feel like declawing is never a good option. It's cruel and unnecessary. Cats need their claws, they use them. There are ways of managing the scratching behavior. When we first got Sassy, she attempted to scratch several things. We bought her her own scratching posts (cardboard, sisal, and carpet) and directed her to them each time we saw her starting to scratch on the furniture. Her nails are kept trimmed - if you start doing this as a kitten, they'll be very tolerant. You can try a squirt bottle or some sort of hissing noise as an interrupter if you notice them scratching on inappropriate things.

I have this conversation all the time with customers at work. My general opinion on it is that if you don't want to deal with claws...don't get a cat.

It is just a horrible situation all around. It bother the sh*t out of me that my parents want her declawed,& would go against the breeders contract.

I'd definitely take on the task of training the kitten. Because, I am actually interested in training her, & no one else would have the desire to train this kitten.

In what ways have you praised her? I would assume it was with food. If it is, what food has worked best for training?

I think my parents would eventually find out that it was me, who told the breeder about the declawing. No one else knows we're going to declaw our kitten.

Thanks for the suggestions.




I'll bring the behavioral issues into to play. Hopefully, that'll scare them enough to not get her declawed.

Our current cat loves getting sprayed, its the weirdest thing. She'll try to drink it too.:rofl1:

Thank you!

I would not email the breeder behind your parents back. No way.

I'd tell them outright that I'm against it and explain why, I'd remind them the breeder explicitly states it's a no no and I'd tell them under no uncertain terms I'd be chatting to the breeder if they go ahead with it.

Although I see why you're stuck in the middle. No need to be sneaky though...

At the end of the day you might be in their house but that doesn't mean you can't be an active participant of the household.

I would totally email the breeder if they don't change their mind. They would never have to know either, as long as you trust the breeder would take you seriously, and wouldn't throw you under the bus for telling them about it.

I agree, if you tell the breeder you don't want them knowing it was you, they just could use another reason or something.

But if it was me, I would totally tell the breeder.