My parents had their cat declawed. It was a deaf cat, and never went outdoors. My folks were in their senior years and just weren't willing to have the patience to train the cat to keep it from ruining the only good set of furniture they'd ever had. But I could tell the cat was suffering for awhile afterward. I thought it was cruel, myself.

I would never de-claw a cat. We have 2 cats and they use the scratching post every time.

I had no idea that this was illegal in the UK, which I think is just great!

I find de-clawing almost as unforgivable as making a cat stay indoors when he is clearly interested in being outdoors.

I strongly oppose declawing, it is not only painful and cruel, it is potentially dangerous. I have seen what a botched declawing can result into. One cat's front paws never fully grew, another had to have surgeries to correct things because his bones actually stuck out.

And what gets me the most is that so many people throw declawed cats out. Our local pet shelter regularly gets declawed cats picked up from the streets. It's a miracle they managed to survive. I hope people who did this pay for it sometime, in some way.

There is no way I'd have a cat declawed. It causes considerable pain for them! I think it's cruel when there are good alternatives. I'm glad it's illegal in the UK!

Thank you for posting this much needed to know information. Great post and great subject.

De-clawing would rid my babies their own freedom. It's in their nature to have sharp claws, I don't think i have the right to do such a thing.

(05-08-2008 08:33 PM)SpoiledAngel Wrote:  De-clawing a cat is not only inhumane but selfish!!! If you provide a stable scratching post, with cat nip the cat will choose that post over ANY furniture. Animals are like human babies, they have to be taught right from wrong! I will give you an example on what it would be like to be a de-clawed cat. The surgery would be like removing your last joint on your fingers, the joint in which your fingernail is located. OUCHIE I don't know about anyone else, but that is so inhumane, cruel, and selfish!!!!

I agree totally. My cats use to claw the furniture with their claws and it did drive me mad - but like the post above says they can be taught not to do it as long as they have plenty of alternatives - now my cats don't claw the furniture any more.

We decided to not declaw our cats. We just keep them nice and trimmed. We don't cut Kitty's claw's because she goes in and out so much we want her to use them if she has to but she never scratches the furniture or does things to harm us

I agree declawing should not be allowed, claws are what nature intended, it would be like someone chopping our fingers off!