My son and I visit lots of cats in our neighborhood.The ones who have their claws are agressive and scratch.
The ones who are declawed are nice and do not bite.
make of it what you will.
Then perhaps you might be able to understand why I don’t understand your opening comments in this thread. You hate intolerance of different ideas about love? About how animals should be treated? What? Is the fact that something is an opinion mean everyone else must respect it? WTF man? I am simply at a loss.
There is no way I am going to get involved in this argument, I’m just going to offer a comment regarding outdoor cats.
I was raised in the country (had horses, cows, pigs, etc.) and until the 9000 people who recently decided to build subdivisions out in my little neck of the woods (assholes), I lived in the country. Nearly all of my friends now and in the past have lived on farms. Outdoor cats are essential to keep the mice population under control. Mice that get into grain, feed, destroy certain crops, and carry disease. These cats are just as important as a good tractor or irrigation ditch.
Each and every farm cat I have seen has been big and strong and quite able to take care of itself as well as perform its “job” for the farmer.
Again, not taking sides on the declawing/claw issue because I just don’t care enough on either end. Just another comment though.
My three cats have their claws. My calico is very snooty and stuck up but loves to be petted (on her terms) and never scratches or bites. My big floppy orange longhair licks and purrs - never bites, never scratches, just lovable as all hell. My outrageously FAT black and white who I adopted last year (found her almost stared to death at a coffee shop) is loveable but is a squaker. Does bite or scratch but sounds like you are committing bloody murder when she decides that she doesn’t want any more attention.
My friend has two cats, both declawed, one is sweet but the other would take your arm off and scratch your eyes out if could.
You can’t assume all declawed cats are non-agressive and you can’t assume all clawed cats are agressive.
Doesn’t bite or scratch.
No, my sample was way too small to make that observation. Just what we’ve encountered, thats all.
Me and my former husband had two cats, male and female.
The male we found outside as a kitten.
The female was given to us as a young adult.
Neither were declawed.
The male was an outdoor cat (and I apologize, he wasn’t fixed).
Neither of them scratched, at least I couldn’t see where if so.
My cats had the declawing done by laser, and got no pain meds. Should I have gotten some? At any rate, they sure didn’t seem to be in any pain when I brought them home afterwards.
How does declawing change a cat’s behavior? Why would all four paws being done make things worse than just the fronts? (not being a smart-ass; I’m asking out of ignorance, and you’re a vet tech, so you’re obviously more of a cat expert than me)
IMO, the behavior and general attitude of my cats (at least the one) changed for the better after the declawing (only the fronts), because then I wasn’t upset with her anymore. She can knead on me all she wants, she can “claw” wherever she wants…life is good. Of course, I still have to throw her out of bed at 4:00 am every freaking morning when she tries to stand on my face. Cats! :rolleyes:
Two cats, both de-clawed the old fashioned way (front only, though,) both absolutely loving, doting, & active, capable of leaping, running, jumping and grooming (wtf?) who get regular shots, live indoors and have never been out of doors save journeys to/from my car when going to the vet, moving homes or visiting the parents for an extended period. I got the oldest, Alexi (a Tiffany,) from the Humane Society, already spayed and had her de-clawed at the earliest opportunity. Dmitry came to me the following summer from a friend whose Aunts cat had a litter and, were they not adopted, would have had them put down. I had him neutered and de-clawed ASAP, too.
I tried clipping for both, since each was a wee kitten when I got them, but both required wrapping in a towel or some other form of massive restraint which I felt, and still feel, was extremely disruptive/disturbing, and perhaps psychologically scarring to the kittens. Yes, I got them de-clawed because I didn’t want my leather couch, my carpet, my walls, my tables my bed and bed linens damaged. I got them de-clawed because I care for them and I wanted to give them the best home possible, mine. Anyone that has met me, or perhaps seen me on my webcam, has likely heard about or seen my cats. I care for them, play with them and ensure their needs are met. They want for nothing, they are plenty active, they are loving, doting creatures that come running to the foyer whenever someone comes to the door because they simply love to be around people. They always have a lap or couch to sleep on, something that would likely not be the case if they had their claws intact, and we both would be missing out on that lolling, purring bit of warmth. Likewise, they have the run of my apartment (both apartments, actually) and the only restrictions they have is that I shut them out of my bedroom at night, since they love running back and forth across the bed to the window.
Anyone that makes the argument that de-clawing for convenience is wrong and that you have no right to care more about your furniture or walls than your pet but then says it’s okay to neuter because of the smell of spray is an incredible hypocrite. See if you can figure out why.
I make no excuses for de-clawing my animals. The fact that they will never go outside has nothing to do with anything, IMO. The fact that they can do anything a “clawed” cat can do doesn’t hurt, but that has nothing to do with this argument, either. The simple fact is that I wanted a cat and that, eventually, necessitated having them de-clawed. For anyone that tells me that I didn’t really want a cat then, I should have gotten something that wouldn’t claw things, like a dog or gerbil or bird or something, you are being an ass. I grew up with cats, I enjoy the companionship of cats as pets, I don’t mind emptying a litter-box and combing the occasional dingle-berry out of Alexi’s long fur. Don’t you dare tell me what I can or can not have as a pet, as a domesticated animal, provided for and given a pampered and worthwhile life at my leisure. Call me whatever you want, my cats are happy, healthy, and de-clawed.
Ya know what bugs me…
When people jump to the conclusion that my cats are declawed for my convience - because I don’t want them scratching up the furniture. There ARE other reasons to declaw a cat.
And, since asking someone why is prying, why not assume the best of people and assume they had a better reason than their curtains instead of assuming they are simply into supposed animal cruelty.
Ya know what bugs me…
When people jump to the conclusion that my cats are declawed for my convience - because I don’t want them scratching up the furniture. There ARE other reasons to declaw a cat.
And, since asking someone why is prying, why not assume the best of people and assume they had a better reason than their curtains instead of assuming they are simply into supposed animal cruelty.
Again, not that I care one way or another if anyone declaws their cat, but I am going to pry and ask what other reasons there are to declaw a cat other than to protect your furniture or if the cat is known to attack.