It is so simple to trim the cat's nails once a week or so.

Why, oh why, can't everyone just do that??

Mine consider it part of the routine...hardly put up a fuss...and they have nice short nails, that can't dig into me, afterwards.

I have even thought of smoothing them off with a file, but I doubt that would bode well with them...lol.

They get to keep their claws, no mutilations necessary, and I am happy too. A win-win situation all the way around!

Funniest thing I ever saw: A friend of ours has hamsters. You have to trim their nails! I had no idea.

She just turns the little critters on their back, and there they lie, all fours up in the air, while she clips them!!! LOL

My former cats were adopted strays and just would tear me up rather than be clipped. But my current cat was trimmed weekly at the shelter before I adopted her at 7 months old, so she's pretty super about it.

Every cat I know that has litterbox problems is declawed -- but... I know very few cats (friends, family, etc...) that are not declawed. To say it is the norm here is an understatement. I still get people shaking their heads in disbelief that I did not declaw my kitty. I am proud of myself for not doing it and proud of my DH for giving me a chance to prove that it was not necessary.

My kitty gets nail trimmings every 10 days and uses his cat tree to scratch. I do catch him occasionally scratching the carpet on the stairs -- but because of his nail trimmings, there is no damage. My comforter is snagged like crazy -- but that is because I play with him with my hands under the covers.

Nail trimmings and scratching posts are no guarantee that some damage will not occur. But... I can accept this risk.

Back the original question. I think it is fair to ask an applicant if they plan to declaw -- if the answer is yes, I would encourage adopting an already declawed cat or kitten (there are plenty in my area that don't have homes).

I dont see anyone judgeing,just trying to inform.You keep saying "my cats were fine,my cats were fine" But that doesnt mean that there arent plenty of cats who ARE NOT FINE because of declawing.
It's like smoking...everyone did it in the 50's and what not,fact you werent cool if you didnt.Now look how much we all know smoking is bad for us and they are trying to ban that everywhere.They WILL sooner or later ban declawing.You'd declaw in a heartbeat but I bet you'd have a real problem with someone blowing smoke around you.The more we learn how things are bad,the more we as a society try to improve on it.No need to get bent out of shape.
And it is very easy to have a cat without it being declawed.I trim my cat's once a week and he sits there like a big baby in my arms and lets me.Once a cat knows it is not allowed to scratch in certain places,it wont with the proper training.(and a clap is usually enough)
I for one am thankful for the information regarding declawing. And where I live there are hardly any vets who will even perform a declawing~so if it is not inhumane,then how do you explain that???

I adopted a six toed cat with a no declaw clause. The poor thing got his nail caught in the carpet when he walked and would sit and cry. Because of the unusal configuration of that toe, cutting the nail made no difference. I declawed that one toe.
It is absurd to say it is inhumane and not consider the consequences if one has a serious problem with a cat that is having problems.

Hamptonmeadow,most cats DO NOT have a problem like yours did.Therefore,it is inhumane.
As I said,most vets where I live REFUSE to do it.So,that should tell you something.

Our humane society used to have such a clause but I believe they dropped it. Was more important to get cats to good homes then have them put to sleep. Surgery has come a long way. My childhood cat had bandages on his paws when he was declawed. Now they have little glue tips and not as much pain. I really don't see them making this illegal.

I had a few declawed cats when I was younger. Only one has (he's still around, as is one of the others) He holds his paw up sometimes, and limps a bit. Has since he got his claws out. But other than that, they've all been fine.

However, I now have two cats with all claws. And the kitten shreds the carpet along the stairs like theres no tomorrow, but she is learning (we are waiting to replace as planned before her, until she quits) and the other scratches the back of our recliner chairs every so often. Mostly when she's gotten in trouble for something. The only time I would ever declaw a cat again, is if I had children and the cat made a habit of clawing the kids up.

Its not so much that Im agaisnt declawing, I just dont see the point, unless they're using their claws to hurt someone over and over. Getting rid of your cat, or declawing it because it scratches furniture, to me is like getting brand new carpet, and then a puppy..and then taking the puppy back because it piddles on the new carpet. You know its going to happen, when you get into it. IF you dont want to deal with it, either dont get the new kitty, or move the furniture to somewhere where kitty cant claw it up. However, I'm also not going to say Im against it either. I will never declaw again unless I absolutely have to, but if other people feel the need to do it, then thats their right and I wont say boo about it. Its very difficult to find anyone to declaw in my city, or even my province anymore. A lot of the times vets will only do it under very special circumstances. If the cant is having problems with their claws, and usually if children are involved. None of this "Fluffy tore up my new sofa" They wont do it, or most wont anyways.

Some dogs are much more destructive than a cat clawing furniture could ever be. And we dont pull out all their teeth, or pull their claws so they cant dig. I treat my cats the same as my dogs. If its something I wouldnt/couldnt ever do to my dogs, I would never do it to my cats unless the next option would be a shelter.

Here's a link that does a good job of summarizing the debate points and facts.

FYI - someplease I read that PetSmart is starting to declaw cats.

From my own personal exprience,I was calling around places thinking of getting my kitten of a year old declawed.
I was cussed out by a vet who told me he doesnt perform this cruel practice and good luck finding someone who does.

So,I sat with the phone book,and called.Was told again and again that they didnt do it.

And when I adopted a cat from petsmart,THey GAVE A FLIER with a diagram and information about how cruel it is to do this to a cat.

Other posters have stated,how the claw is attached down to the bone,and removing it would be like removing the top of your fingers.Many cats have pain from it,and some just get severely depressed and never act the same.

My mom declawed our cat when we were kids,knowing what I know now,I would never do it.
And they have pretty much banned it from my state.

I agree with coolmama; so many people just don't understand what it really means to declaw a cat. They think of it as just "removing the fingernails" - not true!

Part of the cat's joints are amputated - and the recovery process is painful; the cat is hurt when it tries to walk on its litter, etc. And the worst part of all is that sometimes there is lingering pain for the rest of the cat's life - this can alter its personality.

There are so many options out there to keep the cat from scratching inappropriate surfaces. There are even Soft Claws...nifty "caps" that you adhere to the cat's claws.

It just takes a bit of time to teach the cat - and cats aren't stupid. Plus, it's not difficult to trim a cat's nails - heck, the vet can even do it for you!

WOW! I live here in cat hel, they are a dime a dozen. Many people get barn cats don't spay or nuter so in a couple years they have 30 inbred, sick wild cats and pay a young man $3.00 each to shoot them. We take in any cat at the feed store where I work, we get trapped cats that are so wild . We have given away 2 week old kittens with milk replacer and bottles. It is hard because sometimes you never find out what happened to the cats but in most cases the new owner buys their cat food at the feed store. I give no cat away if the person doesn't buy food and litter(they may be pit bull batit) I give no cat away if the person doesn't cuddle the first. I gave a whole litter to a family who I found out later fed them to a snake. They go out in the world to meet their kitty fate. Every cat is at heart like the cat you love and loves you. It hurts sometimes to know what a hard world these beings have to face. I am glad ther are people who have the luxary to debate declawing.
Now that I may have hijacked this thread my opinion on declawing is I don't belive in changing a animal no docking or ears. They like us came on earth to be themselves. Spaying and nutering are needed because we have such an unatural balance.

I'm new here and felt compelled to join after happening upon this thread as a result of a non-related search.
I find it unbelievable that there are so many uninformed individuals! To the person posting the original question.

.".. Or... do you think the kitty is better off living with a family in a real home even though it would loose its claws?"

It isn't a matter of one or the other. kitty is better off living in a home with a family AND with its claws.

And yes, it is totally within the shelter's rights to adopt or not adopt to whomever they choose. The shelter has legal custody of that animal and can refuse adoption to anyone it chooses

Did you even stop to think about their rationale or listen to what they had to say? Have you thought about the welfare of the animal? There are many many alternatives to declawing out there. Did you think about any of them?

Obviously, I'm very 'anti-declaw'. Being a rational person, I can see instances (some VERY extreme cases) where it may be necessary. However, why would you assume it is always necessary? Being an indoor only cat is not a good enough reason.
This is an extremely painful and brutal surgery
A little time and effort to save the cat's feet is well worth it.

I've worked with a local rescue group for 9 years now, and can verify that 1) Declawed cats are far more likely to bite
2) Declawed cats are far more likely to urinate outside the box.
3) Declawed cats are more likely to have multiple behavior issues.
Just because you had a cat that was fine after declaw only means you were lucky (at your cats expense)

Are you aware of all of the European countries that have banned this practice?

I apologize, I could go on and on, but as one that fights this battle on a daily basis, I had to put my two cents in.
Thank you.

What I see in this thread is a lot of rhetoric about how cruel declawing, a lot of horror stories about pain, behavioral problems, and a considerable amount of anthropomorphizing. What I don't see is much in the way of supporting evidence.

Silvergold posted a link to the AVMA website which stated the AVMA's position regarding declawing. Among the points it made, was this:

There is no scientific evidence that declawing leads to behavioral abnormalities when the behavior of declawed cats is compared with that of cats in control groups.

So, has this changed? Does anyone have any actual evidence that is not anecdotal to support the claims that it leads to behavior problems?

As for my own anecdotal evidence, I had 2 cats, years ago, who I had declawed. I lived on a very busy street, so they were going to be completely indoor cats. After trying to train them not to rip up the carpet and my sofas, I spoke to my vet and he did the procedure. I picked them up the next day, and when we got home, they jumped out of their carry cases and ran around the house just like nothing happened. I had to use newspaper in their box for a few days, but not once did I see either one of them evince any pain or distress of any kind.

Very happy, normal cats with whom, I may add, I was able to play-wrestle with for their whole lives without getting scarified hands and arms!

One lived 16 years, and the other 21 years, and never had any problems because of the surgery.

I now have 2 cats who are not declawed, because one is an indoor-outdoor and scarifies trees and such outside and the other has been amenable to training. I have no plans to declaw her, but if she started ripping holes in my furniture or shredding my carpet, I certainly would consider it with a clear conscience.

I agree, rachelellen...
My partner and I found two cats abandoned in a parking lot eight years ago. My partner wouldn't o.k. us keeping them unless they were declawed. The cats are healthy and happy with no after affects from their declaw. These cats were unspayed, with one being extremely shy and the other being extremely pregnant. They would most likely not have been adopted if taken to the county shelter (cop showed up shortly after we did, based on phone complaints and was going to take them to the shelter). Maybe there are some folks out there who think a euthanized cat is better off than a declawed indoors cat with a good home...but I think they're wrong.

My DH would only agree to a kitten if it were to be declawed. After we got the kitten at four months, I got several scratching trees/boxes. Whenever the kitten used them I rewarded him with a treat. If he tried the furniture or carpet I moved him to the scratching post and then rewarded him. I also trimmed the kittys nails. DH was still not convinced.

So, I contacted Dr. Nicholas Dodman at the Tufts University Veterinary School. I asked him if there were any real studies on the effects of declawing. He responded and sent me a hardcopy of a study that proved the negative effects of declawing -- he also urged me not to do it. I gave it to my DH -- he was so impressed that this professor felt strongly enough about it to respond to me.

So, our wonderful kitty is now almost 2 years old and fully clawed -- the way a cat should be.

I look forward to the day that this barbaric surgery is illegal in this country.

Here are the facts that you are looking for (see link).
There are a few of the many places one can see fact-based information. Sadly,its only six studies, but it is six more than those that support the alternative.

http://www.pawproject.com/html/faqs.asp

Also, there are many places that would take a cat, particularly a pregnant one or those in need of medical help. The shelter I volunteer for is one of them.
If you insist that the choice is declawing or death, I'd be intersted to see your source and facts that support that position.
Thank you

I agree with the beginner's thread about it no de-claw or no adoption , its far better for the cat IMO to be painlessly PTS, The practice is in IMO Heathenish, because the deff of the word a 'Heathen' is savage and uneducated, Declawing is savage because its cutting off the first end of the cats paws, has in some cases lasting negative effects, and besides this most of the people who do it are poorly educated, sometimes however its done when the pet cannot control his/her own behavior because of a sezure,

There are many ways to prevent clawing of drapes, living adornments or people, placing catnip on desired scratching places, soft paws, verbal training, rehoming or in very unhappy cases painlessly ending the cats life. - As for those cats that seem to have no visual effect from the practice the movie roots comes to mind ( very sad movie) I'm sure a lot of the 16 to 17 century slaves who got their toes or fingers hacked off because of how they angered the master or overseer waked 'somewhat' fine after words, a persons can loose his/her big toes and still be able to "walk" I've heard its harder but they can still do it.

I am not in favor of declawing a cat, how would you like having your fingernails ripped out?

But let me say I did have one inside cat declawed as a last resort. The cat would run across the room and up the walls, if you patted it wrong it would claw you with it's back feet. Nothing I did helped, in the end the cat was better for it and settled down after abit. My other choice was to give the cat away something I didn't want to do.

I regret having a cat declawed. After watching my cat suffer through his recovery, I have decided that it is cruel. I do not have cats now because I cannot live with the furniture destruction and I would not wish that same suffering on another cat.

I am so against declawing and I would hope they would refuse anyone that plans on ripping out their claws.

I want it banned, it makes me sick when owners do that.

Their furniture is more important than their cats.

I have grown up with cats all my live, sure they claw chairs, couches. We got scratching posts and they used them. We didn't freak out if they did claw anything. We loved our cats more than our furniture.

I also hear pet owners freaking out when their cat has gotten out of the house missing. They don't have a chance out there with no claws.

Declawing is mutilation. To say it's better to mutilate than allow to go to a shelter, is nuts. Would you say it's better to cut it's leg off than go to a shelter. Declawing is legalized abuse. No, I will not ever adopt to anyone who wants to butcher an animal I rescue.

There are alternatives to declaw if people really want to investigate them. Saying there is nothing else to do is a lie. Tell it to people who don't know any better. I do. I have multiple cats. They do not tear up my furniture because they were trained and provided with things cats need and love, i.e., very tall and sturdy sisal scratching posts. Multiple scratching surfaces that are just for them.

I live for the day when this form of mutilation, along with ear and tail cropping are banned in this country. How can we ask the outsiders to think we are civilized when we do cra$ like this to save a pair of drapes or make an animal look a certain way?

Here is a non-surgical solution for those who don't think that training is enough.

I think if obama gets to be our president we should overwhelm him with letters saying our feelings on this matter, if enough write to him, it WILL get banned. He seems to be the one guy out of the two that might do this.

Also one of the reasons I think de clawing isn't properly banned like dogfighting, is because it doesn't look gory, you see the pit bulls, all bloody and hurt but with a de clawed cat the abuse is more under the covers and unlike fighting dogs, a de clawed cat cannot kill someone.

I currently work in a Shelter and have worked in a veterinary practice as well. This article is very informative and gives a realistic account of declawing and its consequences. We see many declawed cats surrendered to our shelter with litter box issues. They refuse to use the box due to painful paws. The procedure is NOTHING like a surgery. While some cats can be harder to train than others I agree that this procedure should be illegal in our nation as it is in many others. It's just my personal belief based on my observations and experiences.

Rene

Sorry, forgot to post the link. It's a very good article.

http://maxshouse.com/Truth%20About%20Declawing.htm

They should really just not market de clawed cats with a monetary value, doing so teaches people, esspeicaly childen its not bad, they don't sell fighting pit bulls in shelters, why de clawed cats? Shelters/churches should instead put them to sleep. (the ones who are really messed up) or use them as education animals, like hawks and raptors that can't fly. Telling kids why its dumb to de claw.

Most people are Christians and I'm sure there's a bible phrase out there about not hurting or harming others.

I'm disabled and work at an Art studieo-we had a woman at our job who lives in a group home- and they made her de claw her two cats. One day she came to work with a giant band aid on her arm. I say good... the group home deserved it The cat had difficultly jumping down wasn't that healthy, overweight, slightly and on kibble. and Spirit- cats name- bit me too on the day she brought her to work, not bad enough to break the skin but it hurt.

To avoid De clawing and all the mess and controversy with telling a Group home this and that, When I move into one I'm just going to leave my cats safely with Mom and dad. One of the cats-Leopalorn is a valueable purebred Somali which is probably worth 1 grand grown,the other is tempermental with other animals and has bitten me and a couple of other people.

Please see info links at post "cats versus dogs". There are pictures of declawing. My adopted kitty has no ends of the toes b/c of it.
You can train kitty! But if you absolutelly have to do this mutilation, find a vet surgeon who will do it little better instead of snipping the nails w/chunk of the toe. It can be done surgiacally by opening the toe and removing the nail, stitching it back together, At least the kitty will have the toes. But I heard from others declawing is not recomended for older cats. They can suffer psychologicaly b/c somehow they remember they had claws and after it feels different to them.

Personally, if you want a cat, but not the claws, don't have a cat. It sounds kind of selfish and typical of today - "I want things my way." Remember, you DO NOT have to have a cat. It's not necessary to life.

I would put docking dogs' tails in the same category. What does amaze me, is that it still gets done so frequently, even in cross-breeds. Outside of North America, it's a vanishing practice, yet there are no news reports of the world ending. Lots of happy dogs though :)

Just say NO NO NO to declawing! Start at an early age playing with the kittens feet. Then start clipping their nails. Do this on a regular base. Also get the kitten use to getting a bath, cleaning out the ears & cleaning their teeth. Keep several scratching posts around, make sure that the post is tall enough so the cat can get in a good stretch. Declawing is mutilation of their feet & lots of time the cat will have problems with biting, using his pan & what would happen if he got out doors.
Sandi

I love my well clawed furniture. It is more dear to me because it is a memorial to my departed kitties. It even contains their dna. My pets are my most cherished possessions; furniture is for our collective comfort and use.

Mutilation of animals makes me very sad. I also look upon cosmetic surgery as crazy, but adult humans are free to make their own choices, unlike our dependent animals. I wish the US would adopt the same prohibitive legislation as our more evolved neighbors in regard to removal of body parts for reasons other than medical necessity.

I have to admit, with my old dog there might have been an argument in favour of removing his dewclaws (I don't know if that procedure is as nasty as cat declawing) because he quite often got them caught and broken in his collar.

I hadn't even thought about the notion of removing dewclaws til a Poodle breeder, who was being defensive about tail docking mentioned some people opposed to tail docking didn't oppose removing dew claws. I suspect the tail docking is much more major surgery, assuming it's done by a vet not a breeder (I can't imagine how agonising it would be, without anaesthesia)

I have to admit I'm shocked how many dogs here in British Columbia are docked, even mixed breeds. In Australia and New Zealand, the practice has been banned for several years, and as far as I know, the world hasn't ended there.

Thank you to those of you who attempted to provide some stats, though the sources of the stats had an obvious bias of their own, and as far as I can tell, cite studies done a decade ago at least.

Noting the widely disparate anecdotal evidence, I am recalled to someone's earlier comments about the difference in surgical skill levels. As I said in an earlier post, I had 2 cats declawed over twenty years ago, neither of whom ever showed the least discomfort. They stayed the night at the vet office, and came home the next morning, no bandages, no blood, no evidence of discomfort of any kind. If others have had their cats come home limping, bleeding and in pain, there is obviously something wrong with the way the procedure was done.

I wonder if what is needed, rather than banning a practice that can be so useful and desirable in certain cases, is a tightening of qualification requirements for vets who choose to practice the procedure? A requirement for certification, involving specialized training and strict testing of competency may be what is in order.

I am happy to report that I have been pretty successful in training my little kitty I mentioned in my earlier post to behave around my furniture, though I occasionally catch her going at the carpet a bit still. Her claws grow at an amazing rate, and curl in such a tight curve that she gets stuck on things, so I have to keep them trimmed anyway. She had developed an interest in one of the couch arms for a while, but a few instances of getting a squirt of water in the back of her head that came from she knew not where seems to have convinced her that clawing there wasn't a pleasant experience, and the enthusiastic praise she got when she used her scratching post made there much more desirable. The boys are both indoor/outdoor (we got them as adults, already used to going out) and they pretty much use the trees.

I am glad that it looks like I won't have to declaw her, but I don't think that someone who makes that decision when faced with potentially thousands of dollars worth of damage is some kind of monstrous pet abuser either.

Comparing a competently done declawing procedure to ripping out someone's fingernails, chopping off someone's fingers or setting dogs to fight to the death is the kind of over emotional rhetoric that turns people off. There are enough reasoned points to make on both sides of the issue without resorting to the kind of tactics that simply make people stop listening.

I know I'm going to catch a lot of flac for saying this but I got me cat declawed. BUT it wasn't because he was tearing up my furniture it was because he was torturing all our other cats and scratching both my daughters twice in the face and no my girls were not hurting or hitting him.

You say get rid of the cat BUT he really is a nice cat. He is a sweetheart and now that he has been declawed the household isn't in such an uproar- he is still the top cat of the house. We got him from a shelter and did not want to bring him back just because he had an attitude problem- he had been at the shelter for over a year and I feel that he would not have been adopted because of his attitude and the fact that he is a black cat, most people don't want black cats.

I want to say that I generally thought people that declawed their cats were HORRIBLE people. I thought it was a mean thing to do. But after repeated discussions with even the vet we decided that the best thing was to declaw.

I did not ask the vet how it was done. I do however know he was put out and had stitches so they didn't just rip them out like barbarians! He is mostly an indoor cat but sneaks out on our front porch to sleep in the sun on our porch sofa. He does not act or look traumatized if anything he seems calmer. I don't think that every cat should be declawed, I have 5 other cats that are not and never will be declawed. I also would not tell someone they should declaw but sometimes it is a necessary evil.

My cat received pain medication after his surgery for his pain. My cats have there own 14'x14' room to get away from my children and the dogs when they feel like it. Actually I think my cats are treated better than my dogs! So even though there are a ton of people that now hate me because of what I did, I don't feel I did anything wrong.

I think that a shelter that denies a person an animal just because the person had a cat declawed is not very smart thinking. BUT if the cat that is going to a new home has its claws and the people that are adopting it PLAN on declawing for NO REAL REASON, well I think that is different, because then most likely the person is only getting a cat for looks and not for love or want of companionship. It doesn't truly matter though most all shelters are privately owned and they have every right to refuse a person an animal for any reason they want weather it be right or not. I really think that a shelter isn't the place for cats, it took 3-5 mos for one of my cats to come out of his shell he was so traumatized by the shelter, one of my other cats it took almost a year to get over it and he had only been there for 3 mos (5 of my cats are from a shelter and the other one was on his way to a shelter and in this state you don't want to be a cat going to a shelter because chances are )

If you just read the paragraph UNDERNEATH THE BIG BOX with letters on this link and then think about declawing- I'm gonna guess that a cat is going to probably choose the declawing if it can get a GOOD home

Actually, declawed cats are about twice as likely as clawed cats to be relinquished, many for behavioral problems that stem from declawing that make them unadoptable. The shelters and rescues that prohibit declawing have the right idea because even though there are less adoptions, if the cat goes to people who will train him/her to scratch appropriate surfaces, he/she probably won't come back. Or at least it probably wouldn't be for behavioral problems. (All info comes from several sites, including "Little Big Cat" and "Paws Need Claws." Opinions are mine.)

Actually, declawed cats are about twice as likely as clawed cats to be relinquished, many for behavioral problems that stem from declawing that make them unadoptable. The shelters and rescues that prohibit declawing have the right idea because even though there are less adoptions, if the cat goes to people who will train him/her to scratch appropriate surfaces, he/she probably won't come back. Or at least it probably wouldn't be for behavioral problems. (All info comes from several sites, including "Little Big Cat" and "Paws Need Claws." Speculations are mine.)

Most people on cat forums, those who rescue and work in shelters don't recommend de-clawing. It's becoming illegal in many states because it's cruel and of no benefit to the cat.

If twice as many declawed cats lose their homes, why are there so few declawed cats in shelters and rescues?

I think the cats would prefer a home to their claws.

snookums, it is for several reasons 1) because rescues don't want to deal with the behavioral problems. They want cats that are easy to adopt out. This is not always true but is most often why I see groups pass over the declawed cats. The group I foster with takes on anything (even FIV kitties, which is another woefully misunderstood cat issue). I have a year and few months old declaw that I got at 8 months old. He was going to be euthanized by the owner due to his severe behavioral problems (biting and attacking). It wasn't the owner that contacted me but a coworker the owner had been complaining too. I felt they were being over dramatic since I routinely tame feral kittens, deal with special needs kitties, etc. and I thought nothing could be worse than that. Oh boy, was I wrong! Cat from hell was an understatement. It has taken me 5-6 months to rehabilitate him and he still has a few issues. Granted, I think he was on the far end of the spectrum, but my mother's 13 yo declaw that we got as a rescue at 10 was almost as bad but is now as sweet as can be (due to a lot of reconditioning and training, although he is quick to become Mr. Grouch if you touch his paws). 2) Many times, declaws start exhibiting these behavioral and physical issues later on in life and older cats aren't so popular regardless of their claw status. So again, rescues pass them up because they don't want to be stuck with a cat for the rest of its life. 3) Many shelters, at least in my area, won't adopt out an animal with issues whether it be health problems related to the declawing or behavioral issues (biting, not using the box, etc.). So they won't even advertise the animal. Many shelters also leave the oldest animals out of the adoption rooms. The public would be surprised at how many animals never even get a shot. 4) It is also determined by the area you live in as some posters mentioned. Some areas are doing a good job of phasing it out or it is less common. Other areas, not so much. 5) I feel many people who do declaw their cats truly love their kitties (I know I will catch heck for this). So most of the times, when their cats start presenting with these problems, they would rather euthanize than drop their loved one at a shelter or place it in a new home where anything could happen. That is what my current foster's previous owner was thinking. She really thought it the most humane option. Good thing her coworker talked her out of it.
In any case, my generally position is that I dislike declawing and find it inhumane. I try to educate people but I won't attack them and at the end of the day, it is still legal and not my battle to fight. I hope for the day it is illegal though. None of my foster's will ever go to homes where they will be declawed. It is my duty to send my babies to the best homes possible and a home that would declaw is simply not the best home for any of my guys. I have no obligation to continue saving cats either, so the whole argument of letting other cats die while I am keeping one has no affect on me (not that anyone has said this here but I have personally heard it often enough). I put a lot of work, care and money into my foster's and I only let them go to homes that are up to my standards or higher. I guess a shelter would be a different story but they don't have that much power to dictate what new owners do anyway (at least not in my area).
On a side note, I see that this thread is pretty old but I see a few stragglers and I also wanted to leave something that others could look at later and decide for themselves.

I'm surprised that shelters hide the older kitties. I don't typically look for my cats, but did get one from the pound who was on display in a store, 12 years old. Lots of older ones at the rescue here, too. I'm not aware they turn animals away for any other reason than being a full house, or probably urination problems which is serious and generally unadoptable. They have seasonal kittens but mostly it's adults. Some will never go home because they are too skittish, too old or have health problems. I'm one who likes the hard to adopts, so some do find their way home :) They usually have a slim few who are declawed. Will have to ask. I know they do not approve of declawing there, it's in the contract and they insist. When I adopted there years ago, it was in the contract then too, but she told me verbally after I had agreed, that if I had to, it was alright. Management has since changed. And I have to say, when one of the volunteers starts going off about those things, often in militant fashion, it's a real turn off.

Laser is the way to go if you have to. I hate to think of animals being put down over declawing issues.

I got the two cats from a lady who was about to send them to a farm. They were declawed and would not have survived. It worked out well and though I would not choose to declaw a cat I can see why some do. I don't need the scratching post like I did for my old cats (both died of old age 16 and 17 years old) and the furniture is in better shape. The cats are happy and so am I as I love them to bits.

Personal decision, my a**!! Ask the cat if it wants the end of its toes amputated!!! Traumatized joints WILL get arthritis!! The unnatural gait from having amputated toes often results in arthritis in their spines. Cats DO suffer in silence. Selfish ignoranuses!!! ....stupid AND a**holes!!! 60% of cats dumped in kill shelters for behavioral problems are declawed. That's were they DIE....young and innocent!! BAN DECLAWING!!!!

Declawing is amputation. Would you adopt a child out and let the parents amputate the tips of their fingers? I sure hope not. Dewclawing causes the cat to walk differently then they would naturally, causing pain and eventually inevitable arthritis or more severe problems. There is no need for amputation when claw caps can be used.

De-clawing should be illegal here as it is in most other civilized countries. It is mutilation. (The same is true of docking tails or cropping ears, except once a dog has recovered from this mutilation, there is no continuing pain or disability. Cats suffer the rest of their lives after having the last digits of their toes amputated. )

I've adopted cats from humane societies over the years and have resorted to having every single one of them declawed.

I've tried and tried methods to train the cats not to destroy my things; spraying with water, clapping hands to chase the cats away, gluing on those rubber claw covers. Nothing worked.

I finally decided destruction of my things was human abuse. I worked hard for my furnishings and I'm letting them be destroyed by my beloved pets. That's right - human abuse.

Each declawing we've had done was by a licensed veterinarian. None of the cats was returned to me bloody and painful. It was all I could do to keep the newly declawed cats from running and playing when I brought them home from the veterinary clinic!

One humane society did require that I sign paperwork promising I would never declaw the cat I'm adopting. I signed it. Lived with the clawed cat for a couple weeks until Hubby and I were sure this cat fit into our family well. Phoned our vet for a declaw appointment and the humane society never knew.

I think humane societies are doing the best they can, however dictating to adopters that they CAN'T DECLAW is foolish at best. Do they want homes for these cats or do they want to keep the cats at the shelter while holding onto their ideals about declawing?

Kessala

That is why I will never, as a rescue, work in conjunction with our local Humane Society!! They do not require a "no declaw" contract. Kessala, you should chose either your THINGS or cats. I hope you choose to never own another cat...so as to prevent any more mutilations of innocent animals with no voices. Declawing is outlawed or banned in @ 44 countries. In the USA declawing is highly lucrative...need I say more. Until people speak in defense of cat welfare and against declaw cruelty, greed and selfishness will win out over pain and suffering. Thankfully there are vets who refuse to declaw and their numbers grow every year.

Declawing should be done by laser surgery only these days. It is far superior to the old method.

I can't see putting homeless animals down in favor of a no-declawing stance. Every declawed cat I have ever known (and there have been over 25, most done the old way) has been thriving and happy, not suffering and maimed for life. They were lucky to find loving homes rather than put down due to the staggering shortage of homes.

I don't think you are doing cats any favors by denying them their lives and a loving home that wants to take them in. Maybe it is time for you to get out of rescue work.

There will be far more lives lost than saved with that kind of militant stance on declawing. I certainly don't believe for one minute that kitties are better off dead than declawed. Neither does my vet.

I agree with you, Snookums2. My indoor-only declawed cats are healthy, playful, cuddly and apparently thoroughly enjoying their lives. I have never noticed any long term bad effects from declawing. We've had cats for probably 40 years. They've all been declawed.

Kit Curtin, I believe you and I will have to agree to disagree. And I thank you for your rescue work. Hubby and I have a history of doing animal rescue too.

Kessala