Whatever you do, don't take my finger!

[Ghoulish Delight]

Get Fuzzy. Great comic by Darby Conley. I often quote it in my sigs. This week he's been doing a humorous/informational "cat facts" series. This one struck me as kinda odd...a bit of activist ideology conflict if you ask me.



Go ahead an cut it's nuts off, but for heavens sake, don't hurt those little fingers!

I'm all about not de-clawing outdoor cats. That's just cruel and begging for them to get mauled. But an indoor cat? When your argument involves appealing to the "it's mutilation" thing, that doesn't really work when you've got "slice it's balls off" two bullet points up. If it allows a cat a comfortable home and isn't going to adversely affect it, so be it. It's a perfectly safe procedure, just like spaying and neutering.

It just doesn't jive for me.

[Tito's Kitten]

I wonder if he has had his leather couch ripped to shreds by the family cat.....Just wondering....

[Not Afraid]

For a short period of time, declawing was thought to be humane. And, yes, it was much more "convenient" for us to protect the dear furniture rather than care about the cat. But, thankfully, there is a lot of information about this mis-treatment and there are many vets that will not do this proceedure any longer.

If your furniture is that important to you, don't get a cat. If you do get a cat, provide alternate places where your cat can scratch and keep it claws trimmed. If you cannot handle the responsability of either one of these alternatives, then there is a proceedure that is much less painful that severes the tendon that causes the claws to move in and out.

Declawing is not like a manicure. It is serious surgery. Your cat's claw is not a toenail. It is actually closely adhered to the bone. So closely adhered that to remove the claw, the last bone of your the cat's claw has to be removed. Declawing is actually an amputation of the last joint of your cat's "toes". When you envision that, it becomes clear why declawing is not a humane act. It is a painful surgery, with a painful recovery period. And remember that during the time of recuperation from the surgery your cat would still have to use its feet to walk, jump, and scratch in its litter box regardless of the pain it is experiencing. Wheelchairs and bedpans are not an option for a cat.

We seem to do a lot of inhume things when we don't know better. China thought is was OK to bind the feet of women. Well, it's not ok. And people need to stop declawing their cats.

[Ghoulish Delight]

But how is that more inhumane than spaying and neutering?

[Nephythys]

yah-

Sera was my brothers cat- and he was declawed because my bro and his ex-wfe lived in an apt that required it. I had one cat who was totally declawed for the same reason-

On the fip side- Tumbles, my newest baby, has all his claws- and he has caused some havoc but not much. I would never do that to him- or another cat, and my cats are all indoors.

They are also both neutered-

About as cruel as the surgery that makes it so a dog can't bark!

[lizziebith]

Plus humans "spay and neuter" themselves too, for equally important reasons. I don't think it's inhumane, even if it involves major surgery, because it's for a genuinely good purpose. <----- spaying and neutering, I mean, not de-clawing.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Nephythys

About as cruel as the surgery that makes it so a dog can't bark!

A dog that can't bark will have some serious socialization issues. An indoor cat's claws do little for it. So the only argument I've seen comes back to the "cruel" surgery which I still haven't figured how it's worse than cutting its nuts off.

For the record, I'm not advocating that everyone should get their cats declawed. I just don't follow the activism against it when there's so much accepted activism for fixing.

[€uroMeinke]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

A dog that can't bark will have some serious socialization issues. An indoor cat's claws do little for it.

I see these two more alike that different. I mean Basenjis don't bark and socialize allright - I guess (I'm not really a dog person). And if they're a house pet, what do they need to bark about anyway? Seems about the same annoyance level as clawed furniture - possibly a greater annoyance factor for the neighbors. Sure a house cat, doesn't need to be clawing anything.

But, I'd pass on either procedure as they both seem unneccessary to me.

[wendybeth]

Sammy drives me nuts when he rips at the rug, but he so obviously loves doing it I can't get too upset. It's just stuff- cats are living beings, and so much more important. I learned that when we had the fire nearby- the only thing I was concerned about were our animals. Same with Tori- she was worried about her kitty, and not all her 'stuff'. Good kid.

[Morrigoon]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

I see these two more alike that different. I mean Basenjis don't bark and socialize allright - I guess (I'm not really a dog person). And if they're a house pet, what do they need to bark about anyway? Seems about the same annoyance level as clawed furniture - possibly a greater annoyance factor for the neighbors. Sure a house cat, doesn't need to be clawing anything.

But, I'd pass on either procedure as they both seem unneccessary to me.

Yes, but basenjis don't have their vocal chords cut. They make plenty of sounds, just not "barks".