Cat Declawing Is Banned by New York State Lawmakers(nytimes.com)
nytimes.com
Cat Declawing Is Banned by New York State Lawmakers
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/04/nyregion/cats-declawing-law-ban.html
118 comments
I'm actually somewhat torn on this one. At face value, I fully agree. More, none of my cats have been declawed, as I just don't see the point.
That said, I also don't buy the mutilation argument at face value. We literally castrated all of our male cats, and nobody bats an eye. Indeed, you seem to be frowned upon if you don't. Surely that is as mutilating to a male cat as losing a knuckle?
That said, I also don't buy the mutilation argument at face value. We literally castrated all of our male cats, and nobody bats an eye. Indeed, you seem to be frowned upon if you don't. Surely that is as mutilating to a male cat as losing a knuckle?
> I'm actually somewhat torn on this one. At face value, I fully agree. More, none of my cats have been declawed, as I just don't see the point.
> That said, I also don't buy the mutilation argument at face value. We literally castrated all of our male cats, and nobody bats an eye. Indeed, you seem to be frowned upon if you don't. Surely that is as mutilating to a male cat as losing a knuckle?
At least castration has the actual benefit of aiding in population control. I don't see any benefit to declawing and in fact it endangers outdoor cats as they can't adequately protect themselves.
> That said, I also don't buy the mutilation argument at face value. We literally castrated all of our male cats, and nobody bats an eye. Indeed, you seem to be frowned upon if you don't. Surely that is as mutilating to a male cat as losing a knuckle?
At least castration has the actual benefit of aiding in population control. I don't see any benefit to declawing and in fact it endangers outdoor cats as they can't adequately protect themselves.
Castration is a bit of a brute force for population control. No reason we couldn't also give cats vasectomies.
For the other, are there actual numbers on what that means for cats? Feels like an appeal to emotion, as much as anything else. Outdoor cats, I would presume, are far more likely to die from a car than from anything they can protect themselves from with front claws.
And again. I actually support the idea here. I just don't know if I have strong logic to stand on. I'd call it devil's advocate, but I'm not sure that is right.
For the other, are there actual numbers on what that means for cats? Feels like an appeal to emotion, as much as anything else. Outdoor cats, I would presume, are far more likely to die from a car than from anything they can protect themselves from with front claws.
And again. I actually support the idea here. I just don't know if I have strong logic to stand on. I'd call it devil's advocate, but I'm not sure that is right.
> Castration is a bit of a brute force for population control. No reason we couldn't also give cats vasectomies.
Male un-neutered cats, somewhat like some of their human un-neutered counterparts, are prone to aggressive, overly sexual, and territorial behaviour (including spraying). Likely fine on on an outdoor farm cat, but probably not what you want for a pet who lives in your house.
Male un-neutered cats, somewhat like some of their human un-neutered counterparts, are prone to aggressive, overly sexual, and territorial behaviour (including spraying). Likely fine on on an outdoor farm cat, but probably not what you want for a pet who lives in your house.
This feels awfully close to the argument that cats with claws cause damage. Specifically indoor cats, that will never have to defend themselves from anything.
Cats with claws absolutely do cause damage to furniture (mine is ruined). If you care about your furniture you shouldn’t have a cat.
I believe the morality laws around surgery on pets are something like “It’s ok to perform surgery on pets as long as your intent is to inflict psychological damage; so as to break their will and make the animal more domesticated, but it’s not ok if it’s purely cosmetic”.
Don’t question the laws man.
I believe the morality laws around surgery on pets are something like “It’s ok to perform surgery on pets as long as your intent is to inflict psychological damage; so as to break their will and make the animal more domesticated, but it’s not ok if it’s purely cosmetic”.
Don’t question the laws man.
This is pretty similar to training, isn't it? As in, training a dog is really to break their natural behaviour and move from slave for food/fun to slave by default. Yet, it's also widely accepted. (Yes, I have a dog)
'pets' and 'natural behaviour' do not really play along. All domesticated animals are far from being 'natural' in almost any way.
That said, I consider declawing a form of assault to the animal, taking away from it the only tools it can use and the main weapon to defend itself.
That said, I consider declawing a form of assault to the animal, taking away from it the only tools it can use and the main weapon to defend itself.
You can train cats to not scratch on furniture and the damage is minimized if you are regularly cutting their nails. You have to provide something better to scratch on like a scratching post or cardboard, and discourage bad behavior on problem furniture. Cats do learn.
Human beings don't have claws, so we invented blades. Cats don't have the luxury to invent their own adaptations.
I have had cats for years.
it is easy to train them not to scratch things - without resorting to throwing stuff at them.
When I have adopted senior cats who are resistant to change I have just buyild scratching posts that sit beside the couch.
Just like kids and dogs, you need to not only say NO, but to also say YES to what they can do.
If you value your couch over your cats well-being you do not deserve a cat.
When I have adopted senior cats who are resistant to change I have just buyild scratching posts that sit beside the couch.
Just like kids and dogs, you need to not only say NO, but to also say YES to what they can do.
If you value your couch over your cats well-being you do not deserve a cat.
A feral cat sprays in a way incomparable to a cat playing on a couch. They see another cat/dog/person/strange thing out the window and they will spray the door. You come into the house smelling like your friends dog and they spray your shoes. They spray their favorite places to sit or hang out to mark it as theirs. It is a really hard habit to break compared with scratching on furniture. It's not all that hard to train even a kitten not to be aggressive on furniture and it relies on giving them better outlets to scratch on instead, like a good scratching post and plenty of convenient cardboard scratchers, and actively discouraging bad behavior while praising good behavior. You can't really give a feral cat an outlet to spray on, they will spray everywhere they are if they are going to spray at all. It's a territorial behavior, not just rowdy play.
If you've ever had a cat, you'd known that an indoor cat is just a cat that hasn't snuck out yet. The cats I have now are indoor. Both try to slip out sometimes and one ran off for a few hours. My cats are rather small and where I live there are predators. Had we not found her, her claws could have been what kept her alive.
Failing to declaw an outdoor cat lets the cat kill more birds; cats are an invasive species that kill billions of birds per year.
It also prevents your cat from defending itself from other cats, dogs, raccoons, possum, fox, insert local critter here that will fuck up your cat, in the event your cat gets loose. You shouldn't let your cat be unsupervised killing birds, that's just irresponsible as you say.
xkcd-sucks(3)
Castration, as opposed to just a vasectomy, helps with behavioural issues as well. And it's not just "making the cat tamer", but male cats get in fights with other cats more often if not castrated.
Read: it causes measurable change and, depending how you read it, harm to the animal.
I'm sympathetic, in that without this many people would not want or be able to keep male cats. But I'm not sure I have a logical leg to stand on to say this is acceptable, but that declawing is not.
I'm sympathetic, in that without this many people would not want or be able to keep male cats. But I'm not sure I have a logical leg to stand on to say this is acceptable, but that declawing is not.
They can still climb, scratch, defend themselves and generally move around just the same if they're castrated. They cannot do these things if they're declawed.
Sure you could argue that we don't have a right to castrate them either, but it is not equivalently detrimental to their quality of life.
Sure you could argue that we don't have a right to castrate them either, but it is not equivalently detrimental to their quality of life.
what about sexual frustration and statisfaction of seeing your kids? Does that not impose the psychological limits with equal sufferings if not compared to those physical limits.
Neutering usually reduces sexual urges, evidenced by reduction in mating behaviours like wandering, marking, territoriality, etc. It also extends lifespan.
Independent of whether cats are even capable of feeling regret about not having children of their own, I'd say that's not as bad as losing the equivalent of the tips of their fingers with built-in grappling-hook-switchblades.
Independent of whether cats are even capable of feeling regret about not having children of their own, I'd say that's not as bad as losing the equivalent of the tips of their fingers with built-in grappling-hook-switchblades.
My childhood cat was declawed on the front paws, and I've had multiple cats since then, all with claws intact.
It's definitely a significant difference in the cat's existence to be clawless. I'm happy to see this attitude shifting, but as others have commented here, there will almost certainly be more cats returned to shelters (and killed) when they won't stop shredding the furniture and carpet.
Even if you trim their claws, in my experience they will always do some damage to anything they can sink their claws into. It obviously feels good and is a compulsive activity like stretching for them.
And if you raise them to be aggressive with too much rough-housing in protective clothing, it can be a real problem, like with guests who think it's a good idea to pet the cat that's been unintentionally conditioned to think all arms are as impervious to claws as layers of sweatshirts worn in constant rough-housing. I had a friend who made this mistake long ago, that cat was awesome if you knew how to play with it but it required a safety warning at the entrance or blood would be spilled.
It's definitely a significant difference in the cat's existence to be clawless. I'm happy to see this attitude shifting, but as others have commented here, there will almost certainly be more cats returned to shelters (and killed) when they won't stop shredding the furniture and carpet.
Even if you trim their claws, in my experience they will always do some damage to anything they can sink their claws into. It obviously feels good and is a compulsive activity like stretching for them.
And if you raise them to be aggressive with too much rough-housing in protective clothing, it can be a real problem, like with guests who think it's a good idea to pet the cat that's been unintentionally conditioned to think all arms are as impervious to claws as layers of sweatshirts worn in constant rough-housing. I had a friend who made this mistake long ago, that cat was awesome if you knew how to play with it but it required a safety warning at the entrance or blood would be spilled.
An owner who gives his/her cat to a shelter because of some scratched piece of furniture doesn’t deserve to be a cat owner after all. What he/she would have done had his/her kids destroy said furniture? Turn them in to an orphanage?
Exactly. As a cat owner it is your responsibility to let the cat have its natural behaviour. If your cat scratches your sofa, get a scratch station and work work work until the undesired behaviour stops.
A cat has the right to a happy life, and of you want a happy indoor cat that is a lot of work.
A cat has the right to a happy life, and of you want a happy indoor cat that is a lot of work.
The problem is that not all of the home owners want the pets, and it's a compromise. My mom was adamant that declawed or nothing and the cat would have been probably been put down. As is, it got declawed and tolerated by her... but I'm sure she would have preferred undeclawed and no cat and it would have been put down at the shelter or drowned by the farmer.
I guess I don’t understand why people feel so strongly about this issue. The cats I interacted with growing up were mostly declawed indoor cats and seemed happy and playful.
It was less about furniture and more about not getting scratched (or having dogs get scratched).
It was less about furniture and more about not getting scratched (or having dogs get scratched).
If one is afraid of getting scratched, don't get a pet with claws. Fish are pretty harmless.
I just suspect this is something humans care a lot about, but doesn’t actually bother cats that much.
Based on the descriptions I read from the people against declawing cats - it doesn’t seem like their arguments are very accurate. It feels a lot more emotional and more like they’re making up arguments to back their existing position (rather than actually looking at harm done).
Based on the descriptions I read from the people against declawing cats - it doesn’t seem like their arguments are very accurate. It feels a lot more emotional and more like they’re making up arguments to back their existing position (rather than actually looking at harm done).
You are also supposed to be regularly trimming nails so they aren't sharp, back paws too.
My childhood cats were declawed on their front paws. And they still caught birds somehow, and you could snuggle with them safely. My cats now never had to go through the pain of declawing, but they are very dangerous to snuggle with.
As a veterinarian I feel a bit ashamed that veterinary surgeons are actually working against the law.
In Germany I don't even know when this was outlawed, but nobody here would even think that is possible.
I don't buy the euthanasia or abandonment argument at all.
In Germany I don't even know when this was outlawed, but nobody here would even think that is possible.
I don't buy the euthanasia or abandonment argument at all.
And I'd like to add that "kill shelters" are not without alternatives.
In Germany it is forbidden to euthanize animals for lack of resources or will to keep it. People often have to pay shelters to take their animals, and if they just abandon them somewhere, they may get fined or even prosecuted.
In general, Germans tend to ask shelters first, when trying to acquire a dog, cats also. It has gotten so far that shelters have more applicants than dogs they can give them, and the dogs which stay in shelters are not suited to an average dog owner (behavior, size, medical issues). We even import thousands of street/shelter dogs from all over Europe.
Cats unfortunately are too plentiful. There are always some feral/semi-feral populations who haven't been neutered. Shelters keep them, but they will often stay all their life there.
And of course, not all of the US is comparable to Germany in many regards. In Germany there aren't a lot of sparsely populated areas, and the animal protection laws are a lot tougher.
In Germany it is forbidden to euthanize animals for lack of resources or will to keep it. People often have to pay shelters to take their animals, and if they just abandon them somewhere, they may get fined or even prosecuted.
In general, Germans tend to ask shelters first, when trying to acquire a dog, cats also. It has gotten so far that shelters have more applicants than dogs they can give them, and the dogs which stay in shelters are not suited to an average dog owner (behavior, size, medical issues). We even import thousands of street/shelter dogs from all over Europe.
Cats unfortunately are too plentiful. There are always some feral/semi-feral populations who haven't been neutered. Shelters keep them, but they will often stay all their life there.
And of course, not all of the US is comparable to Germany in many regards. In Germany there aren't a lot of sparsely populated areas, and the animal protection laws are a lot tougher.
Overview: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onychectomy
Outlawed in most countries, animal cruelty.
Outlawed in most countries, animal cruelty.
It's not exactly a quick fix, but how many generations would it take to breed cats with substantially softer claws? This could be an interesting program perhaps for the government to undertake.
I also wonder if crispr or embryo selection could be used if a GWAS could find genes that lead to softer claws.
The selection techniques have been used to improve milk yields for cows, so it seems like making cats which don't need to be declawed would be a valid project.
I also wonder if crispr or embryo selection could be used if a GWAS could find genes that lead to softer claws.
The selection techniques have been used to improve milk yields for cows, so it seems like making cats which don't need to be declawed would be a valid project.
NO cat needs to be declawed (no more than any human needs to have their fingertips cut off).
Have a scratcher and trim off their nails, problem solved.
Have a scratcher and trim off their nails, problem solved.
Even better, don't get a cat if scratching is a problem.
Claws and bones are related. A genetic predisposition to softer claws would lead also to problems with hair, damaged whiskers and probably also skeleton deformities.
Before I adopted my cat I thought that declawing was something normal, but after learning that they break the knuckles I just can't support it. When I trim my cat's nails I feel his little knuckles and its really adorable. Also when I'm clipping them I know he is super sensitive with his nails, so I can only imagine how it would feel to have them removed.
The thing that I don't really get is that people want to have an animal in their homes, but they don't like the true animal behaviors so they want to stop them from doing what they naturally do. People want cute and cuddly cats, but when the cat scratches someone its acting bad. In reality it's just responding to its environment and its acting like the animal that it is.
The thing that I don't really get is that people want to have an animal in their homes, but they don't like the true animal behaviors so they want to stop them from doing what they naturally do. People want cute and cuddly cats, but when the cat scratches someone its acting bad. In reality it's just responding to its environment and its acting like the animal that it is.
Do we have evidence that declawing causes lasting pain or psychological damage to the cat?
I admittedly have no idea how’d you’d test this in an animal—but it seems like it should be a prerequisite to banning the procedure.
I admittedly have no idea how’d you’d test this in an animal—but it seems like it should be a prerequisite to banning the procedure.
It is usually done to prevent the cat from a natural behaviour (scratching) which can usually be fixed by getting a proper scratching pole and monitoring you can for a week or two to prevent them from scratching anywhere else.
Declawing often introduces other behavioural problems (biting, soiling outside the cat box) which are usually a sign of your cat not liking the situation.
Castration is for the male cat a smaller operation, and usually fixes problems and gives you a happier less aggressive cat with an increased tendency to gain weight.
Behaviour problems in cats are usually because they are not stimulated enough, and declawing them will hide the scratching problem but will sometimes introduce other problems that are harder to fix.
Veterinarians should really propose other solutions first such as activelt working with your cats behaviour. In the end it will probably give you a happier cat.
I would argue that aggressiveness in the male cat is a different kind of behaviour. It is a natural behaviour, of course, but it is not easily changed, and it is also not a behaviour that makes your cat happy.
To summarize: castrating a cat is a good way to get a happier calmer and slightly fatter cat. Declawing is usually done to prevent a either a natural behaviour or a sign that your cat is unhappy. It commonly leads to other behavioural problems that are even harder to fix.
One is a path to a happy cat, one is to sweep a problem under the rug.
I am of course coloured by where I live: declawing has been outlawed for quite some time and even before that it was considered animal abuse by most.
Declawing often introduces other behavioural problems (biting, soiling outside the cat box) which are usually a sign of your cat not liking the situation.
Castration is for the male cat a smaller operation, and usually fixes problems and gives you a happier less aggressive cat with an increased tendency to gain weight.
Behaviour problems in cats are usually because they are not stimulated enough, and declawing them will hide the scratching problem but will sometimes introduce other problems that are harder to fix.
Veterinarians should really propose other solutions first such as activelt working with your cats behaviour. In the end it will probably give you a happier cat.
I would argue that aggressiveness in the male cat is a different kind of behaviour. It is a natural behaviour, of course, but it is not easily changed, and it is also not a behaviour that makes your cat happy.
To summarize: castrating a cat is a good way to get a happier calmer and slightly fatter cat. Declawing is usually done to prevent a either a natural behaviour or a sign that your cat is unhappy. It commonly leads to other behavioural problems that are even harder to fix.
One is a path to a happy cat, one is to sweep a problem under the rug.
I am of course coloured by where I live: declawing has been outlawed for quite some time and even before that it was considered animal abuse by most.
Thanks. So it sounds like, yes, there are clearly identifiable, negative behavioral changes in the animal.
Sorry about the poor structure and ranting quality of the post. Wrote it on my phone over the course of 25 minutes and didn't proofread it.
The Wikipedia entry about declawing is pretty good if you are still interested.
The Wikipedia entry about declawing is pretty good if you are still interested.
Thanks again. The wikipedia article actually seems considerably more measured—behavioral changes are observed, but for a small percentage of subjects in most studies, and at those levels I really wonder how much is a placebo (on the part of the observer, not the cat, ofc)
The general tendency of the result isn't very good for declawing. Especially considering the amount of cats that get complications from the surgery.
The studies cited with positive results for relinquishment pushes for other risk factors such as understanding and investing in you cat as a contributor to positive outcome. Maybe people willing to pay are more invested in their cats, and go with what a veterinarian recommends (which may be declawing).
The studies cited with positive results for relinquishment pushes for other risk factors such as understanding and investing in you cat as a contributor to positive outcome. Maybe people willing to pay are more invested in their cats, and go with what a veterinarian recommends (which may be declawing).
Shouldn't the burden of proof be on the opposite side? To allow such procedure, it should be proven that there are no adverse effects.
I would 100% agree if we were talking about humans.
As is, euthanasia of cats and dogs is generally considered morally acceptable, and we can reasonably predict that more cats will be euthanatized as a result of this law. So if there weren't clear evidence that declawing was inherently harmful to a pet cat, I would consider it misguided to ban the practice.
As is, euthanasia of cats and dogs is generally considered morally acceptable, and we can reasonably predict that more cats will be euthanatized as a result of this law. So if there weren't clear evidence that declawing was inherently harmful to a pet cat, I would consider it misguided to ban the practice.
Your stance if generalized would imply we could perform arbitrary acts of animal cruelty unless evidence of their harmfulness emerges.
That actually sounds like a quirky rephrasing of a solid guideline on how to live: do whatever you want, unless and until it harms others.
Once I bought the right scratching post, my cat stopped using my furniture.
The most important thing about a scratching post is that it must not move. If a cat tries to use it, and it wobbles, then the cat will give up on it. It will go back to scratching your couch, which does not move.
Cats use scratching posts not just to sharpen their claws but to stretch their spines. Watch their whole body when they use a scratching post. Is not like how you stretch in the morning? Declawing a cat deprives them of this. Even if the pain of amputation subsides, this disability remains.
When I was researching whether to declaw my cat, I found this article about the many ways it hurts cats and why it is unnecessary, https://www.purrfectpost.com/declawing-cats-alternatives-to-.... "A cat that has access to scratching posts that meet their needs for marking territory, stretching muscles, and relieving stress will almost always choose to use them rather than the less attractive options of furniture and carpet."
Then I read their article on choosing a scratching post and ending up buying theirs, https://www.purrfectpost.com/how-to-choose-the-best-cat-scra...
I'm unaffiliated with Purrfect Post, but my cat likes their stuff.
The most important thing about a scratching post is that it must not move. If a cat tries to use it, and it wobbles, then the cat will give up on it. It will go back to scratching your couch, which does not move.
Cats use scratching posts not just to sharpen their claws but to stretch their spines. Watch their whole body when they use a scratching post. Is not like how you stretch in the morning? Declawing a cat deprives them of this. Even if the pain of amputation subsides, this disability remains.
When I was researching whether to declaw my cat, I found this article about the many ways it hurts cats and why it is unnecessary, https://www.purrfectpost.com/declawing-cats-alternatives-to-.... "A cat that has access to scratching posts that meet their needs for marking territory, stretching muscles, and relieving stress will almost always choose to use them rather than the less attractive options of furniture and carpet."
Then I read their article on choosing a scratching post and ending up buying theirs, https://www.purrfectpost.com/how-to-choose-the-best-cat-scra...
I'm unaffiliated with Purrfect Post, but my cat likes their stuff.
Someone needs to open a luxury upholsterer in Manhattan that specialized in armored fabrics. Like, in the next week.
Good. There is nothing of interest in declawing, when there is a perfectly good and obvious alternative available that is not permanent and is much better: Cat nail scissors. Just use it in several steps when your cat is sleeping or relaxed. One or two nails at a time. Give your cat something to scratch and you will have several weeks of peace. Repeat as necessary.
Understanding better your cat and building a relationship of trust will be even better. My last cat never, ever, used seriously his claws against me. Of course I never, ever, used my claws against him. Reciprocity.
Understanding better your cat and building a relationship of trust will be even better. My last cat never, ever, used seriously his claws against me. Of course I never, ever, used my claws against him. Reciprocity.
Not a cat owner, so actually curious:
I have a friend cat who always scratches me, which is quite painful and leaves marks. Is there a way to trim the nails so this doesn't happen, or is the only solution to avoid the cat?
I have a friend cat who always scratches me, which is quite painful and leaves marks. Is there a way to trim the nails so this doesn't happen, or is the only solution to avoid the cat?
Sure, just clip their claws using nail clippers. You can see how far down the claw the nail bed goes, so just avoid that and take the point off.
Having said that, unless you get them accustomed to the process as a kitten, you may end up suffering more than if you hadn’t attempted it in the first place.
Having said that, unless you get them accustomed to the process as a kitten, you may end up suffering more than if you hadn’t attempted it in the first place.
In case somebody without experience is reading this and wanting to try to cut the nails back, make sure you don't cut them back too far or you'll clip the vein inside and cause them to bleed and a lot of pain (imagine cutting your nail off halfway to the cuticle). If you cut the nails in a well lit room you can actually see the vein inside so you can avoid it. Alternatively you can also bring them to a groomer to have this done. It also helps of they have a scratching post, sonething rough and durable like those wound rope ones so they can "file" them down naturally in between clippings.
It might be an old wives tale but a dab of corn starch will help clot the bleeding. Best though to not cut too deep.
Unrelated but I recently learned they use lasers for parrots to trim the claws while coterizing.
Unrelated but I recently learned they use lasers for parrots to trim the claws while coterizing.
While that's nifty, I don't think it's very humane. It still hurts for the animal.
Nail clipping is humane. However, just like with human nails, if you clip too close to the quick (the blood vessel), which can happen for myriad reasons (accidentally, it's good to know Corn Starch can be used as a styptic in a pinch, and you can also purchase styptic powder. Ideally, if the blood vessel is cut you should get the wound looked at so it can be assessed and cleaned by a veterinarian.
People would be disappointed to know how frequently this directly or indirectly (owner surrender to shelter) leads to euthanasia. It's going to be a sad side effect of this otherwise well-meaning legislation.
Yep. There are more cats than owners, one less owner for any reason means one more euthanized cat.
Trimming the sharp end of the claw is possible, but very temporary because the claw sheds its outer layer periodically to expose a new sharp one underneath (this is one of the reasons cats scratch - it pulls off the old ones when they're ready to go and thus keeps their claws nice and sharp).
For habitual scratchers it's possible to reduce it with training and familiarisation of both cat and human. But since this isn't your cat, you might find trying to avoid interaction when you're visiting your friend is the quickest way to less bleeding.
Does the cat scratch your friend as well? If not then you can probably build a better relationship with the cat with some effort and patience (and a few more scratches). Cats generally respond well to humans meeting them on their terms, but that takes some understanding of cat behaviour and psychology. Doesn't mean they'll necessarily be interested, but you can at least increase your chances of avoiding a scratch.
For habitual scratchers it's possible to reduce it with training and familiarisation of both cat and human. But since this isn't your cat, you might find trying to avoid interaction when you're visiting your friend is the quickest way to less bleeding.
Does the cat scratch your friend as well? If not then you can probably build a better relationship with the cat with some effort and patience (and a few more scratches). Cats generally respond well to humans meeting them on their terms, but that takes some understanding of cat behaviour and psychology. Doesn't mean they'll necessarily be interested, but you can at least increase your chances of avoiding a scratch.
Normally cats only scratch when you go after them in some way. If that is the case, just don't go after the cat.
If the cat goes after you, that's a whole different ball game!
If the cat goes after you, that's a whole different ball game!
Yep, it's worth remembering that cats don't have opposable thumbs to grip with, they have claws instead.
So for example if you go to pet a cat's stomach and it doesn't want you to its only recourse maybe to use it's claws to "grab" your hand.
I think removing the ability to "grip" from cats for the sake of furniture or because you want to do things to the cat it doesn't like is wrong.
If you don't like scratchy cats don't have a cat.
So for example if you go to pet a cat's stomach and it doesn't want you to its only recourse maybe to use it's claws to "grab" your hand.
I think removing the ability to "grip" from cats for the sake of furniture or because you want to do things to the cat it doesn't like is wrong.
If you don't like scratchy cats don't have a cat.
I think that inability to "grip" things is the least of the problems with declawing. Complications, pain, problems walking and the whole idea of removing body parts at all count a little higher for me.
As an owner I think you can avoid getting scratched. As a vet... I personally have never been bitten (too little practical experience), but I've seen colleagues handle cats in a way that just spelled resignation to the fact that those teeth will connect and there is nothing to be done about it....
As an owner I think you can avoid getting scratched. As a vet... I personally have never been bitten (too little practical experience), but I've seen colleagues handle cats in a way that just spelled resignation to the fact that those teeth will connect and there is nothing to be done about it....
I highly recommend "My Cat from Hell" on animal planet. It taught me tons of stuff about cat behavior and how to make the cat/guardian relationship work.
Problems in cat behavior are conquerable, with the right strategies. It seems to be more about changing the environment with cats, rather than training, as it is with dogs.
Problems in cat behavior are conquerable, with the right strategies. It seems to be more about changing the environment with cats, rather than training, as it is with dogs.
Intentional scratching is a behavioral issue. Sometimes you can solve it by giving the cat more playtime (real playtime, chasing / stalking a wand toy). Sometimes it's about not petting a cat certain ways. Sometimes it can just be solved by rewarding them with treats for not scratching you.
Trimming helps but yeah, search for behavior fixes. Cats are different from us (and dogs) but they're usually not that complicated to figure out.
Trimming helps but yeah, search for behavior fixes. Cats are different from us (and dogs) but they're usually not that complicated to figure out.
Cats nails are naturally needle sharp, they can't help but hurt you if they catch. They actually grow out from underneath so as soon as new nail becomes exposed it's super sharp. Cats also have instinctual behaviors that involve sticking their claws in :) Vigilantly keeping your cats nails trimmed is part of being a responsible (indoor-only) cat parent.
You can definitely trim the nails. They sell clippers for this purpose. When my cat’s claws are freshly trimmed, she can’t hurt me at all — I think it actually annoys her that I’m able to ignore her when she tries to get my attention.
It's quite easy to do that when our cat is asleep. It usually doesn't wake her up when you rub her feet during that and she looks like she even enjoys it because of the rubbing.
The best solution is to avoid the cat. I've spend my whole life around cats and dogs, and getting scratched and bitten is pretty much a given -- it's instinctual hunt and play behavior. It's just life, if you ask me; it's painful and leaves marks, but that's just an irrelevant side effect of participation.
While getting scratched now and then is part of life for someone who raises cats, it is not normal to have one's cats scratch guests unless the guest has provoked the cat. It is not hard to teach them not to scratch and bite. It can still happen accidentally but it should never be a regular occurrence.
I guess it depends on the cat. I knew someone with a very territorial cat* that would run across the room to scratch/bite strangers ...or people it knew well. Walking past it? Expect a full claw swipe at the back of your legs.
The solution is to just put the cat outside or in another room for a bit not to mutilate it, IMHO.
*(What's funny to me is that I helped them choose the cat when it was a kitten because it was "a licker". I didn't realise at the time it was just making notes on us all to see how we tasted.)
The solution is to just put the cat outside or in another room for a bit not to mutilate it, IMHO.
*(What's funny to me is that I helped them choose the cat when it was a kitten because it was "a licker". I didn't realise at the time it was just making notes on us all to see how we tasted.)
Couple of solutions:
1) Trim the nails like you said, that's not always easy to do depending on the cat. 2) Encourage the cat to use scratching posts more, using treats and catnip 3) Softpaws or similar. https://www.softpaws.com/
1) Trim the nails like you said, that's not always easy to do depending on the cat. 2) Encourage the cat to use scratching posts more, using treats and catnip 3) Softpaws or similar. https://www.softpaws.com/
It's very simple once you know the trick. I got the trick by watching an experienced nail clipper in a shop, who did it for $5.
Needs a few seconds only.
I trim them regularily to save the young birds on our trees, because with trimmed nails our cat cannot climb the tree anymore that well.
I trim them regularily to save the young birds on our trees, because with trimmed nails our cat cannot climb the tree anymore that well.
There are plastic nubs you can place on their claw tips, however it is doubtful it would be successful if it wasn't started while they were kittens or very young.
There are cat nail clippers designed for this purpose. Done right the cat does not notice and you must do it or they will scratch you.
There are nail clippers suitable for cats which help.
Some cats will protest violently and make it extremely difficult to trim them though
Some cats will protest violently and make it extremely difficult to trim them though
Why is this not law in Canada yet?
Good! I love my cats and their claws.
Declawing isn’t just removing the claws. The equivalent when performed on a human would be to surgically remove the last section of your fingers, on all your fingers. You don’t/can’t just remove the claws: you are removing the entire bone.
It is absolutely cruel and unusual and honestly, you are a monster if you support this.