Catchat post on the health section. Trouble with cat after neutering & declawing

[Desley (booktigger)]

Sadly I dont think he is coming back Gillian, which is a shame.

[Gillian Harvey]

Declawing IS an absolutely abhorrent procedure, BUT with the particular post the procedure has been done and there is now the more worrying issue of the the cat having had a urinary tract blockage - at least we have the chance to make suggestions for the good of the cat with that issue.

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

It makes me angry when I hear of people declawing, but if you just condemn them for it they will never come back and you lose the chance to educate. 

Cultural attitudes have a lot to do with it - if your parents, brother and friend all have declawed cats, and the vet offers a routine declaw then a lot of people will go for it on the assumption that a vet wouldn't do something that was bad for the cat.  Most cat owners (over here as well as over there) do not spend time on internet forums or searching for information online.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Because not everyone is like that Mark, some people are more cat owners than cat lovers, they take them along to the vets, and the vets advize x, y, z, so that is what the cats get, and some people dont think of going on the internet till it is too late. Just because we spend hours on cat forums doesn't mean that everyone does the same, I know loads of cat owners who wouldnt dream of joining a cat forum.

[Mark]

I can never understand people who blindly follow. I have always asked loads of questions when I am at doctors, hospital etc and always do the same for my cats. Information is so easy so find thesedays. you only have to searxh "Declaw" and any number of sites will come up - and AFAIK, there is only one pro-declawing site, run by some ignorant, selfish American.

[Lesley Frankie]

I lived in Canada for 15 years and declawing cats is routine there. My friends had their 2 cats declawed and were very hostile to my suggestion that it is cruel. They were way more worried about their furniture! Most people in North America don't actually understand what declawing involves, they think it is a simple removal of claws and, because vets routinely do it, they think it must be ok.  My friends adore their cats and would never deliberately hurt them but, on the issue of declawing, they are completely blind to reality. I do think that North Americans need to be educated to the reality of this issue but it will be an uphill struggle.

[Desley (booktigger)]

I dont think they were Mark, just prob struggling as they have just paid for neuter and declaw and then another vet bill on top, and I think the focus should have been on helping them and the cat, not having a go cos of something they had done, we dont know why they did it. People should have a responsibility, but a lot of people follow vets advice, and at the end of the day, they are the professionals, not everyone spends lots of time on forums learning about things, often people do find us once there is a problem.

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

I have copied the info from the purrs thread and posted onto CC .... fingers crossed a bit of education may help other kitties even if it's too late for this little one.

[alisonandarchie]

Cannot understand for the life of me why the USA still allows this practise

[Mark]

I see what you mean but this person is only interested in the $150 they have been charged for the treatment for crystals. I do think people have a responsibility for their own actions instead of blindly following "professional" advice. People should ask questions and most people have internet access now so can't plead ignorance.

[Desley (booktigger)]

There are nice ways of saying that this is wrong though, you have much more effect on people that way - and at the end of the day, it has been done, so telling them the wrongs aobut it are too late, the focus should be on what they can do to help the cat now. Some parts of the US have banned this, but they are the minority. Most vets push declawing at the same time as neutering as it is a good money maker for them, and they neglect to tell the patients the complete truth about it - and if you think about it, of course they are going to believe the vet, dont we all - look at how many FIV+ cats are pts due to vets recommendations?

[Maddiesmum]

That's a very good idea Mark. 

[Mark]

I think it would be a good idea to have a link on here and catchat "The truth about declawing" so maybe some people that might think it is routine will see it is far from it?

[JackSpratt]

Hmmm....now why would a cat act up after being declawed...? Gah!

[Maddiesmum]

I have said my piece.  Am really not concerned whether the poster is offended or not.  what she has done to her cat has offended me

[Mark]

I have told it like it is - lets face is, the cat is probably in agony and stressed out which has caused it. I would like anyone considering doing this just to have one finger chopped off at the knuckle before they go ahead with declawing. Ignorance is no excuse. Surely anyone with common sense would consider things before going ahead. I don't care if I have offended this person. It's the least I could do!!!!

[Canterbury_cats (Sharon)]

I was just going to reply to this post on CC but notice its from a USA forum member as it mentions that he/she has had the cat declawed as well as neutered. Didnt really want to preach but i thought the USA vet proffession was coming round to thinking how cruel this was and dont usually do it nowaday (of course totally illegal in UK and Europe I think)... How do you respond to such a post when you are more then aware of how cruel it is to be done?

Of course i could be wrong, and it is done routinely