Declawing: glad I took the time

"PawsForThought" wrote in message
...

"Cats have retractable nails, also known as "claws". Unlike most mammals
who
walk on the soles of the paws or feet, cats are digitigrade, which means
they
walk on their toes. Their back, shoulder and leg joints, muscles, tendons,
ligaments and nerves are naturally designed to support and distribute the
cat's
weight across its toes as it walks, runs and climbs. A cat's claws are
used for
balance, for exercising, and for stretching the muscles in
their legs, back, shoulders, and paws. They stretch these muscles by
digging
their claws into a surface and pulling back against their own clawhold -
similar to isometric exercising for humans. This is the only way a cat can
exercise, stretch and tone the muscles of its back and shoulders. The toes
cause the foot to meet the ground at a precise angle to keep the leg,
shoulder
and back muscles and joints in proper alignment. Removal of the last
digits of the toes causes the foot to meet the ground at an unnatural
angle
that can cause back pain similar to that in humans caused by wearing
improper
shoes. "

"Contrary to most people's idea of declawing, surgery involves severing
not
just the claws, but whole phalanges (up to the joint), including bone,
ligaments, and tendons! Complications of this amputation can be
excruciating
pain, damage to the radial nerve, hemorrhage, bone chips that prevent
healing,
painful regrowth of deformed claw inside of the paw, and chronic back and
joint
pain as shoulder, leg and back muscles weaken. Many cats also suffer
a loss of balance since they can no longer achieve a secure foothold on
their
stumps. "

"Some cats are so shocked by declawing that their personalities change. In
some
cases, when declawed cats use the litterbox after surgery, their feet are
so
tender they associate their new pain with the box...permanently. Others
that
can no longer mark with their claws, they mark with urine instead. Many
declawed cats become so traumatized by this painful mutilation that they
end up
spending their maladjusted lives perched on top of doors and
refrigerators, out of reach of real and imaginary predators against whom
they
no longer have any adequate defense. A cat relies on its claws as its
primary
means of defense. Removing the claws makes a cat feel defenseless and it
can
either become very defensive and resort to biting, or withdrawn and
paranoid.
They not only lose their grip, but also their grip on reality, seeming
unable
to concentrate on much beyond the loss of their claws, their
vulnerability and confusion as to what has happened to them. "


Dr. Nicholas Dodman, Professor of Behavioral Pharmacology and Director of
the
Behavior Clinic at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine and
internationally known specialist in domestic animal behavioral research,
explains declawing:

"The inhumanity of the procedure is clearly demonstrated by the nature of
cats'
recovery from anesthesia following the surgery. Unlike routine recoveries,
including recovery from neutering surgeries, which are fairly peaceful,
declawing surgery results in cats bouncing off the walls of the recovery
cage
because of excruciating pain. Cats that are more stoic huddle in the
corner of
the recovery cage, immobilized in a state of helplessness, presumably
by overwhelming pain. Declawing fits the dictionary definition of
mutilation to
a tee. Words such as deform, disfigure, disjoint, and dismember all apply
to
this surgery. Partial digital amputation is so horrible that it has been
employed for torture of prisoners of war, and in veterinary medicine, the
clinical procedure serves as model of severe pain for testing the efficacy
of
analgesic drugs. Even though analgesic drugs can be used
postoperatively, they rarely are, and their effects are incomplete and
transient anyway, so sooner or later the pain will emerge."

Oops! You forgot to cite the source of the above:

http://www.maxshouse.com/facts_about_declawing.htm

"Wendy" wrote in message
...
We have a local vet who is doing laser surgery to sever the tendon that
extends the claw. I've heard healing is much faster and is generally less
traumatic for the cat. Don't have enough information to know whether this
procedure is any better in the long run or not.


W


This surgery has been getting a lot of attention. It may be slightly less
painful, but it is still amputation -- and all of the other problems that
Lauren described in her excellent post still exist. Personally, I think
this surgery is simply being used because it may be somewhat more
*palatable* to those who opt for it, and they avoid looking at the long-term
damage (sort of like *burying their heads in the sand*).

MaryL

"Wendy" wrote in message
...
We have a local vet who is doing laser surgery to sever the tendon that
extends the claw. I've heard healing is much faster and is generally less
traumatic for the cat. Don't have enough information to know whether this
procedure is any better in the long run or not.


W


This surgery has been getting a lot of attention. It may be slightly less
painful, but it is still amputation -- and all of the other problems that
Lauren described in her excellent post still exist. Personally, I think
this surgery is simply being used because it may be somewhat more
*palatable* to those who opt for it, and they avoid looking at the long-term
damage (sort of like *burying their heads in the sand*).

MaryL

wrote in message
...
HOLY COW!

No freaking way I'm doing that to her!

Good man!

For some additional reinforcement, here are some illustrations to show you
the hideous procedure you're sparing your cat from:

http://www.maxshouse.com/anatomy/cla...phic_Claws.jpg

http://www.maxshouse.com/Declaw%20Pi...-dia-color.jpg

http://www.maxshouse.com/anatomy/cla...+ligaments.jpg

http://www.maxshouse.com/anatomy/cla...plications.jpg

http://www.maxshouse.com/facts_about_declawing.htm

Welcome to the rapidly growing list of Claw Conservatives!

Phil

wrote in message
...
HOLY COW!

No freaking way I'm doing that to her!

Good man!

For some additional reinforcement, here are some illustrations to show you
the hideous procedure you're sparing your cat from:

http://www.maxshouse.com/anatomy/cla...phic_Claws.jpg

http://www.maxshouse.com/Declaw%20Pi...-dia-color.jpg

http://www.maxshouse.com/anatomy/cla...+ligaments.jpg

http://www.maxshouse.com/anatomy/cla...plications.jpg

http://www.maxshouse.com/facts_about_declawing.htm

Welcome to the rapidly growing list of Claw Conservatives!

Phil

How difficult is it to trim a cat's nails?
Do they have blood vessels in them like a dog's?

I watch her scratch the corner posts of our deck, and I picture that
being the spindles of our stairs. Oy. Our whole house is custom
wood.

As far as training her, does it matter that she was feral until about
9 months old?

I've got to make up my mind before the real cold comes.

How difficult is it to trim a cat's nails?
Do they have blood vessels in them like a dog's?

I watch her scratch the corner posts of our deck, and I picture that
being the spindles of our stairs. Oy. Our whole house is custom
wood.

As far as training her, does it matter that she was feral until about
9 months old?

I've got to make up my mind before the real cold comes.

From:


HOLY COW!

No freaking way I'm doing that to her!

Is this in response to what I posted?

Yay!!!!!!!!!! Thank you, Mitch, for listening and deciding to do what's best
for your kitty

Lauren
________
See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm

From:


HOLY COW!

No freaking way I'm doing that to her!

Is this in response to what I posted?

Yay!!!!!!!!!! Thank you, Mitch, for listening and deciding to do what's best
for your kitty

Lauren
________
See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm

From:

How difficult is it to trim a cat's nails?
Do they have blood vessels in them like a dog's?


Yes, they do have blood vessels like a dog, so you have to be careful not to
cut into the pink part. I just trim the very tips of their claws. Now as to
difficulty, of course if a person starts when the cat is a kitten it will be
much easier. However, I don't think it's an impossibility with an older cat.
What might be good is when kitty is sleepy, to gently massage her paws so she
gets used to them being handled. Of course your situation is different because
she's a feral. I'm sure those with more experience with ferals will offer
advice. I know Megan, one of our regular posters (who by the way has an
excellent website www.stopdeclaw.com - hope this is the right addy) has
experience in this regard.

Also, if worse comes to worse, you could always try one of those nylon bags
that you put the cat in and extend one paw at a time. I do know a couple of
people who've used it for ferals.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...d=3159&N=1+113
133&in_merch=1

I watch her scratch the corner posts of our deck, and I picture that
being the spindles of our stairs. Oy. Our whole house is custom
wood.

I think the trick here will be finding a nice scratching post that is more
enticing to her than your staircase. If you're handy, you can even build one
yourself. I know they also sell them that are made of wood. You could even
maybe try a log.

You will see on Megan's website that there are training methods.

Good luck and please keep us posted on your progress or if you have any other
questions. Kudos to you for caring enough about this kitty not to declaw her


Lauren
________
See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm