Tech and Talk > Computing Clubs > Team Helix > [OhDoh] Weakining ....

reply to BadHat

Re: [OhDoh] Weakining ....

Thanks for all the feedback. There is no twisting the wife's arm. She is surprised I changed my tune. No effort was needed to get her to come take a look at prospective furry candidates. Even my insistence of wanting a pair went without argument.

We checked out a Humane Society shelter and have committed to taking a pair of "strays" 8-9 weeks old. Seems when strays come in in quantity - its more likely from an unwanted litter, and the people don't want to say so.

The rescue place called them Peanut Butter, and Jelly. We have pretty much decided to rename these girl and boy cats Bonnie, and Clyde.

They will be fixed, and we pick them up Tuesday. A two for the price of one special too.

I don't know what people here think about declawing,
but I am inclined to want the front claws gone.

Based on their age, next may their birthday and mine will be about the same time.
--
Jim, VoIP since 12/2002, VOIPo 2/7/2007

FAH-Tool ... Whales ... VOIPo Forum ... VOIPo Review

please, no declawing. A good scratching post and some patient training to use it has always worked for me.

reply to usa2k

Re: [OhDoh] Darlins ....

Bonnie
Clyde

reply to Vtblues

Re: [OhDoh] Weakining ....

reply to usa2k
We have two declawed and three not. The declawed ones never skipped a beat (declawed as kittens) and the way they work at trying to sharpen their non-existent claws on the furniture tells me it was a good deal for all of us. I don't feel guilty.

I sincerely wish two of the non-declawed ones had been done. I have yet to find any sort of scratching post which will distract them from scratching the woodwork, carpets and furniture.

Make sure you have a competent vet and keep them indoors. I am constantly trying to keep neighbor outdoor cats from running under the garage door as it closes and from skittering through my yard just after I put down weed killer. Personally, I think it is more unkind to let them run loose these days than to have a kitten declawed by a competent vet so it makes a good indoor pet.
--
Join Team Helix * I am praying for these friends .

Sunny, how were you able to stop your clawed guys from scratching on everything? I had a cat who was trained to use a scratch board. I then moved in a place where I inherited a cat who had been declawed. Well Nia figured if Shelby was able to scratch anywhere she pleased, she could too.

I did a bunch of research and found cats fight mostly with their teeth and back legs. I ended up getting Nia de-clawed and she didn't even realize the difference. She still climbed a 8 ft. concrete wall and our 30 ft. tree. She also would chase any visiting cat out of the yard. She was mainly an indoor cat but I would let her out in the back yard and she never left the yard.

Since Nia, I've gotten my guys front declawed when they go in for their neutering. Mainly because I've always had a declawed cat around when I adopt. Within a day or so of the surgery, they have all been back to normal with their running, jumping, and climbing.
--
TH ~ NE ~ EPN ~ NC ~ TD

Frankly, I haven't been able to break the two clawed ones who do scratch everything and am seriously considering looking for a vet who will declaw them. They are both about eight years old, but I'm tired of having flattened cardboard boxes up against door frames and having to remember to put something in front of otherwise accessible screen doors and windows and keeping furniture covered with throws, etc. Until they are declawed, there is no point in even repairing damage already done.

I love the little critters, but I have tried everything. I regret this wasn't done when they were kittens, but we paid too much attention to those who would shame us for considering the declawing. Now I have thousands of dollors of damage and still need to do the deed.
--
Join Team Helix * I am praying for these friends .

reply to sashwa
Hmmmmm, the two scratching girls are actually about six years old. I misremembered. I told Jo about one of them in July 2002 here: »Re: .

Chigger is one of them and Midget (a gargantuan grey and white girl) is the other.

Bandit, incidentally, is not declawed, but he's a sweetheart and I'm not having the problem with him. He does occasionally go after the carpeting, but it is so thick and so tough he doesn't seem to damage it.
--
Join Team Helix * I am praying for these friends .

Tigger, Tippy, and Midnight were all declawed. I think the were around 8 yrs and did fine. They were all stable temperament before and after.

I submitted:
»www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/declaw.html
And:
»www.geocities.com/declawing/

. . . to snopes.com to see if they had an opinion, about the "Toe Amputation". I respect those that feel strongly about not declawing. Most people opposed, I think, would rescue and love a declawed cat.

The girl at the humane society had both clawed and declawed cats of her own. She claimed she would never choose to have it done, but her's were already done.

We are taking them to our vet for a checkup tomorrow after work.
--
Jim, VoIP since 12/2002, VOIPo 2/7/2007

FAH-Tool ... Whales ... VOIPo Forum ... VOIPo Review