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Anonymous
I'm looking into information about housecats, since I'll be investing in a shelter cat around August. I'm planning on getting one of the younger cats (4 months old minimum). The one thing I keep hitting a snag with is the declawing issue. My dad is allergic to cat hair, so growing up we had a dog.

Everyone seems to say that declawing is barbaric; it with ruin the cat's life, give it personality problems, et cetera. Thing is, my boyfriend has two cats that are fairly middle-aged for cats (one is around 10, the other around 13 by my estimate). Both are declawed (front only, of course) and both seem like perfectly normal cats. They seem to act as though they aren't even aware they're missing their claws; they go through a sharpening routine and everything. Both cats were adopted fairly young, but I'm not sure if the family actually had the cats declawed or not.

I'll be asking my family's vet about it (I still live within 30 miles), and I'd be planning on keeping the cat indoors, but I'd like to know your opinions.
>> menchi !IgWlr3a0sk
declawing deprives cats of their natural defenses.
don't do it.
if the claws are an issue, get claw caps glued onto them.
the vet can do that just as easily and it's cheaper, and less traumatizing, as it does not require surgery.
>> Anonymous
Don't declaw. If you don't want to get scratched, don't get a cat. It just goes with the territory. If you're worried about your cat scratching your furniture, get a scratch post (my cats like plain wood ... or cardboard, go figure) and put it in front of the spot he likes to scratch. My cats wouldn't have anything to do with the scratchposts I got them until I put them in front of the furniture, walls, etc. they liked to scratch.
>> Infidel !!qiClNei5oRk
Well, I've got one cat that's frontally-declawed and two that are fully clawed, and let me tell you: the declawed one can whoop ass. He does full face-smacks hard enough to make the other cats stagger. Also, his back claws can be brutal.
>> Anonymous
there is no single reasonable reason to declaw a cat.

cat scratches you => don't annoy kitty if it doesn't want to be annoyed

cat scratches furnitures => get scratch post or (if your couch is more dear to your than the cat) don't get cat at all

happy cats don't scratch. if you declaw your cat, it simply that mean you, as the catowner, failed.
>> Anonymous
I've heard that it can be dangerous for declawed cats to be let outside because their claws are vital for climbing and proper balance, but the cat won't understand that it's abilities are gone and they can fall off fences, out of trees etc, and injure themselves.
>> Anonymous
declawing a cat removes the last digits of their front paws. It's really unneccessary, I've never had a problem with mine clawing furniture, but then again, she will not even get on leather furniture. She hates it. I let my cat outside, she has a particular log outside that she likes to claw up. The only cat I've had that really scratched things in the house was a black one. He wouldn't scratch for scratching's sake, he'd jump up as high as he could on certain doorframes, and slide down them with his claws out. That was a weird cat, he'd also play in the water.
>> Anonymous
>>The one thing I keep hitting a snag with is the declawing issue. My dad is allergic to cat hair, so growing up we had a dog.

I'm failing to understand how these two items are related.

Don't declaw. Use clawcaps and keep the nails trimmed down. I have friends who had a cat declawed because he kept scratching them. Now he bites instead, and the pain he was in post-surgery kept them from even considering having it done to the next cat they bought.
>> Anonymous
I dont know if this applies in every state, but where I live you will be required to sign a paper that says you will not de-claw your cat if you get him from a shelter
>> Anonymous
Fucking hell, declawing is perfectly fine, and every declawed cat I've come across was quite well adjusted and happy.

This board is simply filled with retarded catfags who barely have enough brain power to put their clothing on properly in the morning. So yeah, I wouldn't worry too much with what they have to say.
>> Anonymous
I had both my strictly indoor cats (9 and 11) fully declawed when they were young. I've never seen any evidence that they experienced lasting dicomfort from the procedure. They were back up and being insane within a day. It's probably better to have done while the cat is still young.
>> Anonymous
>>83071
>>83064
I guess you would give you daughters (if you had some) genital cutting, too.
Because they will become "well adjusted", and who cares about barbaric mutilation if they dont complain, because they dont know different...
>> Anonymous
ITT an easy way to troll /an/.
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>>83064
Perhaps... You are the retard?
Now,>>83012, listen carefully:
The funny thing is, often people who post on the Internet have extreme views, or develop an extreme view just to make a point. Both sides of the arguments have their merits, but think about this: Why do it if it doesn’t need to be done?
Some people say they had cats all their lives without having furniture destroyed or being clawed themselves, so de-clawing is unnecessary. Others say they had to de-claw all their cats because they would run amok and tear up the joint, so de-clawing is necessary. And you know what? They are both correct. I won’t go too deep, but we live in a quick-fix, band-aid society. Kid misbehaving – give pills. Cold – give pills. Upset – give pills. Cat scratching – remove claws. It comes down to what type of person you are. Pets are in many ways a reflection of ourselves. And if you want to keep a well-adjusted pet, you need to be well-adjusted yourself and have an open mind to what your pet needs to live happily and worry-free. At the minimum, get scratching posts, toys, clean bedding and reinforce good behaviour with affection. There is plenty of good info out there on how to deal properly with misbehaving pets if you need it. Just make sure the source is more…. “authorative” than a chan board. Good luck with everything.
>> Anonymous
>>83096

That is some good advice. Speaking of quick fixes, have you seen this Kitty Washing Machine?

http://www.ifilm.com/video/2816972

I think it is horrible and dangerous looking. All you need is some gloves and a tub. People are lazy.
>> Anonymous
>>83094

If you put cat declawing anywhere NEAR the same category as mutilating your daughter's vaginas, I dearly, DEARLY, hope you never breed. In fact, please go outside now and get your nuts/uterus run over by a car to make sure you don't.
>> Gunlord !.YMO7aNBcQ
>>83112
Okay, so maybe declawing isn't on the same level as female circumcision...so how about male circumcision? Foreskins aren't necessary, right? :D

(ITP a sure-fire way to troll the shit out of any board on 4chan)