(July 28, 2019 at 9:59 pm)EgoDeath Wrote:Comparing declawing a cat to having a pet neutered isn't a reasonable comparison.(July 28, 2019 at 9:37 pm)Alan V Wrote: Well let's see. The PetsMart where we got our cat seven years ago had us sign a paper saying we would never have her declawed. Since then she destroyed our couch and easy chair, and the replacements are now covered in plastic which we have to remove any time we want to sit on them comfortably.
She also left permanent scars on both of my arms when I was trying to put her in a cat carrier for the first time. (I learned to be more cautious.)
If we can't get a declawed cat next time, we may indeed opt for another kind of animal for a pet, or none at all. So that will be one less cat which will find a home, and likely one that will be destroyed instead.
Oh, and my wife's niece has three clawed cats which have ruined her table cloth and drapes, and are working on her carpeting. One is even peeling the wallpaper off the walls in her living and dining rooms.
Pluses and minuses people -- that's the real world, and not this imaginary world where there are no important tradeoffs to consider.
This is why I tend to say that, ideally, cats shouldn't be clawed, though I don't necessarily agree with the practice being outlawed. Of course, in a perfect world, we wouldn't have to employ any of these barbaric practices to enjoy owning pets. But, in the real world, not opting to have your cat declawed or your dog neutered can raise some considerable issues for pet owners. And, being that it is MY pet, I feel I should be able to choose whether or not I want my cat declawed. That being said, I probably will not own another cat after my current one passes (she was inherited so to speak so I stepped up to take care of her and love her to bits).
Having a dog neutered can prevent testicular cancer just as spaying a bitch can prevent breast cancer - which is nearly always fatal.
Declawing a cat is not a matter of maintaining the health of the cat.
I'm your huckleberry.
