Posted by Chrissy on January 26, 1999 at 16:13:57:
In Reply to: If you're considering declawing posted by Lisa W on October 14, 1998 at 12:14:43:
Wo! if that is all true i shall not even think about doing it! But i need some other options. what is soft paw and are there any other aides out there to help in this situation?
: I believe that most people who have cats truly love them, I don't think that it should be an issue. Some people are ill informed or ill advised when it comes to the issue of declawing. Its costly to repair the damage to the home and to the other animals that cats can cause. The frustration alone could cause one to make a hastly choice. Our cat attacked our puppy and ripped his snout open.(He's fine,now!)He also shredded all the wooden doorframes in our familyroom. We are big fans of corrective training since it has worked with the dog, whom, by the way, loves the cat. This training failed with the cat. Our vet suggested declawing and after eight months, we did it. Of course, we were not told until afterward just what it meant to declaw a cat. The word amputation is enough to change your mind! All I can say is, I have never so deeply regreted a decision as I do this one. If we had known about 'Softpaws' we would certainly have gone that route. Our cat is fine now, but it was so clearly not worth it. I would tell any considering declawing their cat this, it is painful, maiming and irreversible. I have to live with a lot of guilt over my descision. Take the time to review all your options clearly. When our little guy came home from the vet, we had to carry him to his litterbox every so often and put his food right next to him because he could not move well at all. When we removed his bandages, his paws were covered with dried blood. We had to give him children's asprin for the pain, antibotics, purchase special litter and clean the box after each use, which was nothing compared to what he was going through. It is a brutal procedure.