I'd be mad too

msolga, I hate to say it, but that sort of commentary might only encourage Slappy. He probably enjoys a good spanking now and again!

Then we shall have to give him a BAAAAAAD one - one he will definitely not enjoy....

That is awful, what has been done to that cat - but I must say it is a little tempting....

Deb, it is not! Don't even think about it!

As to Slappy - I'm with you there!

Never dealt with a Siamese, I see? Prince, my friend's seal-point, mastered opening the back doors almost 20 years ago. This was about a month after he figured out how to work light switches.

NEVER underestimate the resourcefulness of a determined cat!

I have two (Vierna, an American shorthair & Maya, a Maine Coon), & both go outside. I live in the middle of nowhere, on six acres.

you people who are against clipping a cat probably only have short hairs and have no clue about how knots and hot spots and how the cat can get really bad hairballs from licking their fur. Remember most cat breeds are artifical subspecies that would either die out if not cared for b y a human or would, after a generation or two resort back to the mother form.
Coons and Ragdolls are realtively new breeds that have gotten very popular. Unlike Persians, they dont have as many guide hairs and do have lots of underfur which knots quite easily. Our groomer says that Coons are her most clipped breed, although n ot as severe as the pissed off cat up top.

im not aware that declawing does anything harmful to a cat. Reebok weighs 26 pounds and he and Ernie (my top dog0 have a running swipe and bite battke. in the morning , Ernie will go after the cat with his mouth and Reebok will just stand his ground and swipe at the dog. the dog has gotten some nasty scars. Those cat claw covers are about as useful as tits on a clam. Reebok learned how to remove them by eating them. Were thinking of declawing his fronts before he hurts the dogs.

I have a long haired persian. When she gets a knot, which is rare I just cut that part of the fur off. To suggest shaving a cat to prevent fur balls is a little extreme. If you don't over feed a cat so that they can clean themselves regularly they won't get too may fur balls. Especially if they are indoor only and not outside getting into things.

My cat is almost 10 years old and I only recall having to cut off a couple of fur balls. She has some pretty long fur too. I think the only times she's had them is when she's gotten into the trash or something.

I know it also depends on the bread, I recall as a kid having a cat that always had knots, but then again that was an outdoor cat and kind of wild. Probably would have been different if it was indoor only.

I would probably have a kitten declawed, but not an older cat. And definitely not an outdoor cat!

persians seem to have more guidehairs and can be groomed and knots trimmed , but coons get the knots very close to the skin in the undergair wich is like quiviut and felts , asically. WE have agood groomer wo isnt extreme about clipping and Reebok is set for a good half year to a year, depending on the weather.

Declawing should NEVER be done to a cat that goes outdoors. Claws are absolutely necessary for self-defense and climbing to avoid danger. Sending a declawed cat outdoors would be extremely cruel.

However, indoor cats are different. I have two darling, pampered indoor cats, and they were both declawed (front paws only) when they were kittens. They shredded $1,200 worth of drapes in a month...only did it when nobody was around to catch them (smart kitties!)

BTW, they don't "pull the claws out" when they declaw cats. It's a surgical procedure (general anesthesia) that involves amputation at the last joint. For a destructive indoor cat, declawing is often a better option than getting rid of the cat.

Maya has as much fur as any other three cats I've ever seen. I've never had her clipped. I do brush her fur regularly, & if there's a really-severe tangle, I just trim it off.

Declawing a cat is cruel.

Theres a cat in the neighborhood here that gets shaved every year. He is long haired and an outdoor cat. Hes also a big hunter cat and generally a bully. I can imagine how badly he gets matted, and although I feel bad looking at him when he's shaved I at least applaud the owners for taking good care of the cat when he needs it. Matted hair is not healthy for the animal, and at least we have a way of helping to give them a better life, silly as it may look.
Its like those lovely hoops we put around their heads to keep them from getting infections from stiches or other natural reactions-for their own good and safety-ridiculous, yes. Responsible, yes.
As far as the declawing goes--we've been down this road before and I can say that I have two lovely declawed cats who are perfectly and responsibly cared for and always will be. I however wouldnt declaw a cat as an older animal unless it was a health issue for the animal itself-which goes back to pet owner responsibility.

I agree, quinn. My two declawed cats are very loved and well cared for, too. Declawing may be cruel, just as some would say neutering/spaying is cruel, but it's far less cruel than getting rid of the animal because it's behaving in a perfectly natural, if unacceptable, way.

Its not inhuman... its called a "lion cut", hence why they look like lions...

Its for cats in the summer, because some cats get hot with alot of fur. My neighbor's cat gets it every year and she likes looking like that, not mad at all.

Declawing is discusting, whoever does that to their pets is down right curuel and does not care what their cat feels! Whats the point so they won't scratch your "EXPENSIVE" furniture, if thats the reason, you don't deserve to have any pet!

well now, isnt that special.
Making a moral issue out of declawing are we? Its good to be on a high moral plane to extend our displeasure.
we love our declawed cats. They stay inside and live good productive lives (even though weve mutilated them by declawing).

many of our cats have been rescued from sure death and, because we do have antiques, which we feel as mere caretakers for the next generation, we have a responsibility to keep them in pristine condition.

You must learn to accept other peoples decisions as beefits their needs. I, dont like ear cropping on dogs or comb cropping on chickens. I am in favor of polling cattle and sheep as well as tail docking on seep. do you have any moral advice on any of these?

I don't think it's cruel for an indoor cat if it's only a year or too old. Declawing that is, as for the lion cut... If you cut an outdoor cat's fur like that it's getting it's butt kicked by the neighborhood alley cat. Claws or no claws...

Do you know that declawing a cat is actually cutting off the tips of its fingers?

Under anastasia. It's not like they just rip them off. Get them when they are young enough and they won't even know they're supposed to have claws. Just like circumcising a baby.

I was told by the SPCA how it was done and there's more to it than simply removing the claws. They litterally cut off the tips of their fingers. When I went to get my kitten from the vet the day she was spayed, there was a kitten in the cage next to hers who was just declawed and the poor things paws were shaking because it was in such pain.

Declawing cats is cruel. If you're worried about your furniture, you don't deserve a pet. If you leave cats outside, prepare for them to not come home if they come over to my yard. They make for good target practice.

I think it's hilarious....but really mean. That poor cat is so pissed....


As for declawing...if you are worried about your furniture you don't have to declaw. They now have these little rubber things you can have put on your kitties claws that keep the nails from tearing up your stuff. They don't bother the cat, don't hurt and when they scratch, it doesn't do any damage.