Which is Crueler?

[Eos]

Say you've had two adopted cats, both approximately 8 years old, and you've got to move to another state.

Upon researching a three county radius for your new location you discover that your only options are to

A) Declaw your eight year old cats.
B) Surrender them to the local non-kill shelter

Because no place in your new location will budge on the No Pets or the No Clawed Pets policies. Note in this scenario you don't have any friends who can take the cats in your current or target city.

Is it crueler to declaw the cats so you can keep them with you, or to give them up for adoption where their next owner may declaw them anyway?

Spoiler

Note this is hypothetical. In my own circumstane I opted for C) Offering the apartment so much extra money as a security deposit they shut up and left me alone. Obviously this is not available for everyone.

[Jon]

I would go with option A. In the end, it's the lesser of two evils.

EDIT: I say this because you brought up the point that, if you do go with option B, they might still de-claw the poor felines.

[FrozNlite]

It all depends on how much you want them. If you desperately want to keep them, have them declawed so they'll remain with you. If you could care less, look at your options. Can you afford the procedure at this point in your life?

There's definitely a lot more to think about than comparing the cruelty of end options.

And I believe the correct English is "more cruel," not "crueler."

[Mark]

ITT: We know nothing about cats. Declawing is more like mutilation. It also effects their balance and is pretty painful from what I've read.

The answer is obvious.

[Eos]

It all depends on how much you want them. If you desperately want to keep them, have them declawed so they'll remain with you. If you could care less, look at your options. Can you afford the procedure at this point in your life?

There's definitely a lot more to think about than comparing the cruelty of end options.

And I believe the correct English is "more cruel," not "crueler."

Your own desires do not alter the cruelty of an event that isn't occurring to you; Cutting off an animals toes is just as cruel to that animal whether I was horrified by it or pleased with it. Likewise locking them in a small cage surrounded by hundreds of other cages for an indefinite period remains the same level of unpleasant. The question is which one is inherently crueler to the animal.

If it weren't affordable it wouldn't be an option. The plausibility of it is what has defined it as being an available option after all.

And I believe you are mistaken.

ITT: We know nothing about cats. Declawing is more like mutilation. It also effects their balance and is pretty painful from what I've read.

The answer is obvious.

ITT: Mark demonstrates his superiority complex by making generalized assumptions and ignoring facts.

The fact declawing is a form of mutilation is well known. North America is virtually the only place it's not considered a form of animal cruelty.

How is abandoning animals well past the sought after age of adoption to a shelter where they may still ultimately be put to sleep, or re-adopted and experience that mutilation anyhow an obvious better answer?

[Mark]

ITT: Mark demonstrates his superiority complex by making generalized assumptions and ignoring facts.

The fact declawing is a form of mutilation is well known. North America is virtually the only place it's not considered a form of animal cruelty.

How is abandoning animals well past the sought after age of adoption to a shelter where they may still ultimately be put to sleep, or re-adopted and experience that mutilation anyhow an obvious better answer?

What is the point of your thread if the cat is going to be declawed anyway with a slight chance of being put to sleep? Clearly A nor B is a good choice for the cat. The only correct choice is C. Put it to sleep. At 8 years old they've lived long enough.

[Hazzy]

I would go for option D, Donate the cats to the local dog shelter as exercise tools.

/* *not a cat person* */

[Eos]

What is the point of your thread if the cat is going to be declawed anyway with a slight chance of being put to sleep? Clearly A nor B is a good choice for the cat. The only correct choice is C. Put it to sleep. At 8 years old they've lived long enough.

The point of the thread is to determine how many people think that psychological trauma (abandonment) with a chance of mutilation or murder at the end of it is less cruel than the certainty of mutilation but a loving home.

It's a character assessment. The answer demonstrates what kind of a person you are. Your option C for example would demonstrate you feel no responsibility for the well being of the animals. It's says a lot that you'd actually choose killing them as "good for them" over releasing them in the wild somewhere.

[FelixTM]

I guess I'll share my opinion since I've owned several cats which we've had declawed. In the Dakotas, especially, it is a very common practice and next to no one views it as "animal cruelty." It is very sad, and I feel terrible for my kitties after they get it done (because I'm a crazy cat lover). That said, it is not near as bad as some people make it out to be. The recovery period is incredibly short. I'm not kidding. We always get our kitties declawed when they are younger (which probably makes it faster and less painful than older kitties), but I'm talking like...a few days. Seriously. Then they're back to normal. The first day is the worst.

All of our cats are always strictly indoor cats. We do not let them outside. Even so, getting a cat declawed does not cripple them from hunting. The main thing they lose is defense against other clawed cats (which isn't an issue for our kitties). When we get mice in our basement sometimes, our declawed, completely indoor cats can still hunt them like pros. Yes, they've done it. Caught and killed. Plus, some friends of mine had a declawed cat that was originally an indoor cat moved to their farm. She had to live among many outdoor kitties. She could still hunt quite well. Cats adapt because they are awesome.

Besides silly animal elitism (I have great pride in my cats, but I am not ridiculous) or simply ignorance to the issue, people make it out to be WAY worse than it actually is. I have seen tons of completely declawed cats in my life (and owned several, too). They are no different than other cats. They do not have problems. They are not messed up. They run around and play and jump and do everything full speed crazy. If you want cats for indoor pets, declawing is a great thing to have done. Show them lots of love during the short recovery period, and it'll all be over soon. Once they've healed, you can play and cuddle with them so much better. No scratches ever. No wrecked furniture or clothes. They go from being an amazing pet to the perfect pet. And no, they don't hold it against you. Our cats are always very loving to us.

What more is there to say? I'd be happy to answer any questions if I can. I'm a huge cat lover, and I fully support declawing. If the cat is going to be strictly outdoors, I would definitely not recommend it, though. For indoor cats? Always.

I guess I forgot to directly address your question. In this case, I would no question get them declawed. Help them through it and give them lots of love. It is vastly better to keep loving them and show them a good life. Even though, admittedly, it is going to be much harder for older kitties.

[sicnarf]

Oops...picked the wrong option. I thought it was asking which I would choose to do. >_>

In any case, option A is the lesser evil. You don't know what will happen if you put up your cats for adoption.

[Horusmaster]

would you rather cut off your penis or not live with your parents?

[Mark]

It's a character assessment. The answer demonstrates what kind of a person you are. Your option C for example would demonstrate you feel no responsibility for the well being of the animals. It's says a lot that you'd actually choose killing them as "good for them" over releasing them in the wild somewhere.

Whoa, man. Yeah, releasing an indoor cat into the wild, where it has to fend for itself is entirely more humane than giving them a quick shot for a peaceful eternal slumber. At 8 years old, declawing will effect them a lot more, than if you were to declaw them at a young age, as Felix mentioned.

Your "character assessment" is balls.

[Heidi]

I don't think declawing would be *that* bad if done by a good vet. It's a bit cruel, but no where near as cruel as putting them up for adoption. You wouldn't know what would happen to them, and after they've been with you for so long... if they're anything like my cats, they'd love their owner :P

[FelixTM]

Heidi brought up another point I forgot to address. The vet that does it is important. Look around. Research it or something. We've come across some very bad vets. Find a vet that loves animals and is good at the operation and gentle. Some people idiotically believe it's a barbaric operation where they just rip them out (or whatever the hell--I don't understand idiots). No. They are surgically removed.

The age does make it a tougher choice, but it still wouldn't be hard for me. I would never give up my kitties. That is cruel, and I don't care what others say. I can't believe some people in this thread are making such retarded analogies.

[NotAwesome]

I have 2 cats. Both are declawed. They haven't had any problems since the first few days, though they were young when declawed. At 8 years old, I'm not really sure. However I think adoption is a worse choice, they cat could end up with someone much worse or someone who ended up declawing them anyway. So that just leaves your cat hurt and you without the cat anymore. Alternatively the cat could end up in a better home, or end up staying in the shelter since older animals are less often adopted, but there are no guarantees either way. At least when you declaw it you know what will happen.

[Eos]

Whoa, man. Yeah, releasing an indoor cat into the wild, where it has to fend for itself is entirely more humane than giving them a quick shot for a peaceful eternal slumber.

Certain death vs a chance at living a healthy normal rest of their lives as strays. Considering both cats came from outdoors anyhow, the latter is the lesser cruelty to me, were I willing to forgo any responsibility for their futures.

I guess I'll share my opinion since I've owned several cats which we've had declawed.

Just to clarify - I've had a tom declawed before. He hobbled around miserably on bloody bandages for a week and never forgave us. He went from being lovable and cuddly to being a surly biter and learned to punch rather than claw. He eventually began to insist on being let outside, and became an indoor/outdoor cat for several years, hunting effectively if differently. He could even tree climb to some degree.

[FelixTM]

Just to clarify - I've had a tom declawed before. He hobbled around miserably on bloody bandages for a week and never forgave us. He went from being lovable and cuddly to being a surly biter and learned to punch rather than claw. He eventually began to insist on being let outside, and became an indoor/outdoor cat for several years, hunting effectively if differently. He could even tree climb to some degree.

Sounds like he had a terrible recovery period. Why? I've never seen any of this "bloody bandages" thing.

I don't like male cats, though. We've only owned female kitties.

[Heidi]

Other than the fact that a stray cat has a chance of a very painful and nasty death...

And being hungry. No kitty would like that :(

And at post right above mine, I like the male cats. Can't stand the female ones :P

[Eos]

Sounds like he had a terrible recovery period. Why? I've never seen any of this "bloody bandages" thing.

It was over 20 years ago, now they have the shiny lasers and the other less invasive ways.

Although there is fairly high incidence of complications according to studies, and recovery time can take anywhere from a couple days to a month in the worst cases.

[FelixTM]

It was over 20 years ago, now they have the shiny lasers and the other less invasive ways.

Ah. That's terrible... It's a great thing that medical methods have advanced so much.

I guess it just bothers me that some people are stuck on it being "evil" or what have you. To me, nothing is more important than giving a cat a great, loving home. I know I can give them that. That certainty makes me happy, which I think can applied to this situation. They're your cats. I wouldn't give them away to uncertainty.