Lately I have started cat shopping(which I’m thinking is just as dangerous as horse shopping!) and have come across several catterys that require you to sign a altering agreement( preventing you from declawing your new cat).
Is this common? Does anyone have experience with this? I admit I have no experience shopping for purebred cats, in the past my cats have just shown up at the door and invited themselves in!
While I’ve not shopped for pricy kitties, I can’t imagine that’s uncommon and if I were to breed cats, I would also add that to my contract.
Is this of concern because you’d like to declaw your cat? The current thought is that amputating the last digit of the toe is incredibly cruel and painful. Many vets refuse to perform the procedure these days.
If declawing is non negotiable, I’d encourage you to check the shelters for adult kitties who have already had the procedure done and need a home 
Declawing isn’t a must do, just something I am used to hearing as the “standard” new kitty treatment(spay/neuter, front declaw, shots, etc). I was simply curious as this is the first time I’d heard of an altering agreement.
Don’t declaw! Many practices around here refuse to perform this mutilation - and I 100% support that decision. Unless it’s a life or death situaton (and can’t really think of one), its an unnecessary torture to the cat. Its the equivalent of chopping off the tips of your fingers and toes, not just removing the nails.
[QUOTE=eventerchick517;8116671]
Declawing isn’t a must do, just something I am used to hearing as the “standard” new kitty treatment(spay/neuter, front declaw, shots, etc). I was simply curious as this is the first time I’d heard of an altering agreement.[/QUOTE]
Wow, as a small animal practitioner it scares me that “front paw declaw” is being toted as a standard treatment. I can assure you it is not! Declawing a cat is essentially amputating all 10 fingers at the first joint. It should be done only in the most extreme cases and with serious pain control.
The only reason I do front paw declaws (which is about one per year) is if the owner is elderly and their skin is quite fragile, an owner that has health issues and cannot get scratched or an owner that I know will be a lifelong stringent indoor only keeper and is the only way they will keep a kitty. I will only ever do a kitten, never adult cat. I keep them hospitalized for 3 days with a Fentanyl patch.
I can’t tell you how many folks claim they will keep their cats indoor only and then let them outside.
A four paw declaw should NEVER be done…and IMHO any practitioner that is willing to do that should be cited.
I do know of places where, 15 or 20 years ago, it was a pretty standard “new cat” treatment. Over time, attitude has shifted–and I agree with the shift. But I wouldn’t be surprised if there are still some areas/owners catching up to the shift away from it.
Also, it’s not just the breeders who have these types of clauses. Rescues do, as well.
No freaking way is declawing standard procedure thank God. I can’t believe it isn’t illegal here. I do dog boarding at my house and actually had someone at the meet and greet decide not to board with me because my cats weren’t declawed. I was so happy they showed their true colors before they became a client because those are not the type of people I want to do business with.
Some rescues have gone the same direction. I spoke to a vet about it once and he said that he felt that sometimes declawing can keep a cat in its home as opposed to being taken to the country to be a barn cat with a cat that isn’t really equipped to being thrown into that environment, so he was against banning declawing. I’m not a cat owner but I did research declawing because I’ve had several relatives who have had major litter box issues with their cats. All were declawed. I also know some people that do de-claw just as standard practice with their house cats and do not seem to have issues, but I think if I were to acquire a kitten I would try my hardest not to declaw because it does seem to be associated with litter box problems.
My Sphinx cat had one of those attached. I signed it no problem, since declawing an animal is not something I would do in 99% of scenarios. I keep her nails trimmed, she has her own things, and I keep her mind active and have never had any inappropriate clawing.
I couldn’t imagine cutting off her funny long toes.
In most other countries it is not done. It considered cruelty.
Why are you shopping catteries anyway? If you want a cat of a certain breed, why not contact breed rescues?
There are so many cats out there who need good homes. You are blessed enough to have cats showing up at your door. Keep taking them in. Just don’t declaw!
Honestly I wouldn’t buy from a cattery that didn’t have a no declaw clause. It shows they care about what actually happens to the kitten even after your check clears. Some defenders of declawing say it keeps the cats in their homes but if you look at the rescues there are plenty of declawed cats. Possibly a higher percentage than there are declawed cats in the general population.
Just curious what breeds of cat are you looking at.
[QUOTE=Rackonteur;8116939]
Why are you shopping catteries anyway? If you want a cat of a certain breed, why not contact breed rescues?
There are so many cats out there who need good homes. You are blessed enough to have cats showing up at your door. Keep taking them in. Just don’t declaw![/QUOTE]
While not the OP I can tell you why I bought my last cat at a cattery and didn’t use a rescue. I did check the Siamese rescue and all the cats had requirements that I couldn’t meet such as no dogs, must be only cat, no small children, no children or they were declawed and declawed cats generally have issues that I am not prepared to deal with. The other two breeds I considered were Burmese and Tonkinese neither of which had any cats available for adoption. The local shelters had cats they listed as Siamese but weren’t, not even close. So I bought from a good breeder selling pet Siamese with a contract that included a no declaw clause.
I do feral cat rescues, those become my working barn cats. So I do do my part for homeless cats. I just enjoy having the Thai breeds as my house cats.
[QUOTE=eventerchick517;8116671]
Declawing isn’t a must do, just something I am used to hearing as the “standard” new kitty treatment(spay/neuter, front declaw, shots, etc). I was simply curious as this is the first time I’d heard of an altering agreement.[/QUOTE]
Must be a different area thing because no one in my world (and I am old) has ever thought declawing was standard new kitty treatment.
I too find the do not declaw contract to be a good characteristic of a breeder.
I’m with Casey09. I have two cats that have all their claws and one of them desperately wishes to be an outside cat with benefits. Due to where I live, that will not happen, but she is not content or happy being a house cat.
All that said, one of the things she does when anxious or frustrated is start to claw inappropriate places. She has 3 appropriate places to do this, 3 different materials and 3 different heights (don’t know how else to put that, because it is not just about height). Due to Miss Orange Kat, my couch is shredded but I dare not replace it, as she will just shred the new one.
I have used nail caps, but she really really hates those and will chew them off, sometimes far to short. I have tried to work with c/t her, she’s just not interested and it’s not in me to withhold food for her. I’ve tried puzzle toys, but the dogs find them and either she isn’t motivated or she can’t figure it out so she leaves the toys quickly.
She will chase a laser pointer or a feathered toy, and we do that. I don’t do that all day, and again, when I am not home, I cannot play with her.
As the weather gets nicer, she wants out more and is more frustrated that she cannot get out.
This long spiel to say, I think I am unusual in that this cat still lives with me. I can totally see where people who are less determined than I am would dump her, or just let her out to take her chances. I can also see where someone less concerned would declaw her. I am not going to do that, but I can certainly see where that comes from.
My vet in NM years ago refused to declaw, and lost owners because of that. She didn’t cave to pressure, and I liked her for that.
Declawing is horrific and should not be done unless there is some sort of medical reason.
My brother-in-law’s cat is declawed (he didn’t know it was cruel). She bites like nobody’s business.
[QUOTE=Preposterous Ponies!;8117253]
Declawing is horrific and should not be done unless there is some sort of medical reason.
My brother-in-law’s cat is declawed (he didn’t know it was cruel). She bites like nobody’s business.[/QUOTE]
my daughters cat will bite, and she has all her claws.
[QUOTE=threedogpack;8117221]
I’m with Casey09. I have two cats that have all their claws and one of them desperately wishes to be an outside cat with benefits. Due to where I live, that will not happen, but she is not content or happy being a house cat.
All that said, one of the things she does when anxious or frustrated is start to claw inappropriate places. She has 3 appropriate places to do this, 3 different materials and 3 different heights (don’t know how else to put that, because it is not just about height). Due to Miss Orange Kat, my couch is shredded but I dare not replace it, as she will just shred the new one.
I have used nail caps, but she really really hates those and will chew them off, sometimes far to short. I have tried to work with c/t her, she’s just not interested and it’s not in me to withhold food for her. I’ve tried puzzle toys, but the dogs find them and either she isn’t motivated or she can’t figure it out so she leaves the toys quickly.
She will chase a laser pointer or a feathered toy, and we do that. I don’t do that all day, and again, when I am not home, I cannot play with her.
As the weather gets nicer, she wants out more and is more frustrated that she cannot get out.
This long spiel to say, I think I am unusual in that this cat still lives with me. I can totally see where people who are less determined than I am would dump her, or just let her out to take her chances. I can also see where someone less concerned would declaw her. I am not going to do that, but I can certainly see where that comes from.[/QUOTE]
Any chance you could build a Catio for her? http://jacksongalaxy.com/category/catification/outdoor-enclosures/ Also check out catification. A few shelves spaced correctly and some cat TV (window perch out which they can watch birds at a feeder) works wonders.
[QUOTE=Paks;8117273]
Any chance you could build a Catio for her? http://jacksongalaxy.com/category/catification/outdoor-enclosures/ Also check out catification. A few shelves spaced correctly and some cat TV (window perch out which they can watch birds at a feeder) works wonders.[/QUOTE]
she has windows to perch on that she can see bird feeders (& thus birds). They are at different heights. Sometimes I think this makes her more frustrated, to see and not be able to reach.
Cannot do the patio, but I’ve thought about just buying a cat cage and leaving it outside during the summer. I don’t want to spend $70 to find out it doesn’t help. I did try a harness and long line…that was a disaster. She was frightened of the line, got tangled up and hit the panic button.
Non-declawing agreements are more and more popular.
Laser declawings seem to be less drastic/painful/mutilating than the routine amputations. I admit I had no idea until I actually had a destructive cat front-declawed how horrible it was (it was non-laser) and I vowed I’d never do it again. I clip their nails now.
Years after I did that my kids while in college worked at a small animal veterinary clinic (one of those kids is now an equine vet) and saw first-hand the agony, even in well-maintained hospitals, that kitties go through with declawings.
Teach your new kitten/cat to let you clip their nails. It’s so easy. Don’t declaw.
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
