Locked per OP request
Also, threatening violence against people will result in a reddit account ban (I.e. ban from the website, not just me) so please keep that to yourself!
Have him watch The Paw Project. After he’s done weeping, let him know it’s not his fault he didn’t know, and then take your cat for a professional nail trim or learn to do it yourselves.
If he doesn’t cry, I’m sorry to tell you your boyfriend is not human.
I would get anxious and depressed too, if I were a prey sized predator, and someone were to mutilate my only way of defending myself, practically dumping me at the bottom of the food chain.
And bites! We have a rescue who came to us front paw butchered. The poor little guy limps a good quarter of the time. I just want to carry him around everywhere, as my heart breaks for him.
Makes sense. Claws are such a huge instinctive part of their whole existence. Declawing is pretty much removing their very core *self*.
Even if declawing wasn't physically barbaric, I'd still be against it. Cats gotta cat.
To add some hopefully constructive information for OP moving forward, it sounds like this cat is just doing normal cat things, and those are unlikely to stop. If it's really a problem, and this cat allows them to touch his paws, they could trim his claws or put claw caps on him, neither of which hurts the cat (although if claw trimming be careful not to cut it to the quick, which would hurt but not permanently).
Sounds like they haven't got much in the way of strategically placed scratching posts and are trying to get him to exhibit different behaviours instead of giving him places to scratch.
If it rly isn’t that the little silicone caps are the better solution; older cats might not tolerate them but we had to do it in our last apartment bc the kitten would NOT use the cardboard or twine posts/ etc. it worked out great and he got used to them- when we moved we just stopped- he doesn’t seem to mind either way
My experience w my boyfriend's cat who is declawed (not our choice). He's old now and he's starting to have problems walking. He also bites with full force to overcompensate for his missing claws. He occasionally gets into fights with my cat because of that; he takes play fighting too far. He also does the same to us(will actually break skin) and it makes playing with him kinda suck lol.
A lot of vets won't do it anymore. Its basically effing your cat up for its life. Along with what others said, they get litter stuck in the nubs that are left.
If its trying to look out a window, get a cat tree.
If its wild as can be, get it neutered/spayed.
Cats always mellow with age. I know he would turn into a snugglebug but I'm not sure your bf has the smarts or patience to deal with a cat.
JFC. If he does this to a cat, do you know what a psycho you have at hand? You should break up with him and take your cat with you. And then never look back at someone who basically wants to engage in casual animal cruelty based on experience!
The fact he won't listen to you means he cares more about being right than not abusing the cat. Id be doing some serious evaluation on this relationship after this if I was you.
Something about the way people treat cats and fish that says a lot about them
Edits: spelling and grammar, sorry about that.
I have an ex who used to yell and scream at my half blind cat for meowing too much. One day he smacked him so I walked up to him, got in his face and said “if you wanna hit someone, hit me”. He did. I never saw him again after that day.
For real. Especially if OP wants kids. If her boyfriend is willing to have an unnecessary, painful procedure that virtually no reputable vet or cat organization advocates because he wants a quick fix for a behavioral issue than can be managed, then it really raises questions about how he would react if a child had behavioral issues. The cat would probably be a dealbreaker for me, but this attitude has the potential to spill over into other areas.
[cat scratcher](https://www.chewy.com/smartcat-ultimate-32-in-sisal-cat/dp/49134?utm_source=app-share&utm_campaign=49134)
They need something to mimic a tree which is why they focus on sofas and chairs. Think tall….this is the best one in my opinion.
I knew that declawing a cat was an awful thing to do before I even ever wanted a cat… I’m sure he’s heard it before, and just doesn’t care about what it would do to the cat because he wants it
Hate to be That Comment, but I’ve gotta say it: this would be a red flag for me, and I’d seriously rethink the relationship. If he lacks the compassion to see that declawing is Wrong, and/or doesn’t care that you think it is, what other failures of empathy is he likely to have?
And also that he both won't take her word for it OR Google it to find out himself? It's lack of compassion and refusal to believe your partner when they go "oh, no, I know about that" which feels disrespectful. I gotta wonder if he's like that on other stuff that is less important and thus gets swept under the rug
This is the big one for me. Unfortunately not everyone is educated on how cruel declawing is, so I completely understand if he didn’t know. But the conversation should have gone like this:
BF: “We should declaw the cat.”
OP: “Oh no, that’s actually an extremely cruel procedure! That’s out of the question.”
BF: “Oh shoot I had no idea. What are our other options?”
The end.
This sums it up perfectly—*failures of empathy* is the exact issue here, and as you state, extends far beyond this one issue. Even though this issue is huge and would be a total dealbreaker for me personally, it’s a very distressing pattern of thought.
Thank you! Redditors sometimes focus on forgiveness or understanding hang ups that might be present in specific situations, but the bottom line is that a relationship cannot work if one or more members in it are incurious and unresponsive to the others’ feelings
Beat me to it. This is massively gross that OP informs him of how painful and terrible it is for the animal and his response is he wants to move forward and still declaw the animal? Not only that, but he didn’t even look to see if it was illegal or not, didn’t bother to try to find alternatives (nail caps work great for me), and doesn’t take your word into account. What else is he not listening to you or letting you have a say in? And he didn’t do any research before wanting to do a surgery on an animal? There’s all kinds of levels in here that raise several issues.
I don't even think he will be able to find a vet that will declaw as an elective procedure because it puts their credibility at risk and their workplace likely doesn't allow it. Ask him if he would get a surgery that no accredited professional was willing to perform due to ethical concerns
Read your comment and did more research. Declawing is illegal in my state! I wasn’t going to let him go through with it obviously, but this really helps the situation. Hallelujah!
That’s wonderful. Now; about the clawing problem: does your cat have a scratching post, and are you taking him to get his claws trimmed regularly? Vets can do this in a minute or two, and the most expensive I’ve heard of is $12. Your cat might be frustrated at first, but trimmed blunt claws aren’t good for climbing and scratching things up, and he’ll soon learn to leap onto the furniture, and to find something else to do than scratch the wood trim of things.
And just to drive the point home: declawing is mutilation that cuts off the finger at the knuckles and leaves many cats in lifelong pain. It’s illegal now in many areas because there were just too many examples of taking ‘the sweetest cat ever’, getting them declawed, and having that cat become hateful, violent, and psychotic. And when cats can’t claw, they bite. So that’s why it’s illegal — it’s mutilation and torture for no reason whatsoever. There are many ways to discourage clawing.
Plus, if your baby ever accidentally got outside, it couldn’t run as fast, couldn’t climb a tree to escape, and would be more likely to die from a predator. Declawing is mutilation. There is no other way to view it.
Ugh... I worked as a receptionist at a vet who saw so little issues with declawing he declawed his own cats. I would try to convince people not to do it when they called to schedule but then they'd listen to the vet over me because he was a vet and I'm just a receptionist. Honestly I'm kinda amazed he never told me to stop trying to dissuade people so at least there was that
Though, I gotta imagine debarking a dog is horrible because that was a line he wouldn't cross.
I hope your ex-wife never finds love again. I hope she stubs her toe every morning first thing when she gets out of bed. I hope that every time she tries to put condiments on her food, the condiment doesn't want to come out of its container until it bursts out everywhere, ruining the meal.
Mine killed our two cats because she decided to drive across the country with them on booze and drugs, she also lied about them being dead and had me looking for them on about 5 different 9 hour road trips and didn't come clean until over a year and a half later, I would dump this dip shit boyfriend anyway just to be safe who knows what he'll be doing to the cat when you're not around
Declawing is definitely not the answer they don’t remove the claw they essentially remove bone think of it as cutting off your finger to that first knuckle. Plus declawing your cat can result in behavioral changes as well an increase of back pain . I’d suggest nail caps. We plan on getting some for our kitten once she gets big enough
I really think my female cat liked them too. I should do it again sometime. It was so cute when she would suck on the blanket and see all the colorful claws going in and out.
That, or pay a professional to clip his nails every few months or so. It isn’t expensive.
It is hard to clip a cat’s nails if they weren’t trained for it as kittens. I clipped my beloved late cat’s nails his whole life cuz I trained him as a kitten to be fine with it (via giving him treats in between each nail clip, and accepting his tolerance level /doing it within multiple sessions, not all at once, based on feedback he gave me).
But when I fostered an adult cat who I didn’t know as well, I let the vet do the clipping, as I don’t like getting scratched and I didn’t know if she would scratch me.
I pay $15 every 4-6 weeks to get my fat girls nails trimmed. She has the total opposite issue and won't take care of her claws herself. They have grown into her toe beans before we realized it was a problem.
Even older cats can learn how to get their claws clipped, and it’s also perfectly OK to give them a dose of gabapentin before doing something like that if they’re very resistant.
There are tall, strong scratching posts on amazon that really work. Cats like to stretch out their whole body when they scratch, and the little ones fall over. (So they'd rather use your couch!)
I rescued a declawed cat and she had litter box issues, didn't want to play with other cats, had gained a lot of weight, and couldn't climb anything. Like other comments have said, it's basically like cutting off your finger at the first knuckle. Poor kitties :(
I’m sorry, but this would probably be the end for me. Declawing is barbaric and the very thought of it makes me ill. Someone asking me to mutilate my baby would be such a red flag.
Unlike declawed cats, I highly doubt you’d experience any phantom pain following the douchectomy. It also has no reported negative effects. Again, unlike declawing.
Go look up Jackson galaxy! He’s a very reputable cat behaviorist and definitely has videos helping cats scratch appropriately on posts/scratchpads vs no no places like couches/windows. Even with the caps, if you understand WHY kitty does it and can channel the behavior appropriately, if a cap falls off it’s suddenly a nonissue because he’s learned better behaviors. Especially if your bf can’t understand why declawing should only be done when MEDICALLY NECESSARY and not elective. Give the kitty the best chance possible.
Be very careful. If he’s willing to declaw the cat, when he finds out it cannot be done, don’t be surprised if kitty “runs away” while you aren’t home….
I didn’t even think of this. Reading this made me feel sick to my stomach. I had to put my childhood cat down yesterday, I hope he wouldn’t do that to me especially after that.
I’ve seen too many Reddit stories of significant others getting rid of pets they don’t like or think are a nuisance behind their partner’s back. Make sure you get kitty microchipped and keep a close eye on bfs behavior toward the cat.
Also I’m so sorry about your childhood cat 😢
He needs to scratch. That's how he exercises his legs. You can also diy a basic scratching post without much trouble and pretty cheaply too. I built one out of scrap plywood that Home Depot had in the scrap bin, 4 2x4 and some industria grade carpeting, plain untreated sisal rope, carpet tacks and screws. I covered the plywood with the carpet and screwed the 2x4s on the corners to make a table with bottom shelf. Then I secured the rope around the 2x4 with a nail in stable and wrapped it tightly around the 2x4 and stapled the end when done. I did that to all 4 posts and the cats use it all the time. If you're more comfortable to doing a multi-level cat tree with scratching posts, there are plenty of ideas on line.
That is what we did as well! Both trees in the house are DIY of a few 4x4's and plywood, wrapped with old carpet, and the 4x4s with sisal or carpet. My girls love them! We have a smaller single post scratcher beside the couch so we could redirect any couch attacks onto the post
Declawing almost always leads to depression in cats as scratching is an outlet. If you haven’t already, invest in scratching-post type toys. There are even some that are meant to cover sides of couches. Trimming his nails and nail caps are also a really good option.
I have nail caps but I have yet to put them on him since hes so squirmy lol. If you’ve used them before, whats the best way of putting them on? Mine have glue you use.
If you are unsure or worried about putting them on, it's very likely your vet's office will do it for a small fee. Or, maybe a groomer, if they are closer.
Get the boyfriend or a friend to help just in case your cat is a strong af squirmer.
Wrap the cat in a towel or a thick blanket (aka a purrito). Allow for one arm/paw to be out at a time. Firmly hold cat in place. (Lol sounds silly)
Use nail clippers and trim each claw, but do not trim too much, as you don’t want to nick the vein in the claw. You can pretty much see on the claw where you should steer clear of. You’re just trimming off the tips.
Follow the instructions on your caps. I believe they tell you to squeeze an amount of glue into the cap that doesn’t overflow. Using one hand, press your cat’s paw in the way that exposes their claw(s). You then just slip that onto the claw, hold it in place for a moment or two, and repeat.
The process is super quick and painless as long as you have your cat restrained for the potential hissy fits.
They fall off on their own just like a cats natural claw sheds, and you’ll eventually be finding them around your house. Just repeat the process as you find necessary!
Glad you stand firmly against it! Our adopted cats were declawed by the shelter and there are so many “I wish they had a claw” moment. Most things can be replaced but not their paws, and most products are invented for cats with claws, so having a declawed cat is actually much harder as you really need to be creative on solution.
I have no idea, we are like 4th owner of them and they’ve move through different states.
I learned that by finding their ancient med record of someone with a shelter/rescue name who fix, vaccinate, and declawed them when they were kitten. The vet on the record was super shady as well.
Never, EVER declaw a cat.
You need to buy him an adequate scratching post and he will then scratch that.
Go look on [chewy.com](http://chewy.com) and expect to pay $50 to $80 for a big strong one.
Rub catnip all over it and enjoy the show.
Rehome the cat before you declaw it.
Declawing is illegal in some states and it is CRUEL.
Even though ot wont be happening, 🙏at the very least I hope you can change his mind because his mentality about this issue is dangerous. You cannot alter an animal to "fit" your expectations, especially if you are talking about painful mutilation, which is what declawing is. If you take on the responsibility of an animal, you must educate yourself, understand it, and make accommodations. The thought that anyone could "love" and animal and still consider putting them through something so horrific is baffling.
I'm glad you saw it's illegal because it's literally torture, but I'm wondering why stay with a man who has no empathy for your cat? Animal lovers know exactly where this is headed. You were trying to get him to "take your word as fact".. and "how can I get him to see my side?" Wow. Well, this is disturbing. Your guy doesn't take your word as fact. Yeah, that's a huge red flag. Then the fact you're trying to get him to "see your side"... that is called trying to change the person he is. It's manipulative. He isn't into your cat. He wants to do something to harm your (declawing), and you seem oblivious to it. Trimming cat nails is easy. Your vet or youtube can show you how. Trying to your change your guy's personality traits to make him care about your cat (when he obviously does not), that's disturbing as well. I don't know how anyone would even think staying with a person who has the mentality that declawing is acceptable. The cat is bored. More scratch posts, trim nails every 3 weeks.
Dump the boyfriend. Declawing a cat is like removing the tip of your finger up to your first joint in your finger. You will also wind up having a cat with behavioural problems. It is inhumane. Honestly ask your boyfriend how he would feel if he got the tips of his fingers cut off.
https://preview.redd.it/snr6aw2ono7d1.jpeg?width=955&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=63cb64a0af00d95a56ae18878fafa65785e8d2b8
Try nail covers? We clip only the sharp tip of our cats nails and have a pet safe adhesive that bonds tiny little claw covers on them.
Stops furniture damage and reduces the likelihood of them harming wildlife (if any mice or birds manage to get their way inside your house)
I’m not coming after you OP butttt something to think about…..
I love how everyone’s solution to cats is declawing them. My dog has ripped entire couches apart, doors, beds, carpets- not once has someone mentioned cut his claws out. Why do people love to abuse cats so much?
I definitely don’t recommend declawing any animal. We made the mistake 18 years ago when it was “normal” and my cat has terrible arthritis. I’m sure others have mentioned, they have claw caps. I regret it every day, knowing what I know now.
We also had a rambunctious kitty, it took him 3 years to settle down lol. Settle down as in he only gets in trouble once a day now from shenanigans. I hope you can help your SO see how maybe this isn’t a solution.
Declawed cats chew harder on wires and basically everything they can’t scratch, so no, it isn’t a solution. Let alone the fact it is causing them excruciating pain. I hope you’ll be able to protect your furry baby.
Did you check that he understands and means "Declawing" in the sense that people here understand it and not something more innocent like trimming the cat's claws so they're less sharp?
How many rooms do you have and how many cat trees and scratching posts and mats? You should have one tree per room (not including bathroom) and use lots of positive reinforcement when he uses what you want to scratch on.
My cat is 11, and shes always trying to get "good girl!!!" Praise.
Did you get him a scratching post or 2 like all cats should have? That would be a big help and that’s on you not your cat. Cats shouldn’t be declawed, it’s inhumane. It’s their one defense if they ever were to get outside.
So glad to see so many people with the right frame of mind in the comments.
However, i'm concerned that this guy seems the type who would happily take the cat when OP is not there and suddenly "Oh she must of run away".
Dump the boyfriend like the hottest potato you've ever touched. Declawing a cat will never be okay. I imagine other people have said this, but when a cat is declawed it cuts off the first knuckle of their paws, so they are effectively being maimed in favor of furniture, which I think is extremely disgusting. Also the kitty will likely become a biter since they have no other defense mechanism, they may very well have issues getting in and out of or even using the litter box, which will cause them to inevitably not use it at all, and without their first knuckle they are effectively walking on stumps. It causes arthritis. It doesn't matter if the cat is declawed with a scalpel or a laser, the results will be the same. I would never be in a relationship with somebody that would demand or even suggest declawing one of my cats.
Scratching is a normal behavior for them, and there are so many different types of scratching posts out there. The behavior of scratching not only takes the sheath of the claw out, so the cat can grow a new claw, but it also aids in them stretching their bodies, and overall feeling good.
I don't think it's safe to have this cat around your boyfriend. Even if declawing is illegal in your state it's likely he will either just A) Take the cat somewhere it is legal B) take the cat to a vet so sketchy they will do it anyways or C) somehow harm the cat (letting it out and shutting the door, bringing it to the shelter, euthhanizing the cat
If he's 100% fine cutting off the tips of an animals fingers, that's mad psycho behaviour....
Hey! I'll send you a clip from a report done on declaring cats and why you shouldn't do it! It's not too long, but it goes over the incredibly downsides of it and explains things more thoroughly
For reference: [https://www.reddit.com/r/CATHELP/comments/1dk9p3f/why\_you\_should\_never\_declaw\_your\_kitties/](https://www.reddit.com/r/CATHELP/comments/1dk9p3f/why_you_should_never_declaw_your_kitties/)
Before reading your update I was going to suggest telling him he can have the cat declared right after he has the doctor amputate the first joint on each of his fingers.
Unless a vet team has determined that it's needed, because of an illness or injury, then never declaw any cat. Unnecessary declawing of a cat, outside of the aforementioned parameters, is cruelty and overt abuse. Sounds like you need a new boyfriend, who truly loves and cares about animals. Especially cats.
🐾🐾🐈👣❤❤❤❤❤❤🏡🌎
NO. That is straight up animal abuse. There are many countries that ban this practice, and many states in the process of doing so. He needs to look up the surgery and talk to a vet who is against the practice to understand that it’s essentially removing the tip of your finger up to the first knuckle, it’s painful, it’s A VERY LONG recovery, and most cats have MORE behavior issues after the surgery. Additionally, if your cat goes outside, you’ve removed a very important defense for them.
If he looks up the surgery and still wants to do it, I’d fucken break up with him—that means he’s cool with mutilating a poor animal *for his convenience.* That’s not a person whose values align with mine. That’s a fucking monster.
ETA: I work at a feline hospital. Our vets would never perform this surgery and are actively fighting for legislation to outlaw it in our state. We have a giant binder filled with alternatives for our clients (nail caps, we perform regular nail trims for spicy clients, cat trees, catification of the space, etc.). There are many options that don’t require mutilating the animal
Declawing is cruel and inhumane. It’s chopping off the first knuckle. It causes premature arthritis, joint issues, chronic pain, etc.
Offer scratching posts, maybe samples of carpet on the wall. Put double sided tape where your cat scratches that you don’t want them to scratch. And trim their claws. I cannot stress how much trimming helps.
Send him articles and studies on how inhumane and disgusting declawing cats is and if he continues to think it’s a good idea leave him and take the cat. If I were you I would literally drug him and rip out all of his finger nails and then ask him how he feels 😃 people who declaw cats deserve to have their fingers cut off without anesthetic!
Thank you for posting to CATHELP!
While you wait for a response please keep the following things in mind,
1. When in doubt, **ask your vet**.
2. Advice here is not coming from medical or industry professionals. The moderation team does not validate user profession, so always refer to your local veterinary professionals first. Consider posting to /r/AskVet
3. If this is a medical question, please indicate if you have already scheduled a vet appointment, and if your cat has any medical history or procedures in a top level comment.
4. Please use the NSFW tag for gross pictures. (Blood, poop, vomit, genitals, etc). Anything you wouldn't want your boss to see you looking at on the job.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CATHELP) if you have any questions or concerns.*
you asked a question that I don’t think anybody answered: if you take a look around you will see all sorts of ways to restrain a squirmy cat. The best thing I’ve seen is a hanging thing where you put the cat you through it and you hang the cat and then you can access its claws. It’s like a cloth with sturdy holes at the middleesges and four holes in the middle so you put the cats paw through the 4 and then lift it up and hand THEN CLOTH then you can get to the cat claws easily. But if you look around you will see all sorts of ways to restrain kitties gently to get to their claws.
Ask your bf how much he’d like getting his finger tips removed at the first knuckle.
Regular nail trimming + training to use a scratching post will fix this.
It's basically amputation of the fingers and u end up with a pet in pain and aggressive. Use a barn wood plank put on a wall his height or a solid dead tree branch on the floor
Glad it’s illegal there. Some options for helping minimize the scratching: Keeping his nails trimmed will minimize the damage. Putting up scratching posts and other scratch things all around will give him appropriate places to scratch and should significantly lessen him scratching on other things.
There are also plastic caps you glue on the nails. I didn’t have luck getting them to stay on but other people seem to manage fine and they are considered safe and appropriate.
You can also get clear sheets of plastic that are sticky on one side to put on furniture and doors and such to protect them.
Maybe a YouTube from a vet (so he’ll have to trust their professional credibility) that explains how it’s literally removing the ends of every finger. Good on you for standing strong and good on your STATE for having the right law!
Also I like to tell people it’s totally illegal in Germany because of how’s it’s removing their “finger ends” and is barbaric. American people seem to love anything that Germany or Japan do 🤷♀️
If people feel the need to do this, they should not have a cat at all.
^^Any of these might help, in case he still tries to cross state lines against your will. Also please think about what you would do if he did so. Because it’s possible. I hope he would not, but I don’t know him other than that he sees no issue with declawing so I wouldn’t put it past someone.
In some places you aren’t allowed to declaw because it’s inhumane. There’s other methods to limit clawing.
Solution options! U can get nail caps, regular trimming, make more clawing spots for them! Certain items you don’t want clawed get the double sided tape and put it on it, there’s also a spray that u can spray on furniture to deter cats from clawing. My cats are obsessed with carpeted cat trees (like real carpet not the cheap kind) I got a few small ones in frequent clawing spots. Sometimes just dropping a blanket on the side of the couch/chair is also good enough!
I just read ur update! I was like isn’t it illegals hahah! Glad ur sticking your ground. Best of luck!
Declawing is horrible on its own but it’s also removing the cats defences outdoors, it won’t be able to climb to get away from a threat or defend itself. I find it terrifying.
We got plastic stick on film for our couch and it helped our cats totally stop clawing the couch. They sell it on Amazon for $20. Also a large cat tree and lots of scratching posts.
You can trim his nails or get those little silicone caps to put over them. Be sure you have plenty of scratching posts, cardboard pads, etc. that he is allowed to scratch.
Do you have a bunch of scratches my posts? It’s natural for them to search things and as long as you have good posts for them that they like they will use those rather than your furniture or walls.
Have additional scratching posts helped? Cats will put their scent on furniture that you use frequently because what's yours should also be theirs - relocating a scratching post/pad next to it can help
My sister and I made a mistake and did this to our cats when they were older in their lives. Puddy and Gilbert were not that old, but they were not the same boys after. I will never do that again. Ever!
Obligatory-Reddit-Response:
Get rid of the boyfriend, keep the cat's claws.
Also. Scratching posts put beside or on kitty's favorite scratching spots, and positive reinforcement to get him to use those rather than the furniture.
*
If telling him it’s illegal in a lot of states doesn’t show him how cruel it is to the point of it being outlawed then he doesn’t deserve to care for an animal. People who declaw are despicable and I hope you are able to help him see that. Good for you for sticking up for your baby!
is that even legal anymore? just give your cat to someone else or even a shelter, it's better than declawing. also personally I'd be weary of existing in the same house with such a person.
Noooo Kitty isn’t going anywhere aha. I got a lot of ideas from this post that I will implement. If nothing works, so be it. Luckily I have a house separate from his so Kitty can always go there with me.
Apply the gel cap on your cat. You can purchase them yourself and try to apply it. If your cat let you trim their nail chances are they will let you put cap on it. It is not difficult
Locked per OP request Also, threatening violence against people will result in a reddit account ban (I.e. ban from the website, not just me) so please keep that to yourself!
[удалено]
Have him watch The Paw Project. After he’s done weeping, let him know it’s not his fault he didn’t know, and then take your cat for a professional nail trim or learn to do it yourselves. If he doesn’t cry, I’m sorry to tell you your boyfriend is not human.
This. If he doesn't show a reaction, that flag is CRIMSON. run while you can!
It's not just that, the claws allow them to properly stretch all the muscles from shoulder to claw.
Not only that but it can cause them to have extreme mental health issues. They get really anxious & depressed.
I would get anxious and depressed too, if I were a prey sized predator, and someone were to mutilate my only way of defending myself, practically dumping me at the bottom of the food chain.
And bites! We have a rescue who came to us front paw butchered. The poor little guy limps a good quarter of the time. I just want to carry him around everywhere, as my heart breaks for him.
Makes sense. Claws are such a huge instinctive part of their whole existence. Declawing is pretty much removing their very core *self*. Even if declawing wasn't physically barbaric, I'd still be against it. Cats gotta cat.
To add some hopefully constructive information for OP moving forward, it sounds like this cat is just doing normal cat things, and those are unlikely to stop. If it's really a problem, and this cat allows them to touch his paws, they could trim his claws or put claw caps on him, neither of which hurts the cat (although if claw trimming be careful not to cut it to the quick, which would hurt but not permanently).
Sounds like they haven't got much in the way of strategically placed scratching posts and are trying to get him to exhibit different behaviours instead of giving him places to scratch.
If it rly isn’t that the little silicone caps are the better solution; older cats might not tolerate them but we had to do it in our last apartment bc the kitten would NOT use the cardboard or twine posts/ etc. it worked out great and he got used to them- when we moved we just stopped- he doesn’t seem to mind either way
That is the answer
Knuckle… not digit
[удалено]
I’m really pushing for him to do is research and not just taking his own “experiences” as fact.
That pisses me off ngl he refuses to take you at your word but he also refuses to back up his own word with facts. Take the cat. Declaw the man.
Not pc but he kinda sounds dumb, girl
Yup, sounds dumb, ignorant and his way or the highway (aka controlling)
Also note that declawing is illegal in some provinces/states/countries
For reasons such as this, thank god.
It's crazy how any civilised country can have it legal
My experience w my boyfriend's cat who is declawed (not our choice). He's old now and he's starting to have problems walking. He also bites with full force to overcompensate for his missing claws. He occasionally gets into fights with my cat because of that; he takes play fighting too far. He also does the same to us(will actually break skin) and it makes playing with him kinda suck lol.
A lot of vets won't do it anymore. Its basically effing your cat up for its life. Along with what others said, they get litter stuck in the nubs that are left. If its trying to look out a window, get a cat tree. If its wild as can be, get it neutered/spayed. Cats always mellow with age. I know he would turn into a snugglebug but I'm not sure your bf has the smarts or patience to deal with a cat.
JFC. If he does this to a cat, do you know what a psycho you have at hand? You should break up with him and take your cat with you. And then never look back at someone who basically wants to engage in casual animal cruelty based on experience!
It’s insanely cruel. Like any amount of googling will tell him that.
I assumed it was basic knowledge to begin with but I guess not
The fact he won't listen to you means he cares more about being right than not abusing the cat. Id be doing some serious evaluation on this relationship after this if I was you. Something about the way people treat cats and fish that says a lot about them Edits: spelling and grammar, sorry about that.
I have an ex who used to yell and scream at my half blind cat for meowing too much. One day he smacked him so I walked up to him, got in his face and said “if you wanna hit someone, hit me”. He did. I never saw him again after that day.
I second that
For real. Especially if OP wants kids. If her boyfriend is willing to have an unnecessary, painful procedure that virtually no reputable vet or cat organization advocates because he wants a quick fix for a behavioral issue than can be managed, then it really raises questions about how he would react if a child had behavioral issues. The cat would probably be a dealbreaker for me, but this attitude has the potential to spill over into other areas.
Out of all the “leave your bf” comments, this one hit me the hardest. This entire post has me questioning multiple things about him.
🫂
[cat scratcher](https://www.chewy.com/smartcat-ultimate-32-in-sisal-cat/dp/49134?utm_source=app-share&utm_campaign=49134) They need something to mimic a tree which is why they focus on sofas and chairs. Think tall….this is the best one in my opinion.
I knew that declawing a cat was an awful thing to do before I even ever wanted a cat… I’m sure he’s heard it before, and just doesn’t care about what it would do to the cat because he wants it
Hate to be That Comment, but I’ve gotta say it: this would be a red flag for me, and I’d seriously rethink the relationship. If he lacks the compassion to see that declawing is Wrong, and/or doesn’t care that you think it is, what other failures of empathy is he likely to have?
And also that he both won't take her word for it OR Google it to find out himself? It's lack of compassion and refusal to believe your partner when they go "oh, no, I know about that" which feels disrespectful. I gotta wonder if he's like that on other stuff that is less important and thus gets swept under the rug
This is the big one for me. Unfortunately not everyone is educated on how cruel declawing is, so I completely understand if he didn’t know. But the conversation should have gone like this: BF: “We should declaw the cat.” OP: “Oh no, that’s actually an extremely cruel procedure! That’s out of the question.” BF: “Oh shoot I had no idea. What are our other options?” The end.
Came here to say that I would break up with someone for even suggesting declawing a cat
This sums it up perfectly—*failures of empathy* is the exact issue here, and as you state, extends far beyond this one issue. Even though this issue is huge and would be a total dealbreaker for me personally, it’s a very distressing pattern of thought.
Thank you! Redditors sometimes focus on forgiveness or understanding hang ups that might be present in specific situations, but the bottom line is that a relationship cannot work if one or more members in it are incurious and unresponsive to the others’ feelings
Yes!!! Exactly, it’s about willingness or not to make it work. If it’s not there in at least one partner, that relationship will be unhealthy at best.
Beat me to it. This is massively gross that OP informs him of how painful and terrible it is for the animal and his response is he wants to move forward and still declaw the animal? Not only that, but he didn’t even look to see if it was illegal or not, didn’t bother to try to find alternatives (nail caps work great for me), and doesn’t take your word into account. What else is he not listening to you or letting you have a say in? And he didn’t do any research before wanting to do a surgery on an animal? There’s all kinds of levels in here that raise several issues.
I don't even think he will be able to find a vet that will declaw as an elective procedure because it puts their credibility at risk and their workplace likely doesn't allow it. Ask him if he would get a surgery that no accredited professional was willing to perform due to ethical concerns
Read your comment and did more research. Declawing is illegal in my state! I wasn’t going to let him go through with it obviously, but this really helps the situation. Hallelujah!
Just don't let him drive the cat out of state behind your back.
Was thinking the same thing
That’s wonderful. Now; about the clawing problem: does your cat have a scratching post, and are you taking him to get his claws trimmed regularly? Vets can do this in a minute or two, and the most expensive I’ve heard of is $12. Your cat might be frustrated at first, but trimmed blunt claws aren’t good for climbing and scratching things up, and he’ll soon learn to leap onto the furniture, and to find something else to do than scratch the wood trim of things. And just to drive the point home: declawing is mutilation that cuts off the finger at the knuckles and leaves many cats in lifelong pain. It’s illegal now in many areas because there were just too many examples of taking ‘the sweetest cat ever’, getting them declawed, and having that cat become hateful, violent, and psychotic. And when cats can’t claw, they bite. So that’s why it’s illegal — it’s mutilation and torture for no reason whatsoever. There are many ways to discourage clawing. Plus, if your baby ever accidentally got outside, it couldn’t run as fast, couldn’t climb a tree to escape, and would be more likely to die from a predator. Declawing is mutilation. There is no other way to view it.
Oh yay!! Now you don't even have to be the bad guy!
Ugh... I worked as a receptionist at a vet who saw so little issues with declawing he declawed his own cats. I would try to convince people not to do it when they called to schedule but then they'd listen to the vet over me because he was a vet and I'm just a receptionist. Honestly I'm kinda amazed he never told me to stop trying to dissuade people so at least there was that Though, I gotta imagine debarking a dog is horrible because that was a line he wouldn't cross.
Dump him. That's animal abuse. My ex wife killed two of our cats because they had fleas. I'm very sensitive to hurting animals.
That is disgusting. I am so sorry to hear that.
Thanks
Do the right thing
So glad she’s an ex wife, that is atrocious and monstrous. If she ever had lice, she should’ve been put down.
Truth.
I hope your ex-wife never finds love again. I hope she stubs her toe every morning first thing when she gets out of bed. I hope that every time she tries to put condiments on her food, the condiment doesn't want to come out of its container until it bursts out everywhere, ruining the meal.
I hope she gets bed bugs. And severe eczema.
And psoriasis
Mine killed our two cats because she decided to drive across the country with them on booze and drugs, she also lied about them being dead and had me looking for them on about 5 different 9 hour road trips and didn't come clean until over a year and a half later, I would dump this dip shit boyfriend anyway just to be safe who knows what he'll be doing to the cat when you're not around
I wholeheartedly agree.
Fuuuck, I’m so sorry to hear that. Glad you got out.
Declawing is definitely not the answer they don’t remove the claw they essentially remove bone think of it as cutting off your finger to that first knuckle. Plus declawing your cat can result in behavioral changes as well an increase of back pain . I’d suggest nail caps. We plan on getting some for our kitten once she gets big enough
My big ole monkey loved his claw caps. I'd say, "Where's Mr. Clicky-toes?" and he'd strut around, clicking up and down the house clicking all the way.
I really think my female cat liked them too. I should do it again sometime. It was so cute when she would suck on the blanket and see all the colorful claws going in and out.
LOL, when one of my cat’s nails get too long, I call him “high heels” cuz he clacks around and struts like he’s wearing pumps lol
I love nail caps! Makes them look so fabulous 💅🏻
Learn how to clip the cats claws. That will help quite a bit with damage to property also make sure you have plenty of scratching posts around.
That, or pay a professional to clip his nails every few months or so. It isn’t expensive. It is hard to clip a cat’s nails if they weren’t trained for it as kittens. I clipped my beloved late cat’s nails his whole life cuz I trained him as a kitten to be fine with it (via giving him treats in between each nail clip, and accepting his tolerance level /doing it within multiple sessions, not all at once, based on feedback he gave me). But when I fostered an adult cat who I didn’t know as well, I let the vet do the clipping, as I don’t like getting scratched and I didn’t know if she would scratch me.
I pay $15 every 4-6 weeks to get my fat girls nails trimmed. She has the total opposite issue and won't take care of her claws herself. They have grown into her toe beans before we realized it was a problem.
Even older cats can learn how to get their claws clipped, and it’s also perfectly OK to give them a dose of gabapentin before doing something like that if they’re very resistant.
There are tall, strong scratching posts on amazon that really work. Cats like to stretch out their whole body when they scratch, and the little ones fall over. (So they'd rather use your couch!)
[удалено]
This will help a lot! Vertical and horizontal scratchers to see what OP’s cat likes. My girl only likes the scratch posts on her tree.
I rescued a declawed cat and she had litter box issues, didn't want to play with other cats, had gained a lot of weight, and couldn't climb anything. Like other comments have said, it's basically like cutting off your finger at the first knuckle. Poor kitties :(
Awww, poor baby :(
I’m sorry, but this would probably be the end for me. Declawing is barbaric and the very thought of it makes me ill. Someone asking me to mutilate my baby would be such a red flag.
I could never be in a relationship with someone who thinks torturing animals is alright. I'd dump him.
You need to deboyfriend🤣
Throw the whole man out
Unlike declawed cats, I highly doubt you’d experience any phantom pain following the douchectomy. It also has no reported negative effects. Again, unlike declawing.
love is temporary, cats are forever
Go look up Jackson galaxy! He’s a very reputable cat behaviorist and definitely has videos helping cats scratch appropriately on posts/scratchpads vs no no places like couches/windows. Even with the caps, if you understand WHY kitty does it and can channel the behavior appropriately, if a cap falls off it’s suddenly a nonissue because he’s learned better behaviors. Especially if your bf can’t understand why declawing should only be done when MEDICALLY NECESSARY and not elective. Give the kitty the best chance possible.
Declawing a cat should be federally illegal. It is dismemberment.
It is in some states.
They said federally.
Dump your BF, keep the cat, problem solved .
Declaw the boyfriend instead
Be very careful. If he’s willing to declaw the cat, when he finds out it cannot be done, don’t be surprised if kitty “runs away” while you aren’t home….
I didn’t even think of this. Reading this made me feel sick to my stomach. I had to put my childhood cat down yesterday, I hope he wouldn’t do that to me especially after that.
I’ve seen too many Reddit stories of significant others getting rid of pets they don’t like or think are a nuisance behind their partner’s back. Make sure you get kitty microchipped and keep a close eye on bfs behavior toward the cat. Also I’m so sorry about your childhood cat 😢
Are you keeping his nails trimmed? Does he have scratching posts?
Yes and no. I’m looking into ordering one or two now!
He needs to scratch. That's how he exercises his legs. You can also diy a basic scratching post without much trouble and pretty cheaply too. I built one out of scrap plywood that Home Depot had in the scrap bin, 4 2x4 and some industria grade carpeting, plain untreated sisal rope, carpet tacks and screws. I covered the plywood with the carpet and screwed the 2x4s on the corners to make a table with bottom shelf. Then I secured the rope around the 2x4 with a nail in stable and wrapped it tightly around the 2x4 and stapled the end when done. I did that to all 4 posts and the cats use it all the time. If you're more comfortable to doing a multi-level cat tree with scratching posts, there are plenty of ideas on line.
That is what we did as well! Both trees in the house are DIY of a few 4x4's and plywood, wrapped with old carpet, and the 4x4s with sisal or carpet. My girls love them! We have a smaller single post scratcher beside the couch so we could redirect any couch attacks onto the post
Declawing almost always leads to depression in cats as scratching is an outlet. If you haven’t already, invest in scratching-post type toys. There are even some that are meant to cover sides of couches. Trimming his nails and nail caps are also a really good option.
I have nail caps but I have yet to put them on him since hes so squirmy lol. If you’ve used them before, whats the best way of putting them on? Mine have glue you use.
Try distracting him with a squeeze tube treat that seems to work for our kitten when we trim her nails
If you are unsure or worried about putting them on, it's very likely your vet's office will do it for a small fee. Or, maybe a groomer, if they are closer.
I didn’t even think of this! My plan now is to try to put them on myself, but if I fail I will be calling the vet ☺️
Get the boyfriend or a friend to help just in case your cat is a strong af squirmer. Wrap the cat in a towel or a thick blanket (aka a purrito). Allow for one arm/paw to be out at a time. Firmly hold cat in place. (Lol sounds silly) Use nail clippers and trim each claw, but do not trim too much, as you don’t want to nick the vein in the claw. You can pretty much see on the claw where you should steer clear of. You’re just trimming off the tips. Follow the instructions on your caps. I believe they tell you to squeeze an amount of glue into the cap that doesn’t overflow. Using one hand, press your cat’s paw in the way that exposes their claw(s). You then just slip that onto the claw, hold it in place for a moment or two, and repeat. The process is super quick and painless as long as you have your cat restrained for the potential hissy fits. They fall off on their own just like a cats natural claw sheds, and you’ll eventually be finding them around your house. Just repeat the process as you find necessary!
Glad you stand firmly against it! Our adopted cats were declawed by the shelter and there are so many “I wish they had a claw” moment. Most things can be replaced but not their paws, and most products are invented for cats with claws, so having a declawed cat is actually much harder as you really need to be creative on solution.
I've never heard of a shelter declawing cats!! Was there some medical problem that required it?
I have no idea, we are like 4th owner of them and they’ve move through different states. I learned that by finding their ancient med record of someone with a shelter/rescue name who fix, vaccinate, and declawed them when they were kitten. The vet on the record was super shady as well.
Never, EVER declaw a cat. You need to buy him an adequate scratching post and he will then scratch that. Go look on [chewy.com](http://chewy.com) and expect to pay $50 to $80 for a big strong one. Rub catnip all over it and enjoy the show. Rehome the cat before you declaw it. Declawing is illegal in some states and it is CRUEL.
Even though ot wont be happening, 🙏at the very least I hope you can change his mind because his mentality about this issue is dangerous. You cannot alter an animal to "fit" your expectations, especially if you are talking about painful mutilation, which is what declawing is. If you take on the responsibility of an animal, you must educate yourself, understand it, and make accommodations. The thought that anyone could "love" and animal and still consider putting them through something so horrific is baffling.
Declaw is illegal in many cities, report the places offering it to 311
do you have scratching posts?
Tell him he can have the cat declawed after he gets neutered
+1
I'm glad you saw it's illegal because it's literally torture, but I'm wondering why stay with a man who has no empathy for your cat? Animal lovers know exactly where this is headed. You were trying to get him to "take your word as fact".. and "how can I get him to see my side?" Wow. Well, this is disturbing. Your guy doesn't take your word as fact. Yeah, that's a huge red flag. Then the fact you're trying to get him to "see your side"... that is called trying to change the person he is. It's manipulative. He isn't into your cat. He wants to do something to harm your (declawing), and you seem oblivious to it. Trimming cat nails is easy. Your vet or youtube can show you how. Trying to your change your guy's personality traits to make him care about your cat (when he obviously does not), that's disturbing as well. I don't know how anyone would even think staying with a person who has the mentality that declawing is acceptable. The cat is bored. More scratch posts, trim nails every 3 weeks.
Why are you still with this person? I see nothing but 🚩🚩
Dump the boyfriend. Declawing a cat is like removing the tip of your finger up to your first joint in your finger. You will also wind up having a cat with behavioural problems. It is inhumane. Honestly ask your boyfriend how he would feel if he got the tips of his fingers cut off.
Spray him with water and tell him no!!
Tell you boyfriend to cut off his own fingertips.
If my partner said we should declaw our cat and was serious.. well there would be no relationship. Period.
https://preview.redd.it/snr6aw2ono7d1.jpeg?width=955&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=63cb64a0af00d95a56ae18878fafa65785e8d2b8 Try nail covers? We clip only the sharp tip of our cats nails and have a pet safe adhesive that bonds tiny little claw covers on them. Stops furniture damage and reduces the likelihood of them harming wildlife (if any mice or birds manage to get their way inside your house)
This! Kitty caps are not only fashionable af, they save your skin and your furniture. Personal fan of pink & glitter, too
I’m not coming after you OP butttt something to think about….. I love how everyone’s solution to cats is declawing them. My dog has ripped entire couches apart, doors, beds, carpets- not once has someone mentioned cut his claws out. Why do people love to abuse cats so much? I definitely don’t recommend declawing any animal. We made the mistake 18 years ago when it was “normal” and my cat has terrible arthritis. I’m sure others have mentioned, they have claw caps. I regret it every day, knowing what I know now. We also had a rambunctious kitty, it took him 3 years to settle down lol. Settle down as in he only gets in trouble once a day now from shenanigans. I hope you can help your SO see how maybe this isn’t a solution.
It’s just abuse
Declawed cats chew harder on wires and basically everything they can’t scratch, so no, it isn’t a solution. Let alone the fact it is causing them excruciating pain. I hope you’ll be able to protect your furry baby.
Bye boy 👋 I seriously question anyone’s morals who would even consider declawing a cat. That is the most disgusting inhumane abuse!
Your bf is a dickhead
Did you check that he understands and means "Declawing" in the sense that people here understand it and not something more innocent like trimming the cat's claws so they're less sharp?
How many rooms do you have and how many cat trees and scratching posts and mats? You should have one tree per room (not including bathroom) and use lots of positive reinforcement when he uses what you want to scratch on. My cat is 11, and shes always trying to get "good girl!!!" Praise.
Cruel and unnecessary.
Hell no.
Did you get him a scratching post or 2 like all cats should have? That would be a big help and that’s on you not your cat. Cats shouldn’t be declawed, it’s inhumane. It’s their one defense if they ever were to get outside.
So glad to see so many people with the right frame of mind in the comments. However, i'm concerned that this guy seems the type who would happily take the cat when OP is not there and suddenly "Oh she must of run away".
No no no no. If he can’t figure this out, you might not be compatible.
Let him know he has to declaw himself in solidarity
Dump the boyfriend like the hottest potato you've ever touched. Declawing a cat will never be okay. I imagine other people have said this, but when a cat is declawed it cuts off the first knuckle of their paws, so they are effectively being maimed in favor of furniture, which I think is extremely disgusting. Also the kitty will likely become a biter since they have no other defense mechanism, they may very well have issues getting in and out of or even using the litter box, which will cause them to inevitably not use it at all, and without their first knuckle they are effectively walking on stumps. It causes arthritis. It doesn't matter if the cat is declawed with a scalpel or a laser, the results will be the same. I would never be in a relationship with somebody that would demand or even suggest declawing one of my cats. Scratching is a normal behavior for them, and there are so many different types of scratching posts out there. The behavior of scratching not only takes the sheath of the claw out, so the cat can grow a new claw, but it also aids in them stretching their bodies, and overall feeling good.
Can you use the claw covers that protect the furniture but don't hurt the cat?
Omg. I would rather get rid of him than hurt my cat like that… just no!
I don't think it's safe to have this cat around your boyfriend. Even if declawing is illegal in your state it's likely he will either just A) Take the cat somewhere it is legal B) take the cat to a vet so sketchy they will do it anyways or C) somehow harm the cat (letting it out and shutting the door, bringing it to the shelter, euthhanizing the cat If he's 100% fine cutting off the tips of an animals fingers, that's mad psycho behaviour....
Tell him you're agree to declawing the cat only after he gets a vasectomy without anesthestic. On camera. And you filming.
red flag.
Hey! I'll send you a clip from a report done on declaring cats and why you shouldn't do it! It's not too long, but it goes over the incredibly downsides of it and explains things more thoroughly
For reference: [https://www.reddit.com/r/CATHELP/comments/1dk9p3f/why\_you\_should\_never\_declaw\_your\_kitties/](https://www.reddit.com/r/CATHELP/comments/1dk9p3f/why_you_should_never_declaw_your_kitties/)
Find a new BF. Cat will not disappoint you
Before reading your update I was going to suggest telling him he can have the cat declared right after he has the doctor amputate the first joint on each of his fingers.
Just clip his nails! Easy peasy. He can still do cat stuff but without the major damage.
Unless a vet team has determined that it's needed, because of an illness or injury, then never declaw any cat. Unnecessary declawing of a cat, outside of the aforementioned parameters, is cruelty and overt abuse. Sounds like you need a new boyfriend, who truly loves and cares about animals. Especially cats. 🐾🐾🐈👣❤❤❤❤❤❤🏡🌎
Please make sure he won’t just take cat somewhere while you’re out of town and get that procedure done…
Declawing is heinous! Get lots of scratching posts and cat trees and use catnip to attract your kitty
https://www.reddit.com/r/CATHELP/comments/1dk9p3f/why_you_should_never_declaw_your_kitties/
NO. That is straight up animal abuse. There are many countries that ban this practice, and many states in the process of doing so. He needs to look up the surgery and talk to a vet who is against the practice to understand that it’s essentially removing the tip of your finger up to the first knuckle, it’s painful, it’s A VERY LONG recovery, and most cats have MORE behavior issues after the surgery. Additionally, if your cat goes outside, you’ve removed a very important defense for them. If he looks up the surgery and still wants to do it, I’d fucken break up with him—that means he’s cool with mutilating a poor animal *for his convenience.* That’s not a person whose values align with mine. That’s a fucking monster. ETA: I work at a feline hospital. Our vets would never perform this surgery and are actively fighting for legislation to outlaw it in our state. We have a giant binder filled with alternatives for our clients (nail caps, we perform regular nail trims for spicy clients, cat trees, catification of the space, etc.). There are many options that don’t require mutilating the animal
Declawing is cruel and inhumane. It’s chopping off the first knuckle. It causes premature arthritis, joint issues, chronic pain, etc. Offer scratching posts, maybe samples of carpet on the wall. Put double sided tape where your cat scratches that you don’t want them to scratch. And trim their claws. I cannot stress how much trimming helps.
Do not.
Just keep his nails clipped.
Send him articles and studies on how inhumane and disgusting declawing cats is and if he continues to think it’s a good idea leave him and take the cat. If I were you I would literally drug him and rip out all of his finger nails and then ask him how he feels 😃 people who declaw cats deserve to have their fingers cut off without anesthetic!
I know it may seem harsh but if you guys can’t come to an agreement on this you may need to consider rehoming your boyfriend.
Brb calling boyfriend control
Break up with him and save the cat.
Nail caps! It just covers the claws so no more destruction, and you don’t have to get your baby declawed
declaw your bf.
Thank you for posting to CATHELP! While you wait for a response please keep the following things in mind, 1. When in doubt, **ask your vet**. 2. Advice here is not coming from medical or industry professionals. The moderation team does not validate user profession, so always refer to your local veterinary professionals first. Consider posting to /r/AskVet 3. If this is a medical question, please indicate if you have already scheduled a vet appointment, and if your cat has any medical history or procedures in a top level comment. 4. Please use the NSFW tag for gross pictures. (Blood, poop, vomit, genitals, etc). Anything you wouldn't want your boss to see you looking at on the job. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CATHELP) if you have any questions or concerns.*
you asked a question that I don’t think anybody answered: if you take a look around you will see all sorts of ways to restrain a squirmy cat. The best thing I’ve seen is a hanging thing where you put the cat you through it and you hang the cat and then you can access its claws. It’s like a cloth with sturdy holes at the middleesges and four holes in the middle so you put the cats paw through the 4 and then lift it up and hand THEN CLOTH then you can get to the cat claws easily. But if you look around you will see all sorts of ways to restrain kitties gently to get to their claws.
Ask your bf how much he’d like getting his finger tips removed at the first knuckle. Regular nail trimming + training to use a scratching post will fix this.
It's basically amputation of the fingers and u end up with a pet in pain and aggressive. Use a barn wood plank put on a wall his height or a solid dead tree branch on the floor
Glad it’s illegal there. Some options for helping minimize the scratching: Keeping his nails trimmed will minimize the damage. Putting up scratching posts and other scratch things all around will give him appropriate places to scratch and should significantly lessen him scratching on other things. There are also plastic caps you glue on the nails. I didn’t have luck getting them to stay on but other people seem to manage fine and they are considered safe and appropriate. You can also get clear sheets of plastic that are sticky on one side to put on furniture and doors and such to protect them.
Please don’t! 😢😢😢😢
Yeah, he's first by all means
Maybe a YouTube from a vet (so he’ll have to trust their professional credibility) that explains how it’s literally removing the ends of every finger. Good on you for standing strong and good on your STATE for having the right law! Also I like to tell people it’s totally illegal in Germany because of how’s it’s removing their “finger ends” and is barbaric. American people seem to love anything that Germany or Japan do 🤷♀️ If people feel the need to do this, they should not have a cat at all. ^^Any of these might help, in case he still tries to cross state lines against your will. Also please think about what you would do if he did so. Because it’s possible. I hope he would not, but I don’t know him other than that he sees no issue with declawing so I wouldn’t put it past someone.
In some places you aren’t allowed to declaw because it’s inhumane. There’s other methods to limit clawing. Solution options! U can get nail caps, regular trimming, make more clawing spots for them! Certain items you don’t want clawed get the double sided tape and put it on it, there’s also a spray that u can spray on furniture to deter cats from clawing. My cats are obsessed with carpeted cat trees (like real carpet not the cheap kind) I got a few small ones in frequent clawing spots. Sometimes just dropping a blanket on the side of the couch/chair is also good enough! I just read ur update! I was like isn’t it illegals hahah! Glad ur sticking your ground. Best of luck!
Declawing is horrible on its own but it’s also removing the cats defences outdoors, it won’t be able to climb to get away from a threat or defend itself. I find it terrifying.
Simply tell him no.
We got plastic stick on film for our couch and it helped our cats totally stop clawing the couch. They sell it on Amazon for $20. Also a large cat tree and lots of scratching posts.
You can trim his nails or get those little silicone caps to put over them. Be sure you have plenty of scratching posts, cardboard pads, etc. that he is allowed to scratch.
Do you have a bunch of scratches my posts? It’s natural for them to search things and as long as you have good posts for them that they like they will use those rather than your furniture or walls.
Please rehome the cat and the boyfriend.
good luck to him with this he’ll never be able to adopt a pet again😭😭
Have additional scratching posts helped? Cats will put their scent on furniture that you use frequently because what's yours should also be theirs - relocating a scratching post/pad next to it can help
I’d never do that to a poor kitty. I trim their nails like once a week and put out some good scratchers
Also get scratch posts for him and put them near couch and places where he scratches. Also regularly trim his nails.
There's scratching pad things you can put on couches to deter cats. There's also deterrent spray, I've used that before. Nail caps are also an option!
You can get little caps for there claws that will solve the problem without disfiguring the poor kitty
Say that you’ll get the cat declawed if he chops off all of his fingers at the first knuckle because that is the human equivalent of declawing.
You can get some of those colourful nail caps which will stop the scratching
Honestly I'd break up with the guy. Clearly doesn't give a fuck about animals
My sister and I made a mistake and did this to our cats when they were older in their lives. Puddy and Gilbert were not that old, but they were not the same boys after. I will never do that again. Ever!
get scratch pads, and other deterrents to move cat to scatch post every time they do it, otherwise rehome the cat or find a new boyfriend.
Here a document that will make anyone against declawing https://youtu.be/paIfc7Qd2Yc?si=r33LshD15wXELSDp
“No means no Bill Cosby!”- Cartman
How to avoid sharp scratches…..trim properly or don’t get a cat. It’s that simple.
Obligatory-Reddit-Response: Get rid of the boyfriend, keep the cat's claws. Also. Scratching posts put beside or on kitty's favorite scratching spots, and positive reinforcement to get him to use those rather than the furniture. *
If telling him it’s illegal in a lot of states doesn’t show him how cruel it is to the point of it being outlawed then he doesn’t deserve to care for an animal. People who declaw are despicable and I hope you are able to help him see that. Good for you for sticking up for your baby!
is that even legal anymore? just give your cat to someone else or even a shelter, it's better than declawing. also personally I'd be weary of existing in the same house with such a person.
Noooo Kitty isn’t going anywhere aha. I got a lot of ideas from this post that I will implement. If nothing works, so be it. Luckily I have a house separate from his so Kitty can always go there with me.
Tell him sure, just as soon as he agrees to get his fingers chopped to the first knuckles because that is what it's like.
I say you get rid of the boyfriend and keep the cat. Your bf is a psychopath. Have him watch The Paw Project
Declawing is fucking cruel. Ask him if he'd be fine if you chopped off his fingernails and tips of his fingers
Don’t do it. It’s amputation. Human convenience is not a reason to mutilate an animal.
Nail caps are a live saver
You can get claw caps glued on, or just get your cat use to getting them cut
Apply the gel cap on your cat. You can purchase them yourself and try to apply it. If your cat let you trim their nail chances are they will let you put cap on it. It is not difficult
kill your boyfriend, simple
Does the cat have a scratching post ? You can get claws trimmed at vets but I wouldn’t declaw a cat that’s awful.