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Post by katsuro on Nov 27, 2010 10:51:40 GMT -5
On a different note:
I checked and glue traps are legal in the UK, but a lot of people are calling for them to be banned from sale to the public.
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Post by Mlle Antéchrist on Nov 27, 2010 11:52:32 GMT -5
Dogs are the same way. It isn't just cats that you have to train to like getting their nails trimmed. My big ol' greyhound was a huge baby when it came to that until we started messing with his paws. When he roached, when he was sleeping, when he was laying on the couch, we'd mess with his feet until he got used to it. Course that didn't prevent him from coming unglued when he pulled out one of his nails and we had to wrap his foot to get him to the emergency vet's. True. Similarly, it's good to have everyone in the family touch and move around a puppy's food dish when they're eating (not teasing them, just give it a poke or move it slightly to the side) or in visual range of it so they'll be used to people going near it, and won't become overly protective of it. Even gentle, submissive dogs can be known to nip when people mess with their food dish.
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Post by Shane for Wax on Nov 27, 2010 11:55:35 GMT -5
Yeah. It's also a good idea to touch the puppy. Stroke along the back, the neck, touch the head. It trains them in case you have little children running around who likes to mess with the pup.
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Post by Mlle Antéchrist on Nov 27, 2010 12:20:29 GMT -5
Hell, all dogs should be touched plenty. Lots of cuddles and petting. It's also good for the human. I miss having a dog around. I love my cats, but I miss playing fetch, taking the dog for a walk, the loyalty, etc.
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Post by Admiral Lithp on Nov 27, 2010 18:14:58 GMT -5
Really? I don't. Because of things like this:
The article makes a similar statement, which can be best summed up as "anyone who would have an animal declawed is a horrible person." It's a total emotional appeal, an obvious straw man. It turns "I don't want the cat clawing the shit out of things" to "I'm torturing a poor, defenseless animal for my own selfish needs." Frankly, it's bullshit.
I'm not sure about declawing myself yet, & I'll have plenty of time before I have to make that decision. But I also don't appreciate that kind of rhetoric. It's like the people who call male infant circumcision child abuse. Sure, they have plenty of good points, but that isn't one of them. It's just a dick move.
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Post by Shane for Wax on Nov 27, 2010 18:33:19 GMT -5
Declawing is a bit cruel though considering how it's done. It shows you'd rather not train your cat to keep from clawing the furniture. You want a quick fix.
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Post by DarkfireTaimatsu on Nov 27, 2010 18:41:46 GMT -5
We had our first cat declawed, and he still managed to ruin the furniture anyway.
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Post by Admiral Lithp on Nov 27, 2010 18:52:19 GMT -5
Declawing is a bit cruel though considering how it's done. It shows you'd rather not train your cat to keep from clawing the furniture. You want a quick fix. A quick & effective fix. And either way you go, it's not really something you can take back. If you try alternate options & they don't work, it's not advisable to go with declawing when a cat reaches a certain age. But how can you know training them is working until they're older? Declawing can't be reversed for different, but obvious reasons.
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Post by Aqualung on Nov 27, 2010 21:06:48 GMT -5
Well, one other thing, if your cat would ever get outside and run off and they're declawed they have no way to protect themselves from other cats and animals.
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Post by Shane for Wax on Nov 27, 2010 21:16:03 GMT -5
I like those caps they put on the kitties' claws.
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Post by Napoleon the Clown on Nov 27, 2010 22:28:01 GMT -5
So there'd be no problem with a parent cutting off the last joint of a child's fingers?
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Post by Admiral Lithp on Nov 27, 2010 22:53:14 GMT -5
You don't think that's a loaded analogy at all?
Edit: Actually, if humans had claws, I would be not at all surprised if there was a practice of getting them removed at a young age.
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Post by The_L on Nov 28, 2010 7:56:01 GMT -5
I like those caps they put on the kitties' claws. This. There are ways to keep your pet from clawing the shit out of your furniture without permanently rendering them defenseless. Interesting aside: ipod's autocorrect does not believe in hell. It keeps wanting to change it to "he'll."
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Post by Admiral Lithp on Nov 28, 2010 8:30:10 GMT -5
If I was honestly concerned* about a cat needing a weapon, I would not go that route, because it sounds like the cat wouldn't be able to use its claws if it needed to, anyway.
*=We don't have outside cats. And really, if they got out, claws wouldn't help them much against bears.
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Post by Mlle Antéchrist on Nov 28, 2010 9:25:17 GMT -5
I try to avoid moral judgments in these kinds of things. I have no doubt that you love your cats and want the best for them. The "soft paws" caps do provide an excellent alternative to the de-clawing, though, which is why I'm recommending them a second time. I haven't personally used them, but I've heard good reviews from people who have. Again, not trying to judge, just some stuff you should know:
- Although the surgery itself is done under anesthesia, the recovery is quite painful, given that it's literally an amputation. There's also a risk of infection, even with proper after-care, given that cats are inclined to lick and pick at injuries. Like others have said, it is the equivalent of removing the entire top join of your fingers. It's fairly major surgery. - De-clawing can cause issues with walking and balancing, particularly if done when the cat is older. Kittens tend to do better with this, but they can still have problems. - De-clawed cats are more likely to bite. Getting scratched by a cat sucks, but a deep bite inflicted by a cat will almost always become infected to some degree. Blood poisoning is the chief concern in this scenario. - A lot of breeders and shelters are beginning to include a clause in the adoption contract barring your from de-clawing the animal. Whether or not a vet will honour the clause depends, but there is a chance that a shelter/breeder may seek litigation if they learn you decided to de-claw your cat. The practice is also being banned in some areas, along with tail-docking and ear cropping.
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