anyone out there with kids that have cats?

Stephiehun

https://www.declawing.com/

No.  Declawing is cruel, no matter what your vet says.  I wouldn't even go to a vet that would disfigure a cat for its owner's convenience.  It causes behavioral issues and litterbox issues.  Besides being painful, it leaves the cat defenseless if it gets outside.

There are better and more humane ways to train a cat from scratching, including teaching a child to leave the cat alone or to be gentle.  

itsmevkb

Stephiehun:

itsmevkb:

zhirsch:

As for the declawing... If it's between getting rid of her and getting her declawed then fine, it's better she stay in a safe home with people she knows. However, declawing is a really traumatic procedure, especially done on a cat that old. It's not just removing the claws, it's basically removing the finger joints with the claws attached. Imagine someone removing all of your fingers up to the knuckle, that's what it is. My cats have very sharp claws too, and we just cut them frequently. It takes two minutes. 

I always see this sort of response when someone mentions declawing.  Do you find it strange that no-one has an issue with castrating cats and dogs?  Imagine having your husband's testicles removed or your ovaries taken out.  And yet, doing that to our pets is seen as being a responsible pet owner.

You are a moron.  Spaying and neutering is good for the animal's health - it reduces the chances of different kinds of cancers. Pregnancies can be incredibly dangerous for dogs and cats, and there is a huge overpopulation problem anyway. There is no good reason for a dog or cat to be intact, unless they are a titled show dog.

You can't compare that to cutting off part of a cat's fingers because you are too lazy to apply softpaws or train it not to scratch the furniture. It's illegal in most countries - the US is one of the only places (if the only) where you can still get it done.

Actually, I'm not a moron I'm just pointing out the ridiculous high and mighty attitude that so many people seem to have when it comes to pets. You are quick to compare declawing a cat to the cutting off of human fingers to the second knuckle but discount that castrating an animal is also painful and takes away a natural function and drive from them. If every woman had her ovaries removed there would be no more ovarian cancer but it would be stupid to put that out there as a real solution. Just as it would be stupid to suggest that because pregnancies are dangerous for women we should all stop having babies.
If you want to compare procedures we do on animals to the human experience then have at it, but then I don't think you get to pick and choose which you feel are justified and which aren't.

ZaraLou

Stephiehun:

https://www.declawing.com/

No.  Declawing is cruel, no matter what your vet says.  I wouldn't even go to a vet that would disfigure a cat for its owner's convenience.  It causes behavioral issues and litterbox issues.  Besides being painful, it leaves the cat defenseless if it gets outside.

There are better and more humane ways to train a cat from scratching, including teaching a child to leave the cat alone or to be gentle.  

 

Okay I am not going to argue that you can't train a cat to not scratch.. maybe you can, although i personally wouldn't take a risk of my cats slashing my dd's face apart. But to say that you can teach a BABY to leave a cat alone or be gentle is hilarious..good luck with that. 

Stephiehun

ZaraLou:

Stephiehun:

https://www.declawing.com/

No.  Declawing is cruel, no matter what your vet says.  I wouldn't even go to a vet that would disfigure a cat for its owner's convenience.  It causes behavioral issues and litterbox issues.  Besides being painful, it leaves the cat defenseless if it gets outside.

There are better and more humane ways to train a cat from scratching, including teaching a child to leave the cat alone or to be gentle.  

 

Okay I am not going to argue that you can't train a cat to not scratch.. maybe you can, although i personally wouldn't take a risk of my cats slashing my dd's face apart. But to say that you can teach a BABY to leave a cat alone or be gentle is hilarious..good luck with that. 

Do you have a mountain lion?  What kind of housecat can slash a child's face apart?  You can't teach a baby to be gentle, but you can keep them separated or supervised when they are together.  If your dd can't be gentle with the cat, she shouldn't be allowed to play with it.

ZaraLou

My dd loves our cats..loves them too much.. spends the whole day trying to give them hugs and kisses. Even though I teach her to be "gentle" and she technically is.. most cats do not want a toddler pestering them and would scratch. 

 I guess my point is that I would rather declaw my cats (something that had no negative affect on them) and have them be able to interact with my dd, then constantly have to worry about them and keep them separated. I have been scratched severely by friend's cats just for petting them.. and as much as i love cats, i dont think i would ever be comfortable with a cat with claws around my children.

Motzie

itsmevkb:

Actually, I'm not a moron I'm just pointing out the ridiculous high and mighty attitude that so many people seem to have when it comes to pets. You are quick to compare declawing a cat to the cutting off of human fingers to the second knuckle but discount that castrating an animal is also painful and takes away a natural function and drive from them. If every woman had her ovaries removed there would be no more ovarian cancer but it would be stupid to put that out there as a real solution. Just as it would be stupid to suggest that because pregnancies are dangerous for women we should all stop having babies.
If you want to compare procedures we do on animals to the human experience then have at it, but then I don't think you get to pick and choose which you feel are justified and which aren't.

No, actually you are a moron. Are you for fvcking real? Comparing declawing to spaying and neutering? Apples and oranges. Let's just compare it to chopping off the tips of your fingers, mmmkay?

Dork_Fish

ZaraLou:

My dd loves our cats..loves them too much.. spends the whole day trying to give them hugs and kisses. Even though I teach her to be "gentle" and she technically is.. most cats do not want a toddler pestering them and would scratch. 

 I guess my point is that I would rather declaw my cats (something that had no negative affect on them) and have them be able to interact with my dd, then constantly have to worry about them and keep them separated. I have been scratched severely by friend's cats just for petting them.. and as much as i love cats, i dont think i would ever be comfortable with a cat with claws around my children.

Consider yourself lucky that your cats are still perfect but most declawed cats have behavior issues including biting (it's their only defense left) and peeing outside of the box. There's more I could list but you're not going to care anyway. And I can guarantee that I'm going to teach my LO how to behave with cats and dog.

MrsGo4Hockeychick

ZaraLou:

Okay I am not going to argue that you can't train a cat to not scratch.. maybe you can, although i personally wouldn't take a risk of my cats slashing my dd's face apart. But to say that you can teach a BABY to leave a cat alone or be gentle is hilarious..good luck with that. 

looks down at left hand ticker...

 

huh. what do you know? I managed to teach my kid to be nice to animals. All it took is this little thing called PARENTING.  

danztam

Really?  How many stories do you hear of cats smothering babies?  Close the door, keep the room clean, its really quite fine....we have 2 cats and 2 large dogs, little baby girl is coming into this world and will grow up with all of them.

JrsGurl1823

I worried about this with my daughter, but my cat really wanted nothing to do with her! i would never get rid of my poor baby, i love him too much!hope you find a better solution to your worries!

AudNicole

Look.  I run an animal rescue.  I have a 20 month old.  I often have not only my 3 cats in my house, but usually 4-5 fosters, of varying ages, health, and scared-ness.  Its been this way since Beckett was 6 months old.

My child has been scratched ONCE.  By my cat.  Because he tried to pick him up.  That was my fault for not being watchful enough to stop it, but B learned a lesson, don't pick up the 14 lb cat.  I have more pictures of B with this cat than I have of B and I, he loves Gizmo so much.

OP, give your cat some places that are baby free, even if its just up on the fridge or someplace high that she can watch without being down with the kid.  She'll be fine, and so will the baby.  Cats don't smother babies, and if you're worried about it, just close the door to the room when baby is sleeping.  Likely the cat won't want to be near the crying, puking, wobbling mini-human anyway.  That's scary stuff to a cat!

 FWIW, the ONLY foster cat I've had to put down because of litterbox and personality issues.... was a declawed one.  His toes were malformed, from declawing and it was likely uncomfortable for him to get in the litterbox, so he choose to pee everywhere else.  By the time I got him the habit was so ingrained there was no stopping it.  There is no reason to declaw when there are so many other options out there to help with cat claws.

Jynx23

We have 2 cats and I couldn't imagine getting rid of them just because we have a baby.  Just close the door to the nursery if you are really worried.  My mom runs a daycare at her house and she has 3 cats and has never had any issues with the cats hurting the kids. 

StaceyM35

My husband and I had 2 cats before we had kids and the only thing that we did was put extra tall gates at our bedroom and the nursery room door that they couldn't jump over. It worked great and we didn't let the cats in the nursary ever. The cats basically ignored the babies until they were over a year old. We did have to get rid of our cats when my 2nd was about 2 becaues of her allergies I couldn't put her on meds for the rest of her life because I wanted cats. We found a good home for them though.