To declaw the cat or not to declaw the cat...the nonexistant cat that is

Hello everyone,

I'll start off by saying i'm not a cat person. It's not like I hate them or anything i've just always found them to be too standoffish for my taste. However, I miss having a pet around-they are just an extra somebody to love!! And obviously it's just not fair to have a dog in a flat--not enough space. Sooo my boyfriend and I have been talking about getting a kitten. The problem is I would like to get it declawed because we have a brand new leather sofa that would be ruined with just one swipe of a claw--not to mention the other furniture is our landlords and if a cat scratched that up I wouldn't want to pay to replace it!! Butttt my boyfriend said that cats get in fights and when we let him outside he wouldn't be able to defend himself. So now we just keep going in circles. We can't keep him solely as an indoor cat because our flat is sort of small and a litter box would probably stink us out of house and home!!! So I guess i'm just looking for some advice...cuz I want a pet...but I don't want my sofa or the cat to get hurt!!

I don't know much about declawing, but I'm assuming it's not pleasant for the cat and therefore I wouldn't do it. 

But also, it's kind of worrying that you're not really sure you're a cat person, and that you wouldn't want a litter box in the house.  What if the cat doesn't want to go outside, or prefers to do it's business inside?  You can't make pets conform to what is convenient for you and your lifestyle.  It's a real life-long (as in life of the cat) commitment, so think about it carefully.

I think you may want to consider a different kind of pet. From what you've written it doesn't look like a cat would be an ideal pet for you.

There are all kinds of apartment pets. Do some reasearch and find one that will be right for you.

I have only known mean cats so I think my view is a bit biased but i've been assured that they can be very loving. I'm pretty easy, as long as it doesn't try to kill me I am sure I would like having a cat!! Also, we do plan on having a litter box we're just hoping it won't be the only place the cat will do it's business-more of a last resort hopefully. I understand you can't make a pet do anything they don't want to do.

No vet will declaw a cat in the UK! It's against the law here as it's outdated and cruel.  This is now considered barbaric and is extremely painful for the cat.  I have leather furniture and 4 cats and there is no way to avoid even tiny nicks, I would say if you are unsure of getting a cat - don't until you are sure.

Cats are extremely loving & fun!! Got one curled up with me as I type this.

Okay, i'm going to seem really stupid now but I promise I wouldn't have gotten a cat before researching thoroughly and now i've googled declawing and eek!!!!! Who would do that?!!!! Ah you guys probably think i'm some maniac!! So nevermind. Not declawing the cat. If we get a cat. Sorry about that!

I do still want a cat by the way. But I think I will wait until I am super sure, and can deal with all the stuff that comes along with cats.

I had a feeling that declawing a cat wasn't legal here.

Anyway, there are some kinds of cat that tend to be quite lazy and docile. Prehaps you should be looking at those breeds? Of course getting a pure breed cat is quite expensive.

I've also seen these, possibly vinyl, tips you can put on cats claws to prevent them scratching. They are called soft claws and are advertised as an alternative to declawing. If you decide to have an indoor cat that may be an option for you.

The best cats in my life have been super loving and snuggly!  Of course sometimes even the most sociable cats like to keep to themselves, but they always come back again at some point for love.

My cat in the US wasn't de-clawed, but my ex used to trim her claws with a nail clipper, but I guess that's no good if the cat is going to be outside.  Poochie was always an inside cat.

How about fostering one ? Not sure how it works but I know some cat protection places need some to be fostered - might be a way of seeing if you are suited as this is not permanent.

I hope I did not come across too strong on the declawing - just wish they'd outlaw it in the US as it really does cause too much pain and other problems.  You were not to know this and you do sound like a person who likes animals.  

I absolutely love my cats who have such quirky and different personalities - one even retrieves a ball - much more clever than dogs    but that is only my opinion  

Fostering is a good idea, i'll have to check it out. And I found the soft Paws website--so cute!! Haha. And no way Nikki you didn't come across to strong--I honestly thought it was just like trimming the nails really low or something but when I read what they do I couldn't believe it!! I had no idea!

Cats are simply incredible. Maybe if you don't know much about them you shouldn't get one, yet I would love for you to have a cat and allow it to be a cat and not try to train it to be a dog or child etc.! (: I know people who never thought they would be a slave to a cat and are now happy slaves! Please don't take offense but I looked through the cat owning book in the For Dummies series and was impressed that they actually had some knowledge of cat behaviour. It is vital for example not to leave cats alone with many cat toys on the market!

Most people don't know that declawing is cutting the tips of the toes off! Cats need the claws not only for defense but also psychologically. I have never had an issue with destruction with clawing. Kitties can be redirected. You have to learn the mind of a cat!

As with most pets, it isn't fair to get one and not be able to be with it many hours during the day.

Yes! Fostering!

Wishing you the best!

I should hope that no self-respecting rescue group would allow a person who doesnt know if they even like cats and would think of declawing a cat to foster one as some kind of "do I or don't I want a cat" experiment.  It sounds like neither you or your boyfriend know much about cats, so I would really advise against it. 

We are down to 1 cat now, and she is a loving gentle soul. We lost our Big Lizzie to cancer in 2008 and Philip last year (just before the move) to cancer and chronic renal failure (CRF) complications.

Lizzie and Phil were Portuguese moggies who came to the UK with us in 1998 (and did the 6-months quarantine), then to the US. Phil had been abused by his original people, and we stole him after they broke his leg. He was vocal, playful and on a given day, put more joy in our lives than you can imagine. Big Lizzie was just a gentle giant. We sometimes called him 'wee-wee' not because he had 'accidents' but because this huge cat had this tiny little squeeky meow. And yes, Big Lizzie was a boy despite the name. He was an orphan that we adopted and named before we realized...that "she" was a "he"!

Vadio ran away from her home in the states and moved in with us. She never looked back and neither did we, so here she is in the UK nearly 12 years after we first saw her..

Cats are like most creatures - different personalities, but very responsive to attention. We interacted with our cats as much as possible, and reaped the rewards.

I wish you all the best and hope you find great joy with a cat that loves you as much as Vadio loves us.