Meet Mia!

[southerngirl]

Now that my parents calmed down, and I actually got some actual information out of them instead of them just throwing crap at me trying to convince me that declawing is perfectly fine, it sounds like it was more them than the vet. Originally, according to them they said that the vet said that softpaws don't work, we should really just get her declawed, etc. Now that they have agreed to postpone the declawing (hopefully permanently) they told me that the vet said that as long as you can get the softpaws on the cat, they usually work really well, and that if it was up to them (the vet) they would never do another declaw, but some people decide they are either getting their cat declawed or they are giving them to a shelter, and they want to keep animals out of shelters. Obviously that's quite a different story. I think my parents were just a little worked up and stretched the truth a bit.

I'm glad to here that your vet doesn't advocate declawing.

 

[JazzyandVeronica]

What a gorgeous cat!! Love the pink harness.

Looks like Mia hit the lottery!

 

[kassidybc]

I'm glad to here that your vet doesn't advocate declawing.

Me too, I was pretty angry when my parents said that the vet was saying that declawing was the only way.

 

[bekah1001]

Wow! She is so beautiful! I used to not be a cat person until we got our first cat. Now I'm cat crazy!

 

[kassidybc]

I'm sorry I'm about to rant a little bit, but I'm getting so frustrated and I just need to outlet to someone. I bought Mia softpaws, we glued them on, and she doesn't really mind them, she has been licking them a little bit, but they stay on well. I was thrilled, because this meant that we wouldn't have to declaw her. But my whole family somehow thinks that the softpaws are more cruel and inhumane than declawing her!!! I don't understand where the logic is in that at all!!!! They are saying "oh, poor kitty! Look, she has to wear covers on her paws! That's so mean! It would be so much nicer to just have her declawed, then she wouldn't have to wear those stupid things!" ugh!!! They're all ganging up against me, and they completely ignore all the evidence of how cruel declawing is!! And my freaking step sister is studying to be a vet!!! And she's the most passionate one in the family about wanting her to be declawed!! As a vet in training she should know better! She doesn't care if the softpaws work, she wants to get her declawed, she thinks it's much more humane than making her wear softpaws. If she thinks that amputating a cat's knuckles is completely fine she has no business being a vet IMO!!! It makes me furious that in the future she will probably be telling her patients to declaw their cats as a precautionary measure, even if their cats don't have a scratching problem!!! Sorry about the rant, it's just really hard to stand up for what you believe to be right when your entire family is ganging up against you.

 

[southerngirl]

I'm so sorry to hear that Kassidy. I really don't understand how they can still feel it's okay after you've informed them how inhumane it is. Maybe,hopefully once Mia is used to them they'll see they aren't bad.
And I know how frustrating and upsetting it is having your whole family against you. I deal with it on a daily basis and it SUCKS.

 

[kassidybc]

I'm so sorry to hear that Kassidy. I really don't understand how they can still feel it's okay after you've informed them how inhumane it is. Maybe,hopefully once Mia is used to them they'll see they aren't bad.
And I know how frustrating and upsetting it is having your whole family against you. I deal with it on a daily basis and it SUCKS.

Thanks Danielle. I'm sorry you have to deal with this on a daily basis, this has been making me want to scream. My ignorant stepsister (who thinks she knows everything about whats best for animals because she's training to be a vet) thinks that because she is messing with the softpaws must mean that they are annoying to her and cruel, but says that if cats are declawed when they are Mia's age, it doesn't bother them at all and it doesn't affect them at all (which is soooo untrue). I ask her "How is putting vinyl caps on her nails inhumane, and amputating her knuckles isn't?" And she just shakes her head at me like I'm an idiot. And the rest of my family just sits there and agrees with her. Ughhh.

 

[southerngirl]

Here's a website on soft paws. It says that they were created by a Veterinarian. Show your family the website and all the great reviews. Wish I could be more help. Good luck to you and Mia.

 

[running_dog]

Sorry about the rant, it's just really hard to stand up for what you believe to be right when your entire family is ganging up against you.

I know what this is like too. It is really really hard when those we are closest to disagree with what we know is right.

You have to hang in there. You are doing what is right and even if you fail you will have done everything you can, you won't have failed Mia. Sometimes we do end up fighting on what seems to be the losing side but that is when it is most important that we hang on to what we know is right.

I've have something similar with Gus where I know there is something wrong with him and all the vocal members of my family either disagree or abdicate responsibility. I do have one silent supporter but that is not always much help as I insist on taking a dog they say is well back to the vets time after time. Even when the vet finds him medication that they don't actively disapprove of they still don't want him to have it .

 

[kassidybc]

Here's a website on soft paws. It says that they were created by a Veterinarian. Show your family the website and all the great reviews. Wish I could be more help. Good luck to you and Mia.

Thank you Danielle, don't worry about not being able to be more help, you've helped a ton. I wasn't really looking for actual help anyway, I just needed to rant.

 

[kassidybc]

I know what this is like too. It is really really hard when those we are closest to disagree with what we know is right.

You have to hang in there. You are doing what is right and even if you fail you will have done everything you can, you won't have failed Mia. Sometimes we do end up fighting on what seems to be the losing side but that is when it is most important that we hang on to what we know is right.

I've have something similar with Gus where I know there is something wrong with him and all the vocal members of my family either disagree or abdicate responsibility. I do have one silent supporter but that is not always much help as I insist on taking a dog they say is well back to the vets time after time. Even when the vet finds him medication that they don't actively disapprove of they still don't want him to have it .

Thank you for reminding me that even if I fail, I didn't fail her, because I tried my hardest. I needed to hear that. I'm glad I'm not alone! What do you think is wrong with Gus?

 

[running_dog]

Thank you for reminding me that even if I fail, I didn't fail her, because I tried my hardest. I needed to hear that. I'm glad I'm not alone! What do you think is wrong with Gus?

You are doing a very brave and difficult thing to challenge the thinking of your whole family, it is tough and it is lonely. I think you are amazing, you are still in school but you are prepared to do that!

Gus has a kind of nebulous lethargy, at one point I could walk into the room and stroke him and he would not even flick an ear. He's not as bad as that now but he still doesn't have as much energy as I feel he should. The vet now thinks it might be anxiety that is depressing Gus's thyroid, that kind of would make sense as Gus gets a lot more fearful and worried than he lets on.

 

[MaryK]

Joined this thread a little late. Kassidy you're an amazing young lady to stand up to family opposition! You're right of course, declawing I think is illegal here now, due to the cruelty it inflicts on the poor cats.

I am seriously considering getting soft paws for one of my cats, who refuses to use the scratching post but prefers my furniture in stead. Glad to hear they work!

And I know how hard it is when those close oppose you, I have the same problem with my partner, he's 'always right'! Partners are a little easier to deal with, but it's not always easy, especially when it concerns my fur babies!

 

[kassidybc]

Joined this thread a little late. Kassidy you're an amazing young lady to stand up to family opposition! You're right of course, declawing I think is illegal here now, due to the cruelty it inflicts on the poor cats.

I am seriously considering getting soft paws for one of my cats, who refuses to use the scratching post but prefers my furniture in stead. Glad to hear they work!

And I know how hard it is when those close oppose you, I have the same problem with my partner, he's 'always right'! Partners are a little easier to deal with, but it's not always easy, especially when it concerns my fur babies!

Thanks Mary!

 

[kassidybc]

T

You are doing a very brave and difficult thing to challenge the thinking of your whole family, it is tough and it is lonely. I think you are amazing, you are still in school but you are prepared to do that!

Gus has a kind of nebulous lethargy, at one point I could walk into the room and stroke him and he would not even flick an ear. He's not as bad as that now but he still doesn't have as much energy as I feel he should. The vet now thinks it might be anxiety that is depressing Gus's thyroid, that kind of would make sense as Gus gets a lot more fearful and worried than he lets on.

Thanks! I hope you and the vet can figure out for sure what's causing the lethargy in Gus!

 

[MissyBC]

Been inactive for a while... sorry!

Declawing is a horrible inhumane thing to do...here's a suggestion to teach her not to scratch the furniture: put double sided tape anywhere you think she is going to scratch (for now, not for the rest of her life, just for now)... she won't like it and will learn to not scratch in the places where you put the double sided tape... my mom and I are completely against declawing, and would never even think to declaw a cat or kitten...

Good luck fighting for Mia to keep her claws! She's adorable.

Sorry to get off topic, but I love your display pic of Cloe.

 

[running_dog]

put double sided tape anywhere you think she is going to scratch (for now, not for the rest of her life, just for now)... she won't like it and will learn to not scratch in the places where you put the double sided tape...

That's a good idea, kind of like a feline version of anti-vandal paint