How declawing saved my cat's life and gave him 6 more years (and counting)

Sherry

You are right; i'm not a medical student. I am a first year doctor. As far
as being too dense, I apologize if my BIG words frighten you, or actually
make you think. My lexicon may be a bit larger than what you are use to in
the print media world. Furthermore, I could care less if you choose not to
believe what I post. The only time you should be concerned with what I type
is when you see your decrepit name at the top, or my posting under your
thread. You know nothing about me, nor do I presume to know what
encapsulates you as a person. As for the ordinance, it is alive and well in
the state of Florida. No, it's not set in stone yet, but it will be possibly
by the end of the year.

You know, I noticed something really screwy about your posts long ago. A post
that sounded eerily like a website I'd just read regarding social structure of
the cat, actually. A quick google check confirmed that you'd simply plagiarized
a website article, "The History of the Cat" and passed it off as your own post.
Out of curiosity, every time you posted a seemingly authoritative post on
health or behavioral issues, it was obvious that all you do is google a
topic, and plagiarize websites, twisting the words just enough to try to pass
it off as your own work or opinion. (That's not only scummy, but illegal too,
BTW). Megan was right about you. You don't know squat about cats, but dispense
advice anyway. It's all in the archives, and below are just three examples out
of many, many more.

From: Iso )
Subject: Whats wrong with my kitty?
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats.health+behav
Date: 2003-10-20 14:31:18 PST

John,Situated on either side of the anus are two anal glands. These
glandsmanufacture a foul smelling material that is normally expressed when
yourcat has a bowel movement. These glands can become painfully blocked
andinfected. Impacted glands do not affect the overall health of the pet.
(snipped)
PLAGIARIZED FROM
http://petplace.netscape.com/Article...asp?artID=3591
_______________________________

From: Iso )
Subject: Blood in stool
Newsgroups: alt.pets.cats
Date: 2003-10-21 16:56:03 PST

Bright red blood in small quantities, sometimes mixed with mucous, is afairly
common finding in cats and sometimes we can't find a cause despitepretty
thorough work-ups. However, there are some things to consider aboutthis,
especially in your case.Griseofulvin can cause diarrhea and it can cause liver
problems. Since theliver is responsible for making the blood clotting
components there is achance that the problem does relate to the griseofulvin.
(snipped)
PLAGIARIZED FROM
http://www.vetinfo4cats.com/cbloodystools.html
________________________________

From: Iso )
Subject: Dr. Jekyll cat is Mr. Hyde at the vet
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats.health+behav
Date: 2003-10-22 21:52:14 PST

If you are inquiring why your cat acts differently, it's because of thescents
that are emitted by all the animals that are there, and have beenthere.
Different animals have emitted all kinds of pheromones, urine, feces.one of the
most imperative ways in which a cat receives feedback about hisenvironment is
smell. Sense of smell helps the cat communicate with othersof his own kind and
assess the potential risks and pleasures associated withevery waking moment.
PLAGIARIZED FROM
http://www.petplace.com/Articles/artShow.asp?artID=2038
______________________________

"Kalyahna" wrote in message
...
"Iso" wrote in message
om...
Karen,

Do you honestly believe that every single cat that is declawed starts
peeing
inappropriately, or develops some kind of illness that requires more than
$100 worth of medical treatment?

I can think of a number of cats at our shelter that were front declawed,
given up for inappropriate elimination, and ended up euthanized for it (the
booking showed the owner made sincere attempts to solve the problem yet it
continued, or the cat continued with the problem in foster care or was
adopted out and returned for it). I can only think of ONE cat that was
surrended for litterbox problems, was front declawed, and ended up having
crystals in her urine. I can think of several more who are front declawed
and given up for litterbox problems and are still in-shelter (Oscar, the
sweetest, fattest orange tabby... and my four-month foster Lucy, who
actually got a home and so far has had no recurrences). It IS getting to the
point that I'm VERY tempted to start a log of litterbox issue animals that
are front declawed, take them to the executive director, and see about
creating a policy of non-adoption of fully clawed cats to people who intend
to declaw. Currently, we just won't adopt a fully clawed cat to someone who
wants to four-paw declaw.

This may sound rude, or uninformed, or whatever other adjectives you'd like
to add, Iso, but since you're a doctor... Imagine, if you can, parents
bringing in their children to have their fingers amputated at the first
knuckle, "because she put a run in my stocking when she grabbed at my leg
for attention," or "he was playing on the floors we just had refinished and
now they're all scratched!" Ridiculous, yes? As childish and stupid as
someone giving up their cat because she redecorated and the cat no longer
matches the furniture... but our shelter has seen that excuse, and I would
bet that other shelters have, as well.

It's rash to think that if one can afford
to have the declawing procedure completed on a cat, that one can't afford
to
purchase $100.00 worth of medical treatment for the cat.

My sister is a vet assistant. People have called to schedule declawings, and
they REFUSE to spay or neuter. For those people, it's completely a matter of
convenience and has nothing to do with the animal's health or well-being.

I certainly don't mean to jump on the Iso-bashing bandwagon that seems to
have sprung up here, but I don't know what experience you have with animals,
or in a shelter environment, which is generally where most of us have
developed this fanatical anti-declawing stance.



Do you encounter many people who come to adopt a cat and have already made
up their mind to declaw before adopting?
Does the shelter give them information on the methods to "train" the cat to
use acceptable locations to scratch?

I think the shelters could stop some of the declawing going on if they would
give their adoptive "parents" some good information. Something on paper they
could take home and read over if they encounter problems. We were at
PetSmart the other night and met a family who had just adopted a large male
cat. They were shopping for some rinky dink scratching post. I probably
embarassed the heck out of the dh but I stopped and told them that the post
probably wouldn't work as the cat was larger than the post and proceeded to
tell them about the stuff available to discourage scratching and pointed
them over to the posts that might actually work for this animal. The shelter
people apparently hadn't discussed this with them.

W

"Kalyahna" wrote in message
...
"Iso" wrote in message
om...
Karen,

Do you honestly believe that every single cat that is declawed starts
peeing
inappropriately, or develops some kind of illness that requires more than
$100 worth of medical treatment?

I can think of a number of cats at our shelter that were front declawed,
given up for inappropriate elimination, and ended up euthanized for it (the
booking showed the owner made sincere attempts to solve the problem yet it
continued, or the cat continued with the problem in foster care or was
adopted out and returned for it). I can only think of ONE cat that was
surrended for litterbox problems, was front declawed, and ended up having
crystals in her urine. I can think of several more who are front declawed
and given up for litterbox problems and are still in-shelter (Oscar, the
sweetest, fattest orange tabby... and my four-month foster Lucy, who
actually got a home and so far has had no recurrences). It IS getting to the
point that I'm VERY tempted to start a log of litterbox issue animals that
are front declawed, take them to the executive director, and see about
creating a policy of non-adoption of fully clawed cats to people who intend
to declaw. Currently, we just won't adopt a fully clawed cat to someone who
wants to four-paw declaw.

This may sound rude, or uninformed, or whatever other adjectives you'd like
to add, Iso, but since you're a doctor... Imagine, if you can, parents
bringing in their children to have their fingers amputated at the first
knuckle, "because she put a run in my stocking when she grabbed at my leg
for attention," or "he was playing on the floors we just had refinished and
now they're all scratched!" Ridiculous, yes? As childish and stupid as
someone giving up their cat because she redecorated and the cat no longer
matches the furniture... but our shelter has seen that excuse, and I would
bet that other shelters have, as well.

It's rash to think that if one can afford
to have the declawing procedure completed on a cat, that one can't afford
to
purchase $100.00 worth of medical treatment for the cat.

My sister is a vet assistant. People have called to schedule declawings, and
they REFUSE to spay or neuter. For those people, it's completely a matter of
convenience and has nothing to do with the animal's health or well-being.

I certainly don't mean to jump on the Iso-bashing bandwagon that seems to
have sprung up here, but I don't know what experience you have with animals,
or in a shelter environment, which is generally where most of us have
developed this fanatical anti-declawing stance.



Do you encounter many people who come to adopt a cat and have already made
up their mind to declaw before adopting?
Does the shelter give them information on the methods to "train" the cat to
use acceptable locations to scratch?

I think the shelters could stop some of the declawing going on if they would
give their adoptive "parents" some good information. Something on paper they
could take home and read over if they encounter problems. We were at
PetSmart the other night and met a family who had just adopted a large male
cat. They were shopping for some rinky dink scratching post. I probably
embarassed the heck out of the dh but I stopped and told them that the post
probably wouldn't work as the cat was larger than the post and proceeded to
tell them about the stuff available to discourage scratching and pointed
them over to the posts that might actually work for this animal. The shelter
people apparently hadn't discussed this with them.

W

"Sherry " wrote in message
...

You know, I noticed something really screwy about your posts long ago. A
post
that sounded eerily like a website I'd just read regarding social
structure of
the cat, actually. A quick google check confirmed that you'd simply
plagiarized
a website article, "The History of the Cat" and passed it off as your own
post.
Out of curiosity, every time you posted a seemingly authoritative post on
health or behavioral issues, it was obvious that all you do is google a
topic, and plagiarize websites, twisting the words just enough to try to
pass
it off as your own work or opinion. (That's not only scummy, but illegal
too,
BTW). Megan was right about you. You don't know squat about cats, but
dispense
advice anyway. It's all in the archives, and below are just three
examples out
of many, many more.

snip

About the plagiarism issue (I'm not getting involved in the other stuff
:-)):

You might want to report the plagiarized posts to the websites. Most
websites have notices that indicate their content is protected by copyright
laws. Petplace is no exception

http://petplace.netscape.com/Corpora...gal+Disclaimer

rona

--
***For e-mail, replace .com with .ca Sorry for the inconvenience!***

"Sherry " wrote in message
...

You know, I noticed something really screwy about your posts long ago. A
post
that sounded eerily like a website I'd just read regarding social
structure of
the cat, actually. A quick google check confirmed that you'd simply
plagiarized
a website article, "The History of the Cat" and passed it off as your own
post.
Out of curiosity, every time you posted a seemingly authoritative post on
health or behavioral issues, it was obvious that all you do is google a
topic, and plagiarize websites, twisting the words just enough to try to
pass
it off as your own work or opinion. (That's not only scummy, but illegal
too,
BTW). Megan was right about you. You don't know squat about cats, but
dispense
advice anyway. It's all in the archives, and below are just three
examples out
of many, many more.

snip

About the plagiarism issue (I'm not getting involved in the other stuff
:-)):

You might want to report the plagiarized posts to the websites. Most
websites have notices that indicate their content is protected by copyright
laws. Petplace is no exception

http://petplace.netscape.com/Corpora...gal+Disclaimer

rona

--
***For e-mail, replace .com with .ca Sorry for the inconvenience!***

"Sherry " wrote in message
...
Bull****. In your "real world' you have no backbone, and no
conscience. In your "real world" amputation is an alternative to
taking the effort to train a cat. In your "real world" the
furniture
is more important that a living thing.

F*ck you, miserable *sshole.

[Not the best form, but it sure did feel good to say.] :-)

I thought the form was most excellent. Very well said, Mary!

Lauren

I also thought Mary's form most excellent and the post an overall
work of art.



Why ... *blush* thank you!

*deep bow*

:-)

"Sherry " wrote in message
...
Bull****. In your "real world' you have no backbone, and no
conscience. In your "real world" amputation is an alternative to
taking the effort to train a cat. In your "real world" the
furniture
is more important that a living thing.

F*ck you, miserable *sshole.

[Not the best form, but it sure did feel good to say.] :-)

I thought the form was most excellent. Very well said, Mary!

Lauren

I also thought Mary's form most excellent and the post an overall
work of art.



Why ... *blush* thank you!

*deep bow*

:-)

"Luvskats00" wrote in message
...
"Mary"
picks her nose and writes

F*ck you, miserable *sshole.

luvskats responds
You're confused and came into the wrong chatroom. Try again.

rosefan
So, like, which "chat room" am I in, you miserable asshole? :-)

You assumed that you were in the room you reguarly visit..the sexual
deviants
room and mistakenly posted the same text you usually do.

Oh, cool, a pervert lame!


However, this is the
re.pets.cat.health+behavior newsgroup. Your apology is accepted.

You're sorrrrrrrrry .....

Soooooooooooooo sorrrrrrrrrry ......

(Apologies to the late Patsy Cline.)

"Luvskats00" wrote in message
...
"Mary"
picks her nose and writes

F*ck you, miserable *sshole.

luvskats responds
You're confused and came into the wrong chatroom. Try again.

rosefan
So, like, which "chat room" am I in, you miserable asshole? :-)

You assumed that you were in the room you reguarly visit..the sexual
deviants
room and mistakenly posted the same text you usually do.

Oh, cool, a pervert lame!


However, this is the
re.pets.cat.health+behavior newsgroup. Your apology is accepted.

You're sorrrrrrrrry .....

Soooooooooooooo sorrrrrrrrrry ......

(Apologies to the late Patsy Cline.)

"Wendy" wrote in message news:8NCdnaLrjtnXQVqiRVn-

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services
to the education and research community in North Carolina, including
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And one of their employees is a jerk?