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Ridgerunner
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I doubt it very much. Coyotes are extreme predators, and prey on creatures a lot more fearsome than a cat. It’s more of a matter of how hungry the coyote is and whether it gets caught out in the open.
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yellowbird
Guest
This is a very sweet visual.
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AlTheCollegeGal
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I’m going to have to agree with the others who said that it would be unethical. Firstly, because the cat is seen as a replaceable commodity whose only purpose is to play with the dog. Secondly, I really do not know this for certain, but I can ascertain that it would be much more painful for the cat to get eaten by something than euthanized. Thirdly, I think that it’s like getting a bird with clipped wings and putting it in a tree. Sure, the bird doesn’t have to fall out of the tree, but placing it up there all the same is not fair. I don’t think it’s okay to adopt an animal that belongs indoors and forcing it outdoors, not because of an extreme allergy or a potential problem, but mere whim. 
My two cents.
My two cents.
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AbideWithMe
Guest
Yellowbird–
There are organizations that specialize in finding barn homes for stray cats. Unlike most shelters, they are happy to have a cat get an outdoor home with good shelter, warmth, food and vet care.
I agree with Ridgerunner, though, that there’s no need whatsoever to declaw the cat. A dog and cat can work things out between themselves just fine.
I live well off the road, and I have had cats wander over into my barn and take up residence. They were initially semi-feral and wary, but eventually became very friendly. One very wild little kitty I got from a farm where his pregnant mom was dumped off; the farm was right next to a busy road. He was totally wild, but unable to resist a dangled piece of baling twine—we got him into a havaheart trap, and I took him home. He’s now super friendly, and still can’t say no to a dragged piece of twine.
I’ve been living on my farm over twenty years, and my once-feral barn cats have lived into their mid-teens, well-fed and happy patrolling the barn.
There are organizations that specialize in finding barn homes for stray cats. Unlike most shelters, they are happy to have a cat get an outdoor home with good shelter, warmth, food and vet care.
I agree with Ridgerunner, though, that there’s no need whatsoever to declaw the cat. A dog and cat can work things out between themselves just fine.
I live well off the road, and I have had cats wander over into my barn and take up residence. They were initially semi-feral and wary, but eventually became very friendly. One very wild little kitty I got from a farm where his pregnant mom was dumped off; the farm was right next to a busy road. He was totally wild, but unable to resist a dangled piece of baling twine—we got him into a havaheart trap, and I took him home. He’s now super friendly, and still can’t say no to a dragged piece of twine.
I’ve been living on my farm over twenty years, and my once-feral barn cats have lived into their mid-teens, well-fed and happy patrolling the barn.
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TheRealJuliane
Guest
Here’s a question for you. If your brother is going to get a cat that gets along with dogs, why does it need to be declawed? A cat that is OK with dogs is going to keep its claws in, not decide to shred the dog on a whim.So you think the cat is better off dead at the shelter? Because he’d go in asking for one that’s about to be euthanized. According to the humane society, over 10,000 cats & dogs are euthanized every single day in the United States, so sadly - it appears that cats are disposable? He knows it’s not the best home for the cat because he’d keep it outside without it’s front claws, but he figures if he’s able to extend the cat’s life, it’s better living with him under those conditions vs. dead.
Cat #1 seemed to be very happy - very friendly, sweet cat. Enjoyed the run of the place until the hawk or coyote got him.
To those who said he should not lie to the shelter to get a cat - I have no idea if that’s their policy.
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AbideWithMe
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Yeah, if a cat likes dogs, they may swat the canine buddy, but they’re careful to keep their claws in. I’ve had many a bare, sandled foot ambushed by a playful cat, but the claws are always sheathed.
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aragonjohn1
Guest
I got it from an elderly animal shelter woman and someone who lost 3 of his 5 cats more than four times so just going of their experiences ( could be wrong : ( )
Ye most cats I know are scared going outside
My little sisters cat was ; (
Shalom
God bless
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Tietjen
Guest
I can see that you feel rather strongly about this and I do respect that; however, as to your first concern… yes, it appears that the cat is coming into the situation FOR the dog. Just like when a lonely human goes and gets a cat, it’s FOR the human. The cat doesn’t have a say one way or another. Now, I’d suggest that in both scenarios it’s MUTUALLY beneficial, both FOR the cat and FOR the dog or human. The cat is being given the chance to live. It’s going to be fed. It will be able to roam, explore, play, etc. The alternative… the cat is killed. Now, I can see the point concerning a declawed outdoor cat. Ideally, that is not the best thing. However, you and I can only speculate as to the cat’s future as a country cat. We don’t know that the cat will be eaten by hawks or coyotes. The brother can go and adopted a clawed cat and it could wind up getting run over by a car the same day it was brought home. The last declawed cat had 3 happy years of life (assuming that it is no longer alive today). So, I’d suggest that the best course of action is to accept the fact that nothing is perfect and to take a second and just look at the absolutes…I think your brother cares more about his dog than about any cat that he might adopt. He’s getting the cat FOR the dog, to keep it happy and entertained. The cat will have no means of defense, can’t climb a tree to get away from a large dog, and could be maimed by all sorts of predators. No, declawed cats belong indoors, period. If your brother doesn’t want an indoor cat, then he can’t have a declawed one. It’s not fair to the cat.
Are cats disposable? What if the next cat also disappears? How many times does he get a cat to keep his dog happy?
- If the cat is about to be euthanized and isn’t adopted it WILL be dead.
- If the cat goes home with the brother, it is given the possibility of a long and happy life.
As to your second point concerning your decision that if the “…brother doesn’t want an indoor cat, then he can’t have a declawed one.” I would beg to defer. Unless of course there is a county ordinance or a new state or federal law which prohibits it, he can in fact have an outdoor cat which is declawed.
As to your last concern over whether cats are disposable, the answer is yes. God made them that way. Over time they wear out and die, just like a fish or a plant. They don’t have rational immortal souls like humans. That doesn’t mean that we (as humans) should abuse animals (or cats in this situation), but I continue to be unable to see how giving the cat an opportunity to live and happy life is abusing it. Now, if your argument was with the agency that was about to euthanize it, I’d better understand your concerns.
Just my thoughts on the matter though.
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yellowbird
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Good to know. I will sugget this to him. Or maybe one of his neighbors’ cats has a litter? Perhaps the suggestion that a young kitten would be a better match for his dog is correct?
He recognizes it’s not the best life - being an outside cat, espeically without claws. Although Cat #1 - like I said, hunted all sorts of small animals no problem. She must’ve been an especially smart cat?! I guess my brother’s whole issue was he would have been saving an adult cat from immenent death - a point that’s apparently lost on some.
To those who said he didn’t deserve a cat because he wanted it only for the enjoyement of his dog. So what? Cat was a happy, fat cat. She was fed twice daily without fail, provided with shelter, brought it indoors on cold winter nights and searched for high and low when she turned up missing. If that isn’t a high enough standard for some of you, we’re just going to agree to disagree.
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Ridgerunner
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Well, sometimes. When my kids were young, they used to refer to the first encounter between a new dog and established cat, or vice versa, as (cat’s name) “putting rubies on (dog’s name’s) nose”, referring to the little drops of blood induced by the swipe. That clawed swipe didn’t hurt the dog much, but it did teach him that cats do have boundaries. Cats do ease up, though, in time. I once had a huge dog that was a slobberer. She delighted in playing with the cats, and one of her favorite things to do was to momentarily enclose the cat in her mouth. Didn’t hurt the cat, but the slobber was really extreme. One could see the cat wince at it in disgust, and clean up later, but no “rubies on the nose” for doing it. Of course, that dog was a huge heated mattress for the cat on cold winter nights. I even saw the cat sleep on the dog’s face at times, (the warm breath maybe…a living “space heater”?) and the dog put up with it. Maybe that was worth putting up with the slobber.
They work things out in time.
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Angelsflight
Guest
And it sounds like your brother does not want to de-claw the cat himself, he wants one already declawed, right?
It very well may be a better thing to adopt one than to have it euthanized. It very well may just have a pretty good life, unless the place has coyotes running all around it.
Perhaps just one more suggestion to your brother? If she is not invited inside the house other than cold nights, perhaps he could build her a little indoor shelter where she can go for warmth, or to sleep, or even to hide away from other creatures, like coyotes. maybe with an opening to it that is small enough only for her to get in, but no bigger animals. A door, of course, so a human can get in to give her food and water there, and a little kitty opening that is good for her size.
I dont know…just a thought. I would hate for kitty to get attacked and eaten by a bigger animal, but I equally hate euthanizing them.
It very well may be a better thing to adopt one than to have it euthanized. It very well may just have a pretty good life, unless the place has coyotes running all around it.
Perhaps just one more suggestion to your brother? If she is not invited inside the house other than cold nights, perhaps he could build her a little indoor shelter where she can go for warmth, or to sleep, or even to hide away from other creatures, like coyotes. maybe with an opening to it that is small enough only for her to get in, but no bigger animals. A door, of course, so a human can get in to give her food and water there, and a little kitty opening that is good for her size.
I dont know…just a thought. I would hate for kitty to get attacked and eaten by a bigger animal, but I equally hate euthanizing them.
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PeterGStanley
Guest
If the cat was an indoor cat then is would be acceptable to de-claw it to prevent damage in the house. But it would be cruel to de-claw a cat that lives out doors making it unable to protect it self. The dog and the new cat will develop a new relation ship and set their boundaries which is not likely to be the same as the last cat - sure the dog might get scratched a couple time but the dog will learn the boundaries of the new cat and easily recover from any scratches.Seems in this case he feels cats are replaceable and the dog is not.He’s not giving the cat the same respect love that he gives the dog.He should not get another cat but instead get another dog that is about to be put down which would be a better companion to his dog.
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Ophelia23
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Eek… I really disagree with this. In my humble, personal opinion, I think the countries that have criminalized this behavior are totally in the right for it. But I digress.
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AlTheCollegeGal
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Out of curiosity, is there any way your brother would adopt another dog like a Yorkshire terrier, seeing as he obviously likes dogs, and such a breed is quite small and unobtrusive? Or, why doesn’t he go to a doggy park with his pup and play with friends there?
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yellowbird
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He would not want another dog. His dog Yorkie is literally like his child (he’s not married, no kids) He works from home and this dog is with him 24/7. I don’t think Yorkie would like another dog either - he’s very possessive of my brother. Yorkie did not view Cat #1 as competition - espeically since it was outdoors I’m guessing.
The dog park is a great idea, but unfortunatley there aren’t any where my brother lives… very rural, farm country. Most people have their dogs tied up outside or in a kennel with a dog run and they are taken out to hunt. My Brother’s friends joke that he has such a girly dog who doesn’t do anything useful except bark at everything including the wind.
Bottom line - my brother is going to do what he wants. He wasn’t looking for advice or justification. I’m going to suggest he get a barn kitten - they are a dime a dozen. I think most declawed cats have spent their lives indoors and I do think it might be a difficult transition to adapt to the outdoors… but if that’s what he decides to do, I’m certainly not going to tell him otherwise. Not my business.
I started this thread because there was some disagreement in our family about whether it was OK. Cat lovers (the women) said no - men, for the most part said what’s the big deal, it’s going to die anyhow? Did I mention I come from a long line of hunters? Anyhow, I thought it was an interesting topic… and it seems this forum was as split on the issue as my family, although not necesarrily because of gender.
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Catholic80
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You also can’t be sure that the new cat and Yorkie are going to be friends. Years ago, I had two lovebirds, then one died and the other got rather depressed. She would sit in the corner of her cage and do nothing. So, after about a month or so, I purchased a baby lovebird thinking it would cheer her up. But instead of taking to this newcomer, she would attack it and even draw blood. I had to get separate cages. It wasn’t until a year later that she finally “tolerated” the other bird.Really? Even though he’s going to keep a declawed cat outdoors, knowing it can’t defend itself? That’s the moral question in my mind. I think being euthanized would have to be a more peaceful way to go vs. coyote attack.
THAT sounds awful.
I know birds are different, but you are also talking about dogs and cats, which, usually that combination is the brunt of many-a-joke. Has your brother thought about what he will do if Yorkie and the new cat don’t get along. (I’m thinking that it will be more the new cat that doesn’t take to Yorkie than the other way around)
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PeterGStanley
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Do you have a cat?When it decides to sharpen its claws on your new 2000$ couch or the carpet which they will do - mine has it claws and has done serious damage to my stuff , my couch , my carpet , my computer chair which is ripped apart - I can’t buy new stuff she’ll just rip it apart - I can buy all the clawing item they sell at the pet store and she will snub it go to the couch and start ripping away at it - I think you might think twice.Eek… I really disagree with this. In my humble, personal opinion, I think the countries that have criminalized this behavior are totally in the right for it. But I digress.
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kbwall
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Eh, death is death really. Euthanasia leaves a prettier corpse behind, but getting ripped to peices by a coyote is almost as fast and really not all that painful. After the first couple bites, the cat won’t feel a thing. People put a lot of stock into the way a corpse looks after it died, but really, the end result is basically the same. I don’t know why people put so much stock into a peaceful death, it’s not really all that better. The only difference is, what, a couple seconds of pain/terror? Given that this is a stray cat from a shelter, I’m sure it’s been through pain and terror, the only difference is it won’t make it through the last one. Especially for an animal such as a cat, who can’t even comprehend the fact that it could die.Really? Even though he’s going to keep a declawed cat outdoors, knowing it can’t defend itself? That’s the moral question in my mind. I think being euthanized would have to be a more peaceful way to go vs. coyote attack.
THAT sounds awful.
And in this case it is just as helpless against euthanasia as it would be against a coyote. Even more actually; a declawed cat still has teeth to fight with. Not even teeth can fight carbon monoxide or whatever chemical they use to kill cats these days.
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Ophelia23
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I do have a cat. I have always had cats. I have never needed to declaw one. I think it is cruel, personally. As I said, that is just my humble opinion. If a cat is scratching at your furniture (one of my cats did–all of the rest have behaved very well in that sense) then I just kept her nails clipped. If they weren’t sharp, she wasn’t able to do any damage.
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