Interesting moral delimma about a Cat

[ringil]

My brother would adopt a cat that has already been declawed - would not pay to have it done.

Of course the cat should be kept inside. He shouldn’t be lying to obtain the cat saying that he will keep it inside.

All you can do is give your opinion. What else could you do?

 

[wmw]

Keeping a Cat from being killed would be good, but keeping it safer would be better.

The chances a new cat will play very well with the the dog is low.

I’ve lost a cat that wondered around 6 years ago that just disappeared one summers night. Now have a 25 lb dog that is only out of our fenced yard on a leash. Just this year I’ve had a juvenile Coyote jump out of scotch broom 40 yards ahead of the dog and I. Then an older one came out looking at the younger Coyote with his back to me and my dog and they both disappeared back into the brush. It sure looked like the older was teaching the younger the rules of coexisting with humans. My dog and I were glad to turn around there and go back toward home.

I think getting another dog in your case is similarly the best idea.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

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?

 

[Newbie2]

Keeping a Cat from being killed would be good, but keeping it safer would be better.

The chances a new cat will play very well with the the dog is low.

I’ve lost a cat that wondered around 6 years ago that just disappeared one summers night. Now have a 25 lb dog that is only out of our fenced yard on a leash. Just this year I’ve had a juvenile Coyote jump out of scotch broom 40 yards ahead of the dog and I. Then an older one came out looking at the younger Coyote with his back to me and my dog and they both disappeared back into the brush. It sure looked like the older was teaching the younger the rules of coexisting with humans. My dog and I were glad to turn around there and go back toward home.

I think getting another dog in your case is similarly the best idea.

Depends on a number factors, one of which is the age of the cat being introduced into the household. I think the way you phrased it is, on the whole, inaccurate.

 

[robwar]

My single brother lives on a beautiful property in the country with his small, MUCH beloved dog we’ll call Yorkie. Brother started feeding a declawed stray cat that wandered into his yard. Brother is not a cat person, but felt sorry for cat so he provided a nice outdoor shelter for him, feed him twice daily and let him sleep in the heated garage on terribly cold winter nights. Cat seemed to like being outdoors and even managed to hunt all sorts of small critters even without his front claws. Cat and Yorkie became great friends and played rough and tumble together whenever Yorkie was let outside. Brother didn’t worry about Yorkie getting hurt because Cat was declawed.

There years went by.

Cat disappeared.

Brother thinks Cat got killed by either a coyote or a hawk.

Yorkie misses his friend, Cat.

Brother is thinking of going to animal shelter and adopting a stray, soon to be euthanized adult cat as a new playmate for Yorkie. Brother insists on declawed Cat because he doesn’t want beloved Yorkie to get scratched.

Knows that Cat #2 might succumb to the same fate as Cat #1 but reasons that Cat #2 is going to die regardless, and living however much longer well fed and cared for is a good thing.

What say you?

Get another cat. There is nothing wrong with having the cat declawed. If he goes to a shelter, the cat probably should stay in the house because the cat might not be use to
living and staying outside as the other cat was. If your brother is up to having the cat in the house and declawed then he would avoid losing the cat again. We had a dog and cat at one time and they were good buddies. Your brother sound like a very kind man.

 

[ringil]

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?

That’s pretty much it.

Although I would say that declawing an indoor cat is wrong as well.

 

[Ophelia23]

I used to do volunteer work at an animal shelter where cats, dogs (and on occasion other animals such as rabbits and ferrets) were put up for adoption.

I can tell you first hand that if anyone approached the staff and conveyed the fact that they had the intention of keeping a declawed cat outdoors, they would have been refused adoption.

On the surface it sounds like your brother has the intention of doing a decent thing. Realistically speaking, however, his intentions are irresponsible.

I second this. I am certain that he means well, but the facility I used to volunteer with would have also refused adoption. Especially if this is an older cat. A cat who perhaps ran away when they young and did not have their claws would potentially be able to adapt and still fend for himself, like the first cat you mentioned. The older the cat gets, and the more time he has spent as an indoor cat, the less his capability is in fending for himself. Again, I know with full and absolute confidence that the shelter I used to work for would deny adoption on this basis.

 

[HB11]

:thumbsup:tell him get another small dog

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?

 

[mountee]

Oh my. I was not trying to be sarcastic at all. I’m terribly sorry if I came across that way. I don’t even necessarily disagree with you. I was simply asking the question.

Again, my apologies for offending you. That was truly not my intention.

Thanks, I appreciate your reply.

 

[KP3243]

Outdoor cats live a good 5 years less on average than their indoor counterparts​

I live in the country and my cats lived outdoors unless it was really cold out and the went in our basement area but they lived a long time because they got fresh air and hunted and excerized daily. The last one died a year ago at age 23 she was born in the 80s. My house was about an acre away from the road on a hill which might have also led to their long lives.

 

[KP3243]

I don’t like declawing animals it doesn’t seem humane to me and I would never let a declawed cat outdoors its mean on so many levels, it can’t defend itself from a predator and they are animals and have instincts and hunt smaller animals. The cat will get anxiety not being able to do things that come naturally to him.

 

[Marocchino]

Would claws make much of a difference in a coyote encounter?

 

[KP3243]

Would claws make much of a difference in a coyote encounter?

The cat can climb in a tree or a barn or a portch post it will run to anything with height because they know that the coyote can’t climb.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

Another problem is that many cats in a shelter do NOT love dogs. Even if the shelter has the cat’s history, there are no guarantees that the cat will get along with your brother’s dog. I think he should be thankful that he had a playmate for his little dog for 3 years, and either get another dog or take his dog to the dog park more often for socialization.

 

[Seira]

Of course the cat should be kept inside. He shouldn’t be lying to obtain the cat saying that he will keep it inside.

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?

 

[wmw]

Another problem is that many cats in a shelter do NOT love dogs. Even if the shelter has the cat’s history, there are no guarantees that the cat will get along with your brother’s dog. I think he should be thankful that he had a playmate for his little dog for 3 years, and either get another dog or take his dog to the dog park more often for socialization.

Thanks for agreeing as others disputed this same point from my post!

 

[Mary_Gail_36]

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 haven’t read the entire thread, but perhaps the shelter will not give him a declawed car without him agreeing to keep it indoors. The cat cannot be outside declawed, another cat could hurt it.

 

[yellowbird]

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?

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. He lives in a very rural part of the country - lots of farms with outdoor farm cats. Farmers don’t give a hoot if their cats would live longer indoors. They have cats for a reason (keep away vermin) not as house pets.

 

[nickybr38]

So you think the cat is better off dead at the shelter?

I’d really like to have an answer to this as well.

How is death preferable to the dangers of the wild?

 

[Ridgerunner]

My single brother lives on a beautiful property in the country with his small, MUCH beloved dog we’ll call Yorkie. Brother started feeding a declawed stray cat that wandered into his yard. Brother is not a cat person, but felt sorry for cat so he provided a nice outdoor shelter for him, feed him twice daily and let him sleep in the heated garage on terribly cold winter nights. Cat seemed to like being outdoors and even managed to hunt all sorts of small critters even without his front claws. Cat and Yorkie became great friends and played rough and tumble together whenever Yorkie was let outside. Brother didn’t worry about Yorkie getting hurt because Cat was declawed.

There years went by.

Cat disappeared.

Brother thinks Cat got killed by either a coyote or a hawk.

Yorkie misses his friend, Cat.

Brother is thinking of going to animal shelter and adopting a stray, soon to be euthanized adult cat as a new playmate for Yorkie. Brother insists on declawed Cat because he doesn’t want beloved Yorkie to get scratched.

Knows that Cat #2 might succumb to the same fate as Cat #1 but reasons that Cat #2 is going to die regardless, and living however much longer well fed and cared for is a good thing.

What say you?

I have had both cats and dogs all my life. I say get the cat and don’t have it declawed. The dog and the cat will work things out. It won’t take more than one swipe of the claws for the dog to learn the cat’s limitations on familiarity, and it won’t invade the cat’s boundaries again. Every dog I had, had to learn that. And yet, in the winter, the cats (two) will curl up inside the dog’s “curl up” to sleep. (big dog) Both seem to appreciate that arrangement.

And yes, it’s a lot better to save the shelter cat, even if someday or other a coyote gets it. Coyotes are hard on cats. Hawks aren’t all that quick to attack a grown cat, though. Owls are worse, but even then, adult cats are a handful even for them. I would risk it.