Why would someone let a cat outside that has been declawed?

I agree with you. I have a friend who has a de-clawed cat, and lets him go outside. I've asked her in the past, too, why she lets him go out - knowing that he could get hurt by other animals - and she says her family lets him out because "he has back-claws". This is the most absurd thing I've heard! I don't think a cat can defend themselves using their back claws. I agree with you 100%. I wish these people would either NOT have their cats de-clawed, or keep them as indoor cats! It's unfair to the cats who have to face the big, wide world (or back-yard) with no means of self-defense.

I agree with you, cats who have been declawed should not be let outside. I don't think a cat would be able to survive on her own without claws. Especially if she was raised as an inside cat at first. Once my cat ran away for about three weeks and we couldn't find her anywhere. In her whole 8 years of being alive she had never been outside before and I didnt think she would make it, but the whole time I was thinking thank goodness we hadnt gotten her declawed because at least she had a chance then. A neighbor finally found her a few blocks away and she had a broken leg and a few scratches, so goodness knows what kind of stuff she got herself into, but I strongly believe that the fact she had claws helped her survive.

When I was discussing getting my cats declawed with the vet she told me that they can still run up trees but they need their front claws in a fight. We decided to not get our cats declawed even though they do not go outside just in case they would happen to get out someday I want them to have all the protection they can get.

I don't know. My Mother had our second cat declawed when I was a kid (and didn't get a vote). She did OK outside. I'd say she was alpha cat for at least a 1 block radius. I once saw another cat in our yard about 25 feet (8m) from our cat. She ran at that cat full tilt, opening her mouth at the last moment and hit it broadside. She knocked it about 1.5 feet back with that stunt. When the other cat made it back to its feet, it scrammed. She was also a very good hunter; catching birds, rodents and lizards. In another incident, I saw our cat climb 11 feet of tamarack tree (10" diameter, no branches for the first 20 feet) to get up onto the back porch. *That* had me boggled for a few....

The whole declawing thing is terrible! Cats need their claws so people should take time to educate cats or stop having cats at home if they can't train them and hate their scratch habit. I vote for training!

I do not think declawed cats should be let outside!!! They are less able to defend themselves. Cats do not have to be outside to be happy and content. None of my 7 cats goes outside. My one female is declawed (she came to me that way. Back claws do count for some protection, but not enough. I don't think declawing should be done. There are ways of training your cat not to scratch like making sure they have their own furniture to scratch on. Rub catnip on a scratching post they will love it. Declawing is a surgical procedure where the toes are amputated, yes toes are cut off at the first joint or knuckle. Many people belive that it is merely cutting the nails or pulling the nails out, but you must take the first joint of their toes off or the nails will just grow back. This is very painful and recovery is bloody and long. It hurts them to walk on their feet and sometimes takes months to heal. I worked for vets for the last 20 years and have seen some very painful recoveries. Please try every option before declawing!!!

A few of my rescues have been declawed. We have reason to believe that one was actually put outside by a boyfriend (hopefully an EX-boyfriend.) You can read his story here: http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/1273251.aspx

I agree. If you decided to declaw your cat, keep him/her inside. The cat might get hurt, might not be able to defend himself, or climb out of a tree to get away from another animal.

yeah. that is not right. the declawed cat will mostly like die soon. it cant hand itself in society like the clawed cats who can climb and defend themselves. my late cat was declawed but she was always indoors. my current cat has claws but he is still indoors. i think once a cat goes outside they will become more wild because it learns to be wild in order to survive outside. while the indoor cat is more spoiled and sheltered, and used to the indoor life.

I have never understood why people allow them outside. I don't like the whole idea of declawing them myself but I had a cat one time that was declawed (before I got her) and I never let her outside. The probelm is they have no defense if something does happen. Which is my reason for being against it in the first place. But a friend of mine had her declawed and when she had her baby she didn't want the cat anymore so I took her. She lived for 7 years in my house and never one time did she go outside. She probably wouldn't have known how to act anyway! LOL