At the vets, de clawed cats being registered

[Goadyflattery]

Surely that's not legal? The receptionist didn't say anything, they are not rescued as the stupid women was banging on about their pedigree and how she had it done to stop them climbing

When I picked up Twoago, his breeder said in passing that she would never sell to the States because some breeders/owners there were given to removing voiceboxes as well as claws. It seems to be particularly an American thing.

I'm afraid that I don't know about the legality of it here although I should imagine that most vets would refuse to do it - as for puppy tails.

AFAIK it's not legal in the UK, no.

Presumably the receptionist felt that it wasn't the best time or place to get into a discussion about it. One would hope that the vet would be paying attention though.

I am in UK but it sounds as if she is British ex pat who has moved back from abroad.
I debated whether to say anything but I get in enough scraps about animal treatment.

Just googled, outlawed in 2006 by animal welfare act.

Voice boxes FFS? Surely not!

Our neighbour's cat went deaf in old age and used to miaow constantly, really loudly, because he couldn't hear himself. Yes it was a bit annoying at times but it never occurred to me that we should (sorry, IMO) mutilate him for our convenience! Cats have claws and voices and that's the way it is. what next bowel removal? No more litter box cleaning!

I'm glad it's outlawed!

If she brought them back from a country where it's legal then I assume that's perfectly legal IYSWIM.

It's just getting it done in the UK that is illegal.

The owner came across as particularly unintelligent, had lovely long claws nails herself though.

It used to be done, apparently, Name. Siamese are often vocal but then that's the breed - there seem to have been owners who didn't like any noise though.

Yes, probably legal abroad but completely immoral.

In fact, looking at an American Siamese rescue site, their cat descriptions actually had a section for 'Declawed?' (All the ones I could quickly see were a No however.)

They likely will not have been declawed in europe, especially not in the uk where the vet council is very strict on regulation.
its a procedure that would lose a vet their license in the uk or ireland if done for non medical reasons as its classed as a mutilation under eu legislation. Some countries are more lax with punishments but its not a popular procedure that was ever very common in the eu compared for example to tail docking and ear cropping in dogs etc which is not also banned in the uk( bar with some exceptions for the working dogs being tail docked)
Plus uk vets will not know how to do it as its not taught in the vet schools over here.
Im a vet and work abroad.
Its sadly quite common in the us but gradually getting less and less popular thankfully. Exposure of whats actually involved in declawing a cat has helped tbh.
Declawing a cat is the equivalent of chopping off the tips of our fingers by dearticularing them at the joint.
its barbaric.its obviously painful and requires several days of bandaging and aftercare on painkillers(in a good clinic)and can have lifelong consequences if there are any complications. Considering cats bounce back from speying and other serious surgeries and usually go home the same day the recovery time for declawing says a lot about how invasive it is......
It still shocks me that americans can justify this procedure esp when products like softpaws exist as an alternative.

Actually change that from americans to anyone can justify this procedure.

Is ear cropping banned? I saw a dog that had been stolen which I thought clearly had cropped ears.

Debarking or demeowing in the case of a cat..is also outlawed in europe as a mutilation under the same legislation as declawing....there are exceptions to the rule of course....but considering it can cost veterinary surgeons here their license to practice if reported to the board and judged to be inappropriately done it is very very incommon.

Please take a look at The Paw Project. They are trying (along with the gorgeous City the Kitty) to have declawing outlawed in the US.

I have no idea why people are so stupid that they would get a cat that miaows and has claws and then mutilate the poor animal.

Ear cropping is also banned here....but seems to be more common on the continent and the rules are not being enforced on vets there it would appear....or breeders are chopping off parts of the ears themselves....which is also sadly possible.
I have personally never heard of a vet preforming a comsmetic ear crop in the uk or Ireland.

Stolen from outside kennel at Christmas time, Troya. Looks like she has cropped ears.

The trouble is.......shears, Goady. Some people still think that a dog looks 'tough if the ears are docked so will do it themselves.

Ps is there any way to edit spelling etc on posts here!some shocking spelling and grammer in my earlier posts!sorry about that!not used to this phone!

Ugh, people are despicable

And yes that dogs ears have been cropped

Afraid not, Tamberlane - unless you had mistakenly inserted something really 'bad' I suppose, where MNHQ might just edit it for you. Don't worry about it. As long as it's readable, eh?

This makes me so angry. To stop them climbing? Poor, poor cats. I'd have struggled not to say anything.

Are declawed cats allowed to be shown out of interest?

I know there are rules about showing for dogs but I don't know for cats. Given the age of the legislation, they'd pretty well have to be imported if so.