Help! Adopting a declawed cat

[annkim83]

A few days ago, I saw a beautiful kitty lying in a cage at my vet's, and asked what's wrong with her. He replied she's an abandoned cat referred to him from another vet. She's a purebred cat, and at the time the vet wanted to see if he could sell the cat or possibly get kittens from her. Unfortunately, as it turns out, while she was in a cage she scratched a customer's dog, causing him to repay the customer. In a rage, the vet declawed all four claws of this poor cat.

The vet said if we wanted the cat, we could have her for free after the treatments are over. I am so saddened by this poor thing lying there with all her paws maimed. She refuses to eat, and hisses whenever anyone comes near. She's in a cage right beside dogs, which make her nervous with all their barking.

She's a young cat who's had an unfortunate beginning in her life. My husband wants to adopt her, but I'm not sure. I've never seen a declawed cat; I just heard horror stories about what a cruel procedure it is and how it changes the cat forever. Besides, I already have two cats who have all their paws.

My question is, assuming the cat wasn't exeptionally timid to begin with,

Will the cat be okay living with my two clawed cats? Will she be forever timid and defensive towards my other cats, due to her lack of claws?

How much of a normal "cat" life would she be able to lead? I don't allow my cats to go outdoors, but will she be able to run and climb cat towers, at least?

Are there complications with declawing, in the long term--as cats live for more than 10 years?

Anyone with experience in having clawed & declawed cats together -- or with declawed cats in general-- please help me out. My heart breaks just thinking about her.

[Karen]

The poor thing! I would never patronize that vet again, and would tell everyone you know the same thing. I have never personally known a kitty declawed on all four feet. She may still be able to leap onto a cat tree - if her feet ever stop hurting, that is, but she won't be able to climb. She may b able to run just fine. Again, it depends on if her feet still hurt after she is theoretically healed. I hope she heals, and isn't scarred for life physically or mentally any more than necessary, and that her feet stop hurting.

Remember that, if your cats act aggressively toward her, her only defense any more is her teeth, and as cat bites can be nasty to both humans and other cats, so I'd introduce them very carefully, and have a spray bottle handy.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Hi and welcome to PT.:) I'm so sorry to hear that the vet declawed her and that he did it to all four of her paws.:( I don't know much about cats that have all four paws declawed but I have had one of my cats front paws declawed before and this was before I knew any better and I would never do it again.
He was able to climb and jump up on things and he lived with two other cats that had all of their claws without any problems. He was a big cat and looked like he had Maine Coon in him but I did notice that when he tried doing certain things that he was clumpsy and he'd fall easily. I had him declawed when he was still a young kitten so maybe this is why he adapted fairly well. I've heard older cats might not adapt as well. I'm sure that there may be some other people on this site that may have some experience with a cat that's been totally declawed so they'll be able to help you out more.

When I was growing up my insisted that our cat be declawed on her front paws. She was also an indoor/outdoor cat and she was still able to climb trees. I don't think that she even knew that she didn't have her front claws.

[sirrahbed]

I have a mixture since the ones (Emily and Eliot) I have had longest, I had declawed as babies. Then we adopted adult Dylan who had been all four declawed. The most recent kitties (4 year old Lizzie and Robbie) we adopted as babies from kimlovescats - and they have all their claws. Dylan will nip if he is angry, but still manages to be the calm alpha. Dylan was already an adult so I don't know when he was declawed. My vet says his tender paws are from a hatchet job:(

Honestly, there have been no real problems with the 5 of them relating, except for personality things. The two that are front declawed can climb higher than anyone. Dylan *is* a little clumsy and sometimes I can tell his paws hurt. The scratches I *have* sustained were all from back claws and were accidental. The biters, curiously, are fully clawed Lizzie and Robbie.

For a year or so, we kept our daughter's kitty Boomer and he came declawed. Again, I doubt if anyone would know who had claws and who didn't - Boomer also managed to stay high in the heirarchy. He would swat at the others and warn them off with hisses. They would always back off. I don't think cats use claws much on each other do they? When mine fight - it is mostly play wrestling with biting.

So, hopefully you will not have problems if you decide to adopt this kitty w/o claws. This kitty is probably hissy because she is so scared. I hope you might consider giving it a chance. Sweet declawed Dylan is my heart kitty. I do not know why anyone gave him up as an adult, but their loss is MY gain!! He is as happy as can be in this "mixed-claw" cat family. While I would not ever declaw another cat myself, I have not seen problems with bringing a declawed sibling into an established kitty family.
Good luck!

[catlady1945]

We have had a declawed cat. She was the sweetest kitty, who lived to be 19-1/2. She was the boss of 3 other clawed cats - they didn't mess with her. My daughter has one now that she adopted. He can certainly hold his own with his clawed "brother."

I think once that poor cat gets over her fear of being at the stupid vet's, she will be fine. I'm sure she will lead a normal life jumping on cat towers.

What kind of vet is this? He certainly does not sound like an animal lover.

[mrscat]

a form of torture, that is what having ones fingernails pulled out is. i am horrified at reading on this site about declawed cats. here in the uk where i live this practice is banned & illegal & so it should be. its mutilation & im so surprised this is still being done in america, or maybe im not surprised at all. i would rather have shredded furniture & a few scratches on my arms & a happy cat. eva, mrs cat:mad:

[kt_luvs_kitties]

:mad:Firstly, your vet is a JERK. Plain and simple. Their is absolutely NO reason to declaw on two paws, much less four! My neighbor has a very sweet kitty, all four declaw, and he is outside only:( He gets beat up constantly by strays, and God help him if a dog chases him, he has no chance.

Declawing is cruel, inhumane and completely unacceptable in my opinion...

As for kitty, I believe if your kitties are friendly- there should be no problem with them sharing the house.

Cats CAN and sometimes DO have emotional problems after being declawed. They lose what is natural, normal and needed. It is one of their only 2 defenses. So some, DEF not all, are more "mouthy" after the surgery. But with care, patience and love, I think this kitty could live a lovely life. So no worries!

Thank you for taking this cat away from this "vet" and I use that term lightly.

If he could do this to a cat he owns, I can only imagine what he does to other peoples animals when noone is looking!

And he has no right to breed this cat either. Like their arent enough animals in this world already, without an idiot breeding them for money. DISGUSTING:mad:

I am glad you stepped in. God bless you, and this poor kitty!:love:

[moosmom]

You tell 'em Katie!! I have a combination also. My oldest cat, Mollie Rose, 16, is declawed and she is the most loveable, sweet cat I've ever had (aside from MooShoo that is).

I'd say give this poor kitty a test drive. Ask the vet to take her home and love the heck out of her. Gradually introduce your cats to her (or him) like you're supposed to. You might be pleasantly surprized. The reason why she's hissing at people is becasue of what your jerk of a vet did. He should be ashamed of himself. It was not his decision to make. It should've been the new owner's that decide. Then if they did have her declawed, shame on them.

MrsCat,

Declawing is not just plucking out the claw, it's chopping off the the nail at the first digit. That vet should burn in hell for what he did.

[mrscat]

i do know what declawing involves, i was just making the point that just pulling out someones fingernails is/was considered a form of torture with humans so imagine how much worse what is done to the cat. that doesnt explain why the practice still goes on in the usa, or does it? eva

[emily_the_spoiled]

I have eight cats and only one is declawed (I got him that way). He is a big guy and very laid back, but he does just fine in a houseful of clawed cats. The only thing is that he can not "climb" but he jumps just fine :rolleyes:

The only thing you may have to experiment with is the type of litter. Because their paws are very sensitive, declawed cats can have problems with the feel of certain types of litter.

Please take this cat and find yourself another vet (if possible)

[Medusa]

I have no experience w/declawed cats so I have nothing to add here except encouragement to give the cat a test drive, as Donna suggested. Any vet that would disfigure a cat in such a way in a rage, as you say, should be reported. There is a vet here that doesn't like cats and I wouldn't let him near mine and I tell everyone I know to stay away from him. I guess this is rather off subject but when I read stories like this, I break into a sweat. Because I haven't had experience w/declawed cats, as I mentioned, I can't in good conscience tell you to give this one a home but others here do have the experience, as you can see, and I would trust what they say. This little one deserves a good life, especially since he had such a miserable start. :(

[Laura's Babies]

You have enough answers on the declawed kitty mixed in with clawed ones.

My thoughts on that vet is that if he was any kind of vet at ALL, he would have known the cat was extreemly nervous at it's new situation and not even put it anywhere near the dogs. To me, it is HIS fault the cat scratched the dog to begin with and HE is the one who should have had his nail ripped out! He sure would never get another dime of my money!

Please get the kitty before that vet does more harm to it!

[Freedom]

Mrs. Cat, unfortunately there are no laws against declawing in this country. many people are against it, but the laws haven't been put in place to prevent it.

Annkim83, if in the US, I think that vet should be reported, this is a horrible thing for a vet to do "in a rage!"

Please open your home and your heart do this poor cat, who needs love and an indoor only home. get her away from that torturer!

I have one cat who was front declawed (she arrived here that way, as I don't believe in it). She had no problem interacting with the other cats here.

[Anikaca77]

I agree that the vet should be reported!

What an ass.

I would take the cat in. If it doesn't work out I'm sure someone on here would take the cat. I almost thought I could take the cat but I'm probably in the middle of a divorce right now so that wouldn't be too smart.

But please try to take her in and love her and love your other guys and introduce them slowly.

I think the vet should be reported though.

Melissa



I have no experience w/declawed cats so I have nothing to add here except encouragement to give the cat a test drive, as Donna suggested. Any vet that would disfigure a cat in such a way in a rage, as you say, should be reported. There is a vet here that doesn't like cats and I wouldn't let him near mine and I tell everyone I know to stay away from him. I guess this is rather off subject but when I read stories like this, I break into a sweat. Because I haven't had experience w/declawed cats, as I mentioned, I can't in good conscience tell you to give this one a home but others here do have the experience, as you can see, and I would trust what they say. This little one deserves a good life, especially since he had such a miserable start. :(

[Randi]

That poor cat! :( It's outrageous that a vet can behave like that, his licence to practise should be taken, and he should have all his fingernails pulled out! :mad:

It seems that many here have declawed cats, along with non declawed, and I think you should try to take this kitty in and see how it goes. If you're patient, it will probably work out. :) This kitty needs lots of love, after a bad start in life!

[columbine]

She's probably just hissing and refusing to eat because she's in so much pain and scared of the dogs. Once she's out of Kitmo, she might very well adapt nicely to a loving home. As Emily said, permanently sore feet might mean you need to try different kinds of litter, but as long as she's safe indoors she ought to be all right. I've met quad declawed cats who were perfectly calm and otherwise healthy. Ramps, ladders, or stairs can help a quad kitty get onto beds and even windowsills.

Love, Columbine (feeling sad :( for the little kitty)

[catmandu]

SOME OF MY CATS ARE DECLAWED. AND MOST ARE NOT AS THIER HAPPINESS MEANS MORE TO ME THAN MY VERY USED FURNITURE.
I WOUL TAKE THAT POOR CAT, AND KEEP HIM IN A ROOM BY HIMSELF WHERE HE HAS PEACE AND QUIET , AND THEN GRADUALLY INTRODUCE HIM TO YOUR TWO COMPANION.
IT MAY TAKE A WHILE, BUT ITS CERTAINLY WORTH TAKING A CHANCE.
AND IF HIS PAWS ARE STILL HURTING, THEN THAT VET DID A VERY BAD JOB.
WE ARE PRAYING FOR THAT POOR CAT:love::love:

[cassiesmom]

My cat, Cassie, had already been front paw declawed when I adopted her. I signed an agreement with the shelter that I would not have her back paws declawed. I do trim them periodically. She is 13 years old. It used to be that she would run cat sprints and I would find bits of claw in the carpet. That doesn't happen as often now, so I try to play with her more so she can shed them on her own. If that doesn't happen she puts up with me trimming them. I don't plan to have her back paws declawed.

My nephew's cat Milo has all his claws. He's allowed on the screened-in porch and outdoors wearing a leash, so he will not be able to be declawed. He had some issues with the sofa when he first came home, but he has now learned to use his scratching tree. He also likes an old straw mat that is on the back porch. It was very inexpensive and he uses it a lot to dig in his claws and pull. They have another pretty doormat that gets put out when company visits but Milo uses the straw mat regularly. Hate to take it away.

I have a friend who had all four of her cat's paws declawed. Now her cat BITES!

[jazzcat]

Poor cat! I agree, that vet is a jerk. I can't imagine my vet doing something like that.

I sure hope it works out for you guys because it sounds like you and your husband are caring people and this poor kitty needs that right now.

[Catsnclay]

IMHO I would get that cat out of that vet's office ASAP! - :eek: -


Take it to another vet for a check up and most likely PAIN MEDS - if a vet can declaw or who knows what to a poor defensless animal just because he was pi$$ed at it, this person MUST be turned in :mad:


Declawed cats can/will live a perfectly normal life, just make sure this poor cat NEVER gets outside, they are now a permanent indoor cat.


Please, please turn this person in, he should have never done anything like this - what else has he done and gotten away with??! This must stop now.


You are a good person for rescuing this cat -:love: -

[GILL]

We have 3 declaws Chessie, Bailey, and Lenny. In a house with 12 they can hold thier own.
Chessie has one meen right hook.
Bailey just rears up and beats the living day lights out of any one in range.
All three are extremly loving and can climb like crazy.
We would never do this to our kids and that vet should be *#@?&%^!.

[mrscat]

been reading more comments today regarding declawing, but arent there any animal organizations in such an enlightened country (or so i thought) doing enough to get this barbaric, painful, & unnecessary procedure made illegal like it is in the uk? it falls under the heading of animal abuse here. eva

[momcat]

That vet should burn in hell for what he did.
Amen, Donna, Amen!!!!!
I am outraged, sickened and appalled at what I have just read :mad: This sadistic idiot must be stopped from practicing and I do mean yesterday! How cruel can this (insert your own expletive) be? I refuse to refer to this butcher as a vet out of respect and admiration for the countless vets who treat every pet as if it were their own with love, gentleness and excellent care.

Report this butcher to the veterinary board and put him out of business. Tell EVERYONE what this creep did. Also notify the Humane Society, ASPCA, rescues, shelters, every animal welfare group you can find. Name names and be specific. Innocent pets are in danger!

Bless you for caring enough to rescue this poor kitty from an intolerable situation. Give kitty plenty of love and attention. It may take some time for kitty to feel secure and trust again. Please be patient with the poor cat, (s)he has been through so much... too much.

If this seems harsh and offensive, I apologize to all of you. We're brought together here because of our mutual love not just for our beloved pets but for all animals. Intentional abuse to an animal by someone who should know better is clearly a criminal act!

Please, let's all pray for this poor kitty?

[Catty1]

Um - in case anyone missed it - it is NOT her vet that declawed this cat; it is ANOTHER vet who referred the cat to the present vet.

However, that OTHER vet should definitely be reported! Greedy and an idiot - just wanted to breed her!

Her vet said that this kitty is available for adoption after her treatments are over - so I would guess he is doing it out of his own pocket.

If you do adopt her, she might have to be in her own room for a long time...learning to trust again (if she ever did). Set up her space with food, water and a litter box, and a soft bed, and leave her alone for a while.

What is she being treated for - or is the surgery so recent that she is recovering from it?

[jennielynn1970]

Actually, Catty, it doesn't state specifically which vet did the declawing.

She stated the vet she went to offered the cat to her for free after "treatments", whatever she is being treated for.

Whichever vet did the declawing, just to be vindictive, is no vet in my book. I hope that they will be reported.

I have one 4 paw declawed cat, NOT done by me, who is a foster. She will swat at me or the other catss. When she decides she's had enough petting from me, she will nip. Not sure if this is because she's declawed, or if this is just the she always was from before the time I started fostering her. She is a good girl, just needs patience because she is skittish and a bit defensive about being handled or being around other cats. Again, this could have been her personality from kittenhood, I don't know that for certain.

[catfamily]

i babysat a very old ALL 4 paws declawed cat 1 year ago.
i never ever saw this before and i was constantly scratching him(the poor guy)...he kept trying to scratch his little itches.
the people had to go to a job in Paris and we took him in.
I felt so bad for him.
He was fine around other cats but i think always on the defense mostly at first.
I kept him seperated and let my little sara visit him regulary.plus i was with him most the time feeling bad for him missing his family.
the cat was very vocal like a loud cub lion...i bet from being declawed.
i really think this cat was a super sweet cat until declawed...although,i fell in love with this cat...i can't understand humans who would rip their souls out from them.
the people i took the cat from did not declaw the cat...he was decawed by a woman before them and decided she didn't like his personality after declawing.
i wish i knew where she lived!!!:mad:

[annkim83]

Thanks everyone, for your comments and support. :)

We brought the cat home yesterday. I set up a small room for the cat with blankets, food and litterbox. My cats showed some interest, but don't care very much since the kitty is out of their sight. Immediately upon arriving, she ate a whole can of cat food, mixed with medication (I'm guessing it's been about a week after the surgery) - and she refused to eat in the hopital. My husband, who brought her home, said she even rubbed her head against his finger on the drive home: a sign she's a sweet kitty after all. We are planning to give her full rest for the couple of days. She doesn't appear frightened anymore and won't hiss, but growls a little bit when we go near and when she eats. I guess she will get better. It still appears that she feels pain... she tries to walk lightly on her feet and her posture looks a bit crooked.

Before I came to work today I checked up with her and surprisingly, she was on the windowsill, not on the blanket. So I guess she can jump! I only hope she's not in too much pain.

She's a darling with huge eyes, white eyelineer and a potentially wonderful classic tabby coat. Once she gets off sickbed and fills out, I think she's going to be one beautiful cat. Her eyes are so big and expressive.

My two girls have great personalities, although one of them is a bit shy. I think they'll be able to get along, if the newbie isn't too timid herself. And I heard it helps if all the cats are the same gender?

One more question for you... Is the cat going to live in constant pain for the rest of her life? What effects does declawing have on aging? For ex. arthritis?

We're thinking about names. Any suggestions will be welcome...

To clarify a few things: I'm not located in the US, but in Korea. About the vet-- yes, it is the vet whom I regularly go to who did this job to the kitty. But until now, I never realized what he thought about declawing, as the topic never came up in our discussions. Personally I think that in Korea, there aren't that many vets who know a lot about cats outside the lab, as not many people keep cats as pets. Many older Koreans still believe in the superstition that cats are evil and bring bad luck. Recently more and more mostly younger people keep cats as pets, but the number is very minor and I still constantly get comments such as "Why do you have cats? They aren't faithful to their "owners." Get dogs instead." I hear that many vets (not just my vet) regularly "recommend" declawing to first-time cat owners here, and many owners blindly believe what their vets say, who may be only thinking about money to be made in the surgery. So I don't think reporting is an option here. Fortunately, many cat lovers are growing awareness of the ill effects of declawing, and trying to stop it from happening. But I don't think that'll happen anytime soon, unless the vets all turn into cat lovers.

That was too long... Thanks for your support again. I'll try to keep you updated on how she does! :):love:

P.S. I forgot to say this, but I learned from the vet that this cat came all the way from the US. It was adopted by a female student as a kitten, who brought her all the way here when she came to Korea. Then, when things didn't work out at the student's Korean parents' house (again, something to do with older people's superstition, I imagine) she was abandoned at the vet's, saying she was bought at an expensive price from a breeder. To me, she is a beautiful cat but not a purebred as purported by the vet -- I think it may have been the student's ploy to get the vet to adopt her. Or maybe the student was deceived into believing it herself to begin with. That makes me even sadder, as it seems to me everyone thinks about animals as money. If she hadn't been believed as a "purebred", she wouldn't have had to go through all this trouble. Either way, I hope the fact she was brought all the way here means she did receive some love and care as a kitten...

[Moesha]

It was not too long at all! I'm so glad you were able to take the kitty. Just go slowly and let her heal and introduce her to new kitties and situations slowly and I'm sure all will turn out well. Thank you so much for rescuing this dear one. Especially since the culture there isn't as cat friendly as others may be.

[columbine]

Yay! I'm so glad she jumped to the windowsill! Some declawed cats do develop arthritis, but there's a preventative supplement (it's even chicken-fish flavored) called Cosequin that you can mix into her food. It's good for the urinary tract too, and it doesn't matter if another cat eats her food because it's not harmful unless one of them's allergic to shellfish.

For a name, how about Lucky or Fortuna or Grace? :love:

Love, Columbine

[catfamily]

i am very happy you adopted this cat...it may take even a year for the trust to show.please keep her...she's in a good home...probably the best.:)

how sad the story you had about the vets where you are in korea declawing like nothing.:(
And cats in labs freak me right.:mad:
I sure hope that they get found by animal activist groups...someday.:mad:

[catfamily]

i know that my cat lucy loves being called "Pretty Girl" instead.
And seems all the girls want that name in this house.
So "Pretty Girl" is a cat Favorite.Not mine...but cats love that name sooooo much.:)

[Moesha]

I know several declawed cats, and none of them seem to have any problems as a result. I'm not advocating declawing by any means, I'm just saying that kitties can have happy and satisfying lives without adverse effects. So your kitty may just recover and have a full life inspite of this terrible situation she endured.

[GILL]

As I've said we have three of the 12 that are front declaw. In one way it is good, as Bailey hates Chessie. He will growl and swat Chessie; Ches' will do the same but will no nails no harm. It actually looks like a small boxing match. Lenny could care less and just wants to be the Fridge alarm and a mid-night lover. The personalities are not affected by the lack of nails.
Years ago we had one Missy that got out. She ended up in a tree. I still can’t figure out how she could climb with out nails.
On a side note Chessie is my wife’s boy and a drooler. His favorite thing is sitting on my wife’s chest and making bread. He will do this for 15-30 minutes before we go to sleep, leaving a very large wet spot just under her chin.

[Anikaca77]

I'm so glad you got her!

I didn't know that people still believed in cats as being seen as evil.

Well I'd hope that maybe you might be able to find a different vet because a vet that does this to an animal is just plain mean and should be reported although I'd doubt it would get very far.

I hope she is able to live her life without pain. I know I fostered a cat that had her front claws removed and it was a bad job and she walked lightly on her paws but she was still able to jump.

Good luck and I hope we can see some pictures soon of this baby.

Melissa

[sirrahbed]

I am so glad that you have adopted this kitty!! I had posted about my boy Dylan earlier in this post - we adopted him 3 years ago and he was already an adult, 4 declawed kitty. I wish I knew more about his history but am always glad he is now mine. Because his paws seemed to be tender, I brought him to my vet who xray the paws - one front paw in particular shows shards of bone that are from a bad job and my vet says that he can go in and try to trim or remove these small fragments and possibly help Dylan feel better so that may be an option. ( I *think* he said this would be done with a laser but not sure) But Dylan seems to be perfectly happy and well adjusted, the peaceful leader of his family now. He does NOT like to have his paws touched though, and will swat at anyone who tries. I see him playing with the other cats and also loves to chase the laser and play with toys like any normal cat. Of course he will never go outside, but none of my cats do anyway.
Sometimes he holds that one paw up when he is standing, but I also see him use both to make happy feet:D He is clumsy when he jumps but is still able to get anywhere he tries to go. If any other cat were to cause him defense problems, Dylan was here first! I don't personally know of any long term declaw complications such as arthritis but it sounds reasonable. My last generation of cats were declaws and as far as I knew at the time - healthy cats. One cat, RB Bert was a biter though - and this may have been his defense. Not a certainty though as my two fully clawed kitties are now my biters - love bites I like to think:p

I wish you and your new kitty girl the best and hopefully no problems that can't be improved. I expect my Dylan to have a long and healthy life. He is wonderful:love:

Does this new girl have a name yet? Pictures maybe?

My Dylan is the large orangie in my signature below.

[Taz_Zoee]

AWw, I am so glad you saved this kitty. It sounds like she is going to be a great cat.
I liked the suggestion of Grace. And along those lines I also like Hope and Faith. You have saved this kitty from an unknown fate at the vets hands. I'm sure she will forever be grateful to you and your husband for this. :)

[KitCat]

My cat is front declawed (got him that way). He acts the same as a clawed cat. He's an indoor cat because I want him to be safe, but it's extra important because he lacks the front claws.