Help! Adopting a declawed cat

[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

[kt_luvs_kitties]

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

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