Hands and Feet
Here's another guest blog post from our friend Ren Sumption! We are so grateful to have the insight from a cat behaviorist on declawed cats and their behavioral issues. Of course no one should ever declaw their cat... but what happens if you met one in a shelter? What should you know before adding a declawed kitty to your home? And most importantly, what can you do to help them live their happiest, healthiest lives? Read on!
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🐾Deciphering your declaw: what to know when your cat doesn't have claws🐾
Adopting a declawed cat? Yay! You will never regret the addition of a brand new magnificent kitty jerk into your life, and, new declawed-cat parent, there are a few things you should know, and be prepared for, as you bring your new bestie home.
Now, before we get started, I want to be clear: declawing is highly problematic and cruel, so I'm talking, of course, about you bringing home a cat who's already been declawed (if you're thinking about declawing your cat, please take a moment and read this: https://theclowderroom.substack.com/p/hands-and-feets. I'll wait right here for you to get back).
Firstly, you need to be attentive to a few specific things regarding your cat's paws and gait. Even a previously healed declawing procedure may become infected or inflamed at any point, so keep an eye out for any limping, reluctance to jump, or swelling/redness/warmth to touch of the two front paws. Declawing basically changes where cats can place their weight (imagine walking on the balls of your feet, with no toes to stabilize you, as a quick metaphor). If your cat starts walking or standing funny, or you notice anything weird on the front paws, clean their paws carefully with a clean, warm washcloth, and contact your vet as soon as possible.
Secondly, if there are other cats in your house, please take extra time with introductions. Your declawed cat is missing their primary (and, believe it or not, gentlest) line of defense. Bringing a new cat into a home with an already-established cat order is stressful enough for everyone involved -- and fights happen, in those early days. Declawed cats will, frequently, resort to biting as a defensive measure, since they don't have their claws. This can make an innocent-enough squabble turn bloody really quickly. Be prepared to stretch out intro time, and plan on supervising the first several free-for-alls.
Secondly-and-a-half, know this may mean you, too. Let your new buddy set the cuddle pace. Again, without the primary defense of claws, your cat may nip more than you're used to at first, if you move too fast with them and freak 'em out. If they nibble you, don't get upset. Take it as communication! Withdraw and go slower.
Understanding that declawing changes how cats walk, don't be shocked if you need to change your litter box type or, more commonly, the litter you use. In general, declawed cats find gravelly litter painful to walk on, and overly fine litter unpleasant to deal with. Not in every case, but your new kiddo will let you know in unsubtle ways: usually by peeing and pooing outside the box. Whereas this *can* also signal an underlying health problem, with declawed cats, 99% of the time, it means you have to experiment with different kinds of litter to find one that works for them.
As for litter boxes, some declawed cats are really bad at, or resistant to, top entry boxes, where they have to jump and lower themselves into the box, or boxes that are elevated off the ground -- again, because the change in weight distribution can make them nervous or weaker jumpers. Front entry or open boxes seems to be less anxiety-producing for these cats. And while we're at it, if you notice that your cat is an overly-cautious jumper, consider getting cat stairs (or even having some lower level, flat surface, sturdy furniture like a foot stool) near high places cats like to go (like your bed, or the window sill) to aid them getting up and down with confidence.
Paying attention to and being patient with the special needs of your declawed cat will go a looooong way towards establishing trust between you and your new lil' guy, and an even longer way towards having a happy cat and human house.
Want more deep dives into the twists and turns of cat behavior? You are invited to subscribe to the always-free, no-spam The Clowder Room newsletter right here: https://theclowderroom.substack.com.
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