Ask Sue — November 2009

Nov 24, 2009 by Sue

Dear Sue,

Q. How do cats feel about being declawed? Can you share some of the effects from this procedure being done to cats?

 

A. I have communicated with quite a few cats through my work that have been declawed. I adopted a cat years ago, a female named Tilly who had already been declawed as a kitten. When we rescued her she was about a year old. Her behaviors were quite odd to us and at first and I didn’t understand them. Tilly was friendly, but yet she wasn’t. When my son tried to hold her, she would bite him. She always seemed be on the defensive, like she was on the lookout for something to come at her. She would also make strange movements with her body, like she had tics.

Since our family was unfamiliar with these behaviors, I immediately started to talk to Tilly to find out what was going on. Tilly began to send me impressions of how her body felt from the declawing procedure. She expressed the immense pain after the procedure, because not only was she declawed, but at the same time was spayed. She also said that her paws in the beginning would feel almost numb, but yet the pain was still there and it went up her leg. Tilly showed me that a part of her ‘went away’ to try and manage what had happened to her. Then the sudden terror that she felt she could no longer defend herself properly set in and that is what started her to fend off intrusions by biting. She was so sore in the beginning that she did not want any one to pick her up and just wanted to hide.

Tilly explained that her trust in humans changed and she approached all humans with some distrust and caution. I explained to her that we would never hurt her and that we would respect her feelings of being picked up and not do so unless she showed us that she wanted us to. These insecure feelings Tilly had not only included humans, but also other animals in our home.

Both our other cats and dogs worried her and she always felt that she had to watch out for herself. The constant feeling of being on edge often created the need for her to release her stress by peeing outside the litter box. Tilly would pee up on the kitchen counter because some of our other cats’ scents would be there. She would pee when we had any company come over, as the added stress was just too much.

Tilly explained that even though she did heal over the years, the comfort from not being able to express her claws onto a post or something, just would build up in her body instead. That build- up would be relieved either by her peeing on things or through urinary tract infections. I did feel that Tilly got some relief by sharing with me how she felt. This allowed me to also let her know that we would help her when she felt stressed. However, in spite of all our best efforts, she still suffered heavily for having this procedure done and I know was never the same.

Another declawed cat that I have helped has expressed his feelings about the procedure. His name is Max, he is a pure bred snowshoe. He was rescued by my client when he was about 8 months old. He had been declawed as a kitten. Because of this, he too did not want to be picked up or handled much. The humans he was living with at the time ignored his physical signs that he was in pain and picked him up any way. Max was so angry at what had happened to him and that they did not hear him that he began to bite.

Max felt that he came from an impeccable line of royalty in his blood lines and what they had done to him banished his idea of the great body he felt he came in with. Max felt forever crippled by this procedure. Now he is with a wonderful woman and other cats and is in the best of care; however he still can’t overcome what he feels had been done to his body. The anger sometimes drives him to unpleasant behaviors, which he has expressed he wishes he could let go of but simply cannot. Max mentioned that his anger has hardened him and not being able to feel as powerful as he has wanted, his stress has built up and he now has allergy and breathing issues and this also builds up pressure in his head.

Max does feel loved, but yet he says that he can’t let go of how his body feels so compromised. He says, too, that he is jealous of the cats that have their claws. He wants to feel superior so much that he will attack some of the other cats. Max even expressed that he wishes that he could pass on some of his anger to them, but it really only stays with him.

Both Tilly and Max really have said it all and that is…that declawing is a painful procedure, which rather than simply removing their claws actually cuts off the end of their paws, deforming their body and causing them to make unnatural adjustments that aren’t normal behaviors for cats. What humans thought they were doing with this procedure was only for the convenience of the humans, not to the cats. It seems the convenience instead has created more headaches actually, through inappropriate peeing outside the box, biting and developing early diseases of the kidneys, etc.

There are some countries that have outlawed this procedure from being performed and I believe there are several states that have presented legislation to stop it as well. I know I am personally in favor of this procedure being stopped, as well as the cats.

BEING THANKFUL

As the holidays are approaching I can’t help but think about how thankful I am for all the animals in my life. Each one of them has brought me so much joy and love that is beyond anything I could ever wish for, which they give it to me unconditionally. They wake with me each day not asking for anything but some simple gestures of love and hugs. The animals are my rock, my connection to all that really matters in this life, and that is to enjoy each moment, take nothing for granted and never stop loving. I am truly grateful for all the animals of all kinds and I thank them for their continued blessings they give us each day.

If you would like to pose a question for the next Ask Sue column, please send your question to asksue@satiama.com.

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