Aggression after declaw?

I have read the cat aggression sticky but this cat is declawed and since there is no "ouch" involved I think I need a little more advise.

I have question about a cat that became aggressive after front declaw.

A friend of mine was telling me about her cat the other day and I don't know a lot about declawed cats as I have never owned one nor do I know about cats that are aggressive as none of mine have been aggressive.

She got her cat in September. She had the normal shots and got him spayed. She later got him declawed for "furniture" reasons. (she did not do reasearch nor did she ask me about it or I could have maybe changed her mind but what is done is done)

After he had healed he was fine for a while but now he has become aggressive. It started out slow about three weeks ago. He swats and growls. He will run up at her legs like is is going to give a full blown attack but of course with no claws it does not hurt. He does not bite at all. It is more of a charge, swat, swat swat and then run away.

He at times can be very affectionate and rub against her legs and she can reach down and pet him and then out of now where he will look at her growl and swat, swat, swat and run away. He also can get a deep growl and hiss one minute and then be docile and friendly meowing the next.

He is sort of hard to read. He sounds like he is angry to all high hell and charges her and then be happy as a clam the next.

Could this be some sort of aggressive play rather than straight out rage? I mean it sounds like it to me but I think the growling is sort of strange. I have had cats sneak attack me but he is very outright with it. He is not hiding behind walls and and pouncing at her. She explained it as charging at her and then after the swats he runs away. She said he usually runs away after these episodes but other times he runs back wanting love and attention.

I think if he was really trying to hurt her he would wrap around her leg, bite and use those back claws as well.

Had any one else had experience with this?

It is really starting to bother her that he has become like this. I want to try to help before she does something stupid and takes the cat to the pound.

Again, this can be another side effect of declawing. Some cats will hide and become afraid of people, other cats, dogs, etc. They may bite out of fear because they lost the 1st line of defense.

If this cat didn't display aggression before the declaw; then I would say it was caused BY the declaw. The only line of defense now is to resort to more biting.

The cat may or may not calm down; I'm not sure what to suggest right now.

Well she did say that he was extremely playfull with a very high energy level before and he still is. He was always a very bold cat. He never coward or hid from anything.

I am sure the aggression is a symptom of the declaw. Could it be he is even more bold now since he lost a line of defense and this is showing as aggressive behavior.

Kind of like I will get you first before you can get me, even though there is no threat.

I hope he does not move on to biting. She said he does not bite at all even in play and never has.

She explained him more of just a ball of energy. I wonder if he could be getting over stimulated in some way which is causing this erratic behavior.