Severe Calico Attitude

You had her declawed, you took away her defenses so now she bites. That is a very good reason why you shouldn't declaw cats, among many other reasons.

Chances are this is not reversible, but you can try talking to your vet and see if he has any suggestions. You took away her claws so she is now going to use her teeth.

Taryn

Did you read what happens when you declaw a cat? They use their teeth instead of their claws when they are over stimulated. Also, it alters the way she walks because it cuts the first joint off all the paws. Sorry to say, biting is the direct consequence of having your cat declawed.

Is she playing when she bites/attacks your legs? Is she hungry and doing it for food? Or maybe she just wants attention? Is she doing it as affection?

Lynxx would go after my ankles, and bite when I'd get up in the middle of the night. It was a game to him. Luna will bite the backs of my legs to make me get her food faster. Luna will also bite legs and toes, to her it's a sign of affection.

My Lord, I WISH they would make that procedure ILLEGAL in the United States!!!!!

What's done is done - but be aware that TCS is an anti-declawing site. Rule #3 in the Forum Rules is quoted below, be prepared for some unhappy responses from members.

That said - let me now try to offer some advice. Was this behavior present before you declawed your kitty? How old is she? How old was she when you adopted her? Any idea how old she was when she was taken from her mother/littermates?

The reason for all the questions is that sometimes kittens are taken from their mother/littermates too young, and they do not learn appropriate interactions. They don't have their mom/littermates to teach them biting/scratching hurts & that they shouldn't do it.

You need to try to redirect her if she's attacking legs. Is there some sort of toy or anything that you can sidetrack her to when she does attack?

Watch her closely for signals before she pounces legs or bites, oftentimes they are subtle, a simple flick of the ear, a change in her eyes or posture. You can see what they're planning only moments before they "launch", but sometimes you can stop them before they start.

As you have read, most people on this site are intolerant to de-clawing cats. There are plenty of web-sites that are not.

Here is one example of a pro-declawing opinion: http://www.angelfire.com/hero/declawok/

Here is a site that gives the pros and cons of de-clawing: http://www.suite101.com/content/the-...-debate-a52631

Of course some people approve of de-clawing. Otherwise, the de-clawing rate of spayed/neutered cats in the U.S. would not be 40%-50%. I don't see how that changes anything. . .the OP's cat started biting after being de-clawed. Many cats start biting after being de-clawed (I see it most often in females, particularly high-strung types like torties; males seems more likely to stop using the litterbox). Just because other people think it's hunky-dory doesn't change that.

If the cat is biting because she's a naughty teenager, it's possible she will outgrow the behavior with patience and gentle training. The OP needs to be consistent in removing all fun from biting/leg attacking. Get up and go into the other room, put the cat in a crate or other room for time-out, etc. If she is biting because she now feels defenseless without her claws, it will be much harder to fix; you can't convince a cat she isn't defenseless, and you can't re-claw her. Trust is very important, she needs to feel as though she doesn't need to defend herself at all. Any kind of physical punishment (slapping, "tapping", etc.) would be entirely out of the question, unless they want her to get meaner. Possibly strong psychotropic drugs would be helpful

How old is that first link, I wonder? The other pro-de-clawing sites she links to are all inactive, except for one (a vet clinic. . .and let's face it, I've never personally met a vet who was anti-de-clawing. $$$ It's hard to argue with pure profit. Probably pays the bills for most of them).

Hello All,

I am not trying to be rude here but I think people have the right to declaw there domestic cat. Most of all if it is an in indoor cat.

Second of all I have worked with hundreds of cats across the United States via rescue and volunteering so I have seen a lot of cats and I have never seen a declawed cat that bite more. I have seen people not read the cats "warning signs" and continue the behavior that is upsetting that cat for whatever reason and then get bitten . Hence for whatever reason people feel safer if the cat is declawed and take "liberties" that they would not do in my opinion if the cat had claws. Hence do get bitten more often .

Also as a vet tech it is much easier to work on a declawed cat. It often means that cat does not have to gassed in some cases. Lastly when medicating my personal cats I often wish they where declawed as that would sometimes make my life easier.

Hope you all understand what I am saying.

Do you really think that subjecting a cat to serious orthopedic surgery is justified because "it makes your life easier"?

And, yes, in most places in the U.S., people do have the right to de-claw their cat. This doesn't mean they SHOULD. In most other places in the world, it is illegal, or vets will refuse to do it. You have to wonder why so many other cultures disapprove of the procedure.

Have you read the links in my signature? What do you think of them?

Hi Willowy,

I have not only read your links but as a vet tech I have seen it done hundreds of times . I sure do think it is fine to declaw an indoor domestic cat for human convenience.

My personal cats are indoor/out door cats hence they are not declawed. My completely indoor cat (by her choice) is not declawed due to living with my crazy Savannah cat. Before you ask no the Savannah is not declawed yet.

Hope your not upset, but if you (owner/vet/other person) need to handle a cat against its will it is much easier to do if that cat is declawed.

Have a good day and I hope your not offended.

britt.haya, hope your situation improves and that kitty is only going through a phase. I would hate to see another kitty dumped for something that is entirely not of her own making.

Of course it is easier for a vet tech to handle a de-clawed cat. It is also easier for a vet tech to handle a dog or cat who has lost all his teeth, but I would never recommend that people routinely remove an animal's teeth. Ease of vet tech handling (what, once or twice a year?) is not something that should be considered.

Most purebred breeders (especially hybrids like Savannahs) do not allow their cats to be de-clawed. I do hope you've cleared that with your breeder. If your breeder actually allows that, I suspect it's not a very good breeder.

Of course I'm not offended if people have different opinions. I do think it's sad that anyone who claims to like cats would think that routine de-clawing (elective disabling) is an acceptable thing to do to any animal. But why would that offend me? I just feel sorry for all those poor cats who are suffering from having their claws cut out because their owners like their furniture more than they like their cat.

I don't mean any offense, but I am seeing a lot of the typical F.U.D that is spread by anti-declaw crusaders that is almost always only VERY loosely based on objective fact if at all, and the question is not looked at with the same objectivity as it otherwise would be for such a common behavioral problem many cat owners encounter.

Any overstimulated cat that is not appropriately trained can scratch and/or bite. This is no different with a declawed cat. But to imply that this behavior is universally the result of a regular routine declawing is simply not true. All evidence suggests that declawed cats do not realize they are declawed. They will continue to "scratch" surfaces just as before but to a lesser degree just like a recently nail-clipped cat, and will still ineffectively swat their paws for defense, as this is all instinctive and not reasoned self-aware behavior.

With the exception of botched surgery and sensitive toes during the recovery period (complication rates are nearly identical to spay surgeries, but much faster healing if modern laser equipment is used), declaws do NOT alter the gate of the animal. Yes, cats walk on their toes, but they do NOT walk on the short small dystal phalanx bone out of which the claw germinates. This bone is small and completely retracted during normal locomotion, else the claws would often get snagged and quickly become dull, and thus the gate is completely unaffected by a declaw which either shaves or removes only this bone that offers no support for the pad.

There are many cats that as they progress into adolescents and develop territorial instincts or other life experiences can encounter various aggression issues or have litterbox avoidance problems and the like. But it is absolutely WRONG that any time this occurs to a declawed cat, it is instantly blamed on the declaw due to their opposition to the procedure, and won't even point out other common issues like UTIs and the like to help.

The ends do NOT justify the means when it comes to spreading blatant misinformation and derailing threads, and the frequently unhelpful comments AFTER the procedure by crusaders are completely pointless.

I would wager that this is simple play aggression.

It is often the result of boredom, and from what I hear, some view the calicos as the "red heads" of the cat world w/ a stereotype of fiery personalities to boot.

If possible, a playmate for the lively kitty would likely curb this behavior, and many simply grow out of this with age regardless. I know with my two, they are chasing each other at mach 10 through the house and play wrestling all the time.

The basic fixes can involve a combination of:
1) Wear the kitty out as best you can; da bird and laser toys can really help in this department. There are many toys that are safe to leave out as well, as most owners don't have the time to give a kitty all the play attention it demands daily. Climbing surfaces and cat trees are great.

2) Reward good calm behavior with affection, praise, and or treats.

3) Punish undesirable play aggression. I put a stop to it by making a "tsst!" noise and bodily language depending on the severity of the correction needed, and worst case scenario scruff with one hand, support the body with another, and put the cat in a timeout room (usually bathroom or the old safe room).

Not all behavioral problems in de-clawed cats are due to the de-clawing. However, I truly believe that some are (or if not, the timing of the onset of the behavioral problems is an amazing coincidence). And if they are caused by the de-clawing, they're almost unfixable. Maybe meds will help, but nothing else, really. That's the big problem. Any other cause would be fixable.

One of my cats is de-clawed (came that way). I have no idea if it was done "properly", as I didn't know him at the time. However, his GAIT (spell it right ) is severely affected (he walks funny, all back on his "heel"), and his litterbox habits are quite bad (no health issues that we can find). It feels like he has no bones in his paws at all. The last de-clawed cat (same situation--older male, dumped at my house by unknown persons) I had was the same way, and the older de-clawed female my mom fostered really did have no bones in her paws (confirmed; there were complications requiring extra surgeries, eventually removal of every bone in the foot), and, although she had fine litterbox habits, she sure hated kids and had no tolerance for handling, and would bite quite easily.

Sure, I know a few de-clawed cats with no obvious issues (they all walk funny if you know what to look for, though), but statistically they do seem much more likely to act out when stressed.

But the main reason I object to de-clawing is that the cat is rendered helpless forever. I have known several de-clawed cats who were killed by dogs because they could not climb a tree fast enough to get away. I do not know any indoor-only de-clawed cats (except mine), and have never known a cat who was indoor-only its entire life. It is unrealistic to think a cat will never have to defend itself in 20 years of life.

I also knew an older male who was deeply distressed by the loss of his claws. It was obvious by his behavior (he would try to extend his claws, when nothing happened he would start howling and attack the nearest person). He became very aggressive and depressed. He tried to stop eating, but they force-fed him. As soon as they let him out again, he ran in front of a car (keep in mind he had been a stray in that neighborhood for years and knew how to handle the traffic). I truly believe he committed suicide. So I do believe that at least some cats experience mental distress from being de-clawed. Kittens may not know better, but adult cats sure do.

And unfortunately, it's impossible to know how a cat will respond until it's too late. And this frequently means the cat's life.

Most people would be more likely to commit suicide if they were neutered. lol

Opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one. lol

Let's not take ourselves too seriously. We all Love cats.

ROFL!!!!

I don't know what men think of their men bits. . .I would gladly be rid of my female bits if I could get my insurance to pay for it; they're a nuisance, and are disease-prone. But whatever attachment men have to their bits, that's largely due to the primate obsession with sex (apes are the same, and will become depressed if castrated). Cats don't seem to care about that. They do care about their personal safety, which is why the loss of their claws can affect them so badly.

Lots of people claim to love cats. The truth is evident in their behavior and how they treat cats.

I think a de-clawed cat is easier for the owner to handle in times of emergency. I think a de-clawed cat is easier for the owner to give a pill to as well. I think a de-clawed cat is safer around children. So its just not for my convenience.

Now as for the breeder of my Savannah she wrote the article in Cat Fancy Magazine. The article is in the November 2010 issue. She also shows her lower generation cats in T.I.C.A shows.

I love my Savannah very much. He came very sweet and tame. He was very well socialized. He is very hyper but I was told that ahead of time .

I am not sure if that makes her a good animal breeder or not. But she believes just as I do, it is the owners choice to de-claw the cat. So yes she would allow me to de-claw him.

As far as cats and furniture I feel it is the choice of the person who owns the cat if they want to de-claws the cat. Furthermore, I feel that if it is a choice of keep the cat and de-claw it or get rid of it, I feel it is much better for the cat to be de-clawed and stay in its home. Then be relinquished to a shelter.

Also I am not sure where you got a cat or dogs teeth should be removed for easy of keeping. I did not mean to imply I would condone that. I sure would not.

Next issue is I do love cats. But unlike some of you I have seen many cats in many different situations. Hence I have a very different outlook on cat care.

Also and most importantly while I do love cats I am not a bleeding heart like many of you. I feel that a cat should be well treated yes, but it is not a human and does not need human rights.

I am glad that we can still "talk" and not offend each other even though we both have very different points of view.

To GaryGanoo,

That was well said and it is important for all of us including me to remember.

What do you think is the difference between removing an animal's claws for the sake of convenience and removing an animal's teeth for the sake of convenience? Personally I see no difference. What do you base your opinion on? Is there a huge difference between the procedures medically? What if removing a dog's (or cat's) teeth kept him from going to the shelter?

I do not think a cat should have human rights. That would be insulting to the cat. I think all animals should be treated kindly and with dignity.

I'm sort of alarmed that a vet tech admits to having "a different outlook on cat care" and "not being a bleeding heart". To me that defines a lack of compassion. I definitely want any and all vet techs who handle my pets to treat them kindly and compassionately.

To remove an animals teeth causes issues with eating, jaw problems and such. I am sure you will now say de-clawing is the same thing but I do not agree.

As you can tell from reading this forum many of you do not fond of vets cause of lack of bed side manner. Hence many vets are not bleeding hearts.

What I mean by different view of cat care is stuff like this: The person buys the best food they can afford. Not the best food for the cat and scrimp on human food. Or remortgage your house to get your cat a liver transplant or get the cat chemo therapy.

If you feel me not being a bleeding heart is an issue I am sorry, but neither are many vets. Many want the money. I am not saying that is right. But it seems to be a fact.

Take care, I am done.

Yes, you're right; I will say it is the same thing. I don't see how anyone can say it's not. De-clawing can cause balance problems, arthritis, and, of course, the BIG one, the defenselessness problem. In addition, many animals naturally lose their teeth (but they never naturally lose their claws. . .) and cope quite well. My mom's old cat has had nearly all her teeth fall out or pulled out, and you'd never know it. She even eats kibble (mostly canned food, for her kidneys, but she likes her kibble). I would consider removing teeth to be much less distressing to the animal than the removal of claws.

I would never put a cat through a liver transplant or chemo. I don't think that would qualify as a lack of compassion. And as long as people do buy the best cat food they can afford (instead of buying the cheapest food they can find because they don't value their cat, which is what I mostly see), I don't have a problem with it. I also don't think that would qualify as a lack of compassion.

I suppose it would come down to one's definition of "bleeding heart". If you think believing that animals should be treated kindly and with dignity makes someone a bleeding heart, then I think everybody should be that way.

I appreciate your honesty. No vet or vet tech has ever admitted to me that they (or most vets/techs) don't really care about the animals, just the money. I am alarmed, though. I'd like to think better of people who choose a career working with animals. Too bad there's really no way to know one way or the other, and screen out the ones who don't care.

Willowy, I had to "bite my lip" about many of your comments, especially that comment about "female bits". lol

People are like cats in a way, nature and nurture gives each of us different personalities, priorities, perspectives, likes and dislikes. Sometimes we can't understand what goes on inside other people's and cat's minds.

It is amazing how many of the threads about cat behaviors actually apply to me. lol

Please try to keep this thread on topic, advice to the OP would be helpful, don't turn this into a declawing debate, as those threads often end up locked & the OP leaves.

Don't worry, you aren't the one who was getting off topic - we were.

I really, really hope you find a way to help your kitty. Sorry I don't have any good advice...

This could be just a matter of her age. 9 months is a fun age for a cat to be. Many of them go nuts playing and pouncing! Try a few play sessions a day bent on exhausting her. Some favorite toys in my house are Da Bird and the Bolt. Also, a cat tree to climb is fun for them.

When she attacks feet clap your hands loudly and see if you can break her focus on the pounce. If you do, immediately give her a toy that's ok to pounce. Sometimes kittenhood can feel like a challenge but remember, they're usually at their most interactive at this stage of life and it can be tons of fun. Don't miss it! Soon she'll be sleeping all day and won't want to play.

I hope this helps.

Lynxx was indoor only his entire life. He had no desire to go outside. He ran to the door only to greet my mother, never to sneak out. He was happy watching the outside from his window. He never had to defend himself from anything except the mice that came in, and he always won . He died at 9. If he lived to be 22, he still wouldn't have had any interest in going outside.

Sueling my grandparents Siamese lived to be 21 or 22 years old. She was an indoor only. She never once went outside, she never had any desire to go outside either. She never even went near the door.

Midnight and Luna are indoor only. Midnight shows no interest in the door, or going outside. He runs when the door opens. Luna however is interested in the outside. Which is why we're very careful.

I agree with others that she is probably just being playful. My two (clawed) young cats would definitely be doing things like that to us if they didn't have each other to play with. I'd just make sure to play with her a lot so she gets er energy out, and maybe spray her with a squirt bottle when she does it to your legs.
For what it's worth, my declawed cats never bit or had any sort of aggression issues. As another poster said, they really didn't seem to realize they didn't have claws. They 'sharpened' their claws constantly .