From: mperraul@roadkill.prime.com (Michele Perrault's login)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: declawing?
Date: 24 Dec 92 16:56:24 GMT
Reply-To: mperraul@roadkill.UUCP (Michele Perrault's login)
Organization: Prime Computervision, Bedford MA

In article <9113.82.uupcb@cutting.hou.tx.us> tim.burton@cutting.hou.tx.us (Tim Burton) writes:
>    I tried that, and he still clawed every thing he could get his 
>claws on.  He did learn about the water bottle, but he also learned he 
>could get away with it when I was not home.  Cats are REALLY 
>smart...he knew he was doing wrong, and  would run when I would come 
>in and catch him climbing curtains or clawing our $2000 leather sofa.  
>(Not good)  As for pain, he experience very little.  He was most 
>freaked out by his shaved paws.  It felt funny, most likely cold, and 
>he would shake his paws.  Sort of like when a cat get his paws wet, or 
>tape stuck on them.   The only problem I face now is not letting him 
>outside without having to go out with him.  I would not want a big dog 
>to eat him.  (Even worse)   I don't think it as bad as most people 
>think it is.  While, that's my two cents worth. :)  ttyl.

Hi.  I'm new to this posting thing, but have been reading for quite a few
months.  I've read all the pro's and con's about the declawing issue;
even talked to my vet about it, who by the way is VERY against declawing.

We will be having Natasha declawed at the end of next month; I REALLY do
not want to have it done.  Our problem is, whenever we have people over,
which is nearly every weekend, Natasha turns from a loving, 5 month old
calico to a terrible, hissing, spitting, clawing terror.  We really don't
know what happened to her, my only guess is that when younger, someone's
child did something to her when we were not looking.  I cannot explain it,
but it gets me nervous because she has gone for my face more times than I
can count, and regardless of how often we trim her claws, they are still
a dangerous weapon.  Our vet, who is wonderful, has finally agreed with us
that there is nothing else we can do.  We are looking into starting a
family in the near future, and I don't want to have to worry about Natasha
attacking a baby.  Up to the day I have her declawed, it will wear heavy
on my heart, but I know that it is the best for her (so we can keep her),
and certainly the best for us and our friends and family.

On a separate note, I need some advice, comments, criticisms, etc.  We
adopted a stray kitten two months ago that my sister found on her doorstep.
Shir-Kahn is the most beautiful black/grey tiger kitten I have ever seen.
She's got a little white mask with a little marilyn-monroe mark on her right
side of the face.  She is the most lovable little kitten I have ever owned,
and surprisingly enough, Natasha has `adopted' her as well, and they get
along beautifully. (one month younger).  The problem is, we took her in for
her first set of shots, and the leukemia came back weak positive.  I had
noticed that her glands were swollen, and I guess that is why.  The vet was
shocked that she actually tested negative, told us to come back in a month.
I just brought her back for another test.  Shir-Kahn is now a strong positive.
I was told by the assistant that she wanted to get her tested again in mid-
January; she said that sometimes it takes up to three months after the leuk.
shot for the test to be true.  I have no problem with this, as I keep praying
that the results will change, but I also know there usually is no hope once
they have tested positive.  I am crushed; I can't believe this little bundle
of joy is carrying such a terrible disease.  Our other big concern is, even
though Natasha has been given her series of shots prior to us getting 
Shir-Kahn, can she still get Leukemia?  Knowing that we might not have one
for very long is terrible enough; if we lost both, I really don't know how
we'd deal with the loss.

Sorry about this being so long, but I've kept this in forever, and knew that
you people may be more understanding than some of our non-cat lover friends
who think we're crazy making such a fuss over all this.  Many thanks in
advance.

Michele Mitchell