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Foxy and Izzy's Story

I have always been an animal lover and this time I have two cats, Izzy a black and white tiger kitty with green eyes and Foxy a beautiful calico with amber eyes. Izzy came into my life when she along with her brothers and sisters were dropped off at my mother's house. My mom found homes for 5 kitties, all except Izzy, my mother already had 3 cats and 2 dogs so even though I was in college I said I would take Izzy.

She was the sweetest kitty and never scratched anything but her post until one day.... Izzy was locked in a room by my roomate while I was at work because her boyfriend didn't like cats and they went out and left her there....

By the time I got home she had destroyed about 6 feet of carpet in trying to dig herself out. My roomate and I had to pay $500 for new carpet to be installed and our landlord said we could only keep Izzy if we had her declawed, if not we hd to move out immediately. You see, our landord had in the contract no pets but made an exception, which she regretted. Unfortunately my roomate and I had her front paws declawed. Izzy spent 3 days away from us at the vet's and when we got her back she was not bandaged. She walked tenderly for about a week and then started running and playing like normal.

I always thought she was not harmed by the surgery but after reading this site I realize that she was affected. Izzy throws up on a weekly basis, she is always upset afterwards because she does not like making a mess, I think she is doing this because of anxiety, it usually happens after a stanger comes to the house or she hears an argument.

The argument is usually between my husband and me over our other cat Foxy. We adopted Foxy from a shelter when she was 2 months old. She chose my husband, after he picked her up she held onto him and any time he would try to put her down would cry. We took her home and she was very loving and well behaved. At about 7 months old we decided to get Foxy declawed because she was playing with Izzy and scratched her belly hard enough to make Izzy bleed. Izzy was fine and not upset with Foxy but we were worried it could happen again. At this time, I did not realize Izzy's anxiety problem was because of the declaw, I thought she was just finicky with food.

Foxy came home with bandages taped around her front paws and pain medication. After a day I took off the bandages and because it was taped I had to use scissors to cut her fur off. My poor baby cried so much I started crying and had to wait for my mom to come over and help me. Her feet looked fine and once again after about a week of walking tenderly she started to run and play like normal again. She was still very loving and loves to be cuddled.

A success story?

Not at all. :(

About a month afterwards Foxy started urinating on a rug in front of our front door. We keep throwing away rugs and she keeps destroying the replacements. My huband and I have been arguing over it or about a year now. Other than doing that she is still playful and loving but nothing we have tried has helped. At first I thought maybe she didn't like the litter or it was clean enough, I have tried every brand and clean it out every day. She even has her own litter box because I thought maybe she didn't like sharing. If I had only known what a horrible effect this would have on Izzy and Foxy before I had them declawed I never would have done it. :( I feel horrible that I have let them down. They give such unconditional love and I have scarred them for life....

Anybody reading this, please do not take the chance that your kitty could develop any physical or emotional problems from this surgery, you will regret your actions if you go ahead and declaw. I am very lucky that at least physically my cats are not yet showing any signs.

September 4, 2001




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