I'm so glad to hear this--that kitten has been on my mind and in my heart since reading the posted topic. Lord love you and your husband too! I just cry when I think about the story re my cat's declawing ..he suffered so much and now he walks like he's on hot coals. I can't make up what someone else did to him, but I am trying.

Your new cat...
 

I am so thrilled to hear you have decided to be a good cat people! Your kitty will need to sleep test every quilt you make, play in anything you leave out, and curl up around the sewing machine just as you sit down to sew, in other words, you will be owned. Congratulations.

I was in Joann's, waiting in line to have my fabric cut. There was a lady that came to pick up all the cardboards that once held fabric around them. I just casually mentioned, you must be getting those for stash organizing. NO, wrong!! They are to be scratching stations for her eight cats.

In all seriousness, declawing is like having someone cut all your fingers off at the first bone from the tip. I also read up on it, and what I find most uncommodating, is that when the cat walks, it totally throws off their whole body posture, and they will end up with all kinds of joint and arthritis issues more so over time than a cat that is left normal. It is not normal position or posture to walk with this much "length" taken away from their front legs.

Hooray! Thank you so much for being an awesome cat caretaker. If you associate good things with nail clipping you will never have a problem. All of my cats allow me to do it and some are so laid back about it they lay on my lap belly up and let me do it while laying as limp as a wet noodle. Cats can be awesome companions. I have dogs too but all my cats are now oldsters and my pups are basically that, pups (2 YO and 12 week old) so the cats give them wide berth.

Thank you, thank you , thank you for deciding not to declaw.

You are so right -- his favorite place to play is on my sewing table. He is very interested in the sewing needle going up and down. I have to keep one hand behind the needle to guard him from getting his paw caught. He is quite the character.

I never wanted a cat. Last year DH (recovering from a stroke) decided that he needed one then a second. One has decided he's mine. The other owns DH. Miss Katy was an adult clawer when she arrived. DH told her no while holding her paw gently but firmly. It took about 2 weeks for her to get the idea (she is not quite bright). I have always heard that declawing a cat is abusive and dangerous to the cat. There are a large number of unhealthy unwanted feral cats in our area, often becoming coyote food. Spay/neuter programs are available in most places.

BTW, my neutered male is a total delight. He cuddles very sweetly on my lap IF I have a lap quilt there, otherwise on any other quilt. He and my dog have become friends, requesting door opening for each other. Tiger has learned to turn on the motion-sensor light to notify his dog and us of his need to come in. Of course, he investigates everything.

My kitties adore bark texture. They also prefer to stretch horizontally. So, they get logs. One lasts years here, and it's free nearly always.

My blind cat needed a declaw as he's a bit of a genetic mess, so his claws were growing sideways. We tried everything, even clipping and filing daily. But his poor feet were getting worse as he got bigger, and he couldn't walk without crying in pain. He's still more delicate when walking, and he prefers steps vs jumps to get up and down. But, he's a normal enough kitty now, and he's less protective of his feet. But, he does nip if he's scared.

I kept a little squirt gun near my older machine when Bruno moved in, anytime he got too close to the needle, he got squirted in the butt. He learned real quick not to get close to the thing that moves. He learned, and I can sleep at night. Just be careful not to get any part of the machine wet. (That is why I shot him in the butt, furthest part of him from the machine. 12 years later and when I am sewing, he will come say hi, but he won't get near the needle.)

I'm glad that you are not declawing your kitty. If not done properly, it can mess them up. From some of the stories in this thread, it sounds like some were not properly declawed. My brother had a cat declawed and the vet must have clipped the artery because his paws wouldn't stop bleeding. The poor kitty had to be put down. Maine Coons should never be declawed because their toes are different, plus they are smart enough to train not to scratch. Ours like to scratch vertically- our dom. Long hair likes to scratch horizontally. He likes my carpet.
Please watch your kitty in the sewing room as they like to eat threads and sometimes pins. Mine kept trying to "catch" the needle as it was sewing. She is no longer invited into my sewing room. Most of all enjoy your furbaby. They bring loads of entertainment.

How do you "properly" cut off a cat's limbs? No matter how it's done, it's not proper (unless it's for a health reason like QuiltedCello's cat).