Putting a declawed cat in a home with three dogs...should I?

[Tina B and crew]

I posted this at the cathelp forum but would love some dog peoples input!!

I may have a potential interest in adopting a foster cat I have, Wicket...don't know yet because I haven't heard from the person but a friend did leave a message with the potential adopter that I had a cat needing a home. This person as 3 chihuahuas and did have a cat before (the cat died of illness/old age..it was 15). I'm sure the chihuahuas are use to a cat, but Wicket is not use to dogs. My concern is putting her into a home with not just one dog, but three dogs and no other cats. I want to find her a home but I'm not settling with just anything. I trust my friends judgement that it will be a good home and Wicket would be well taken care of (if the person even wants to adopt)...but the dogs make me a bit reserved.

Anyway, I called a friend who also has three chihuahuas and asked her opinion and she said she didn't see a problem...she'd be more worried about putting a chihuauhua in a home with three cats She has a cat and three chihuahuas but her dogs are never left alone with the cats, they are always seperated when she leaves the house, there for the dogs aren't given any opportunity to mess with the cat.


Should I have concern about a declawed 10 month old cat in a home with three dogs, even if they are small dogs?

[E's]

IMO you should definitely go for it, with the usual sensible advice to new owners: that, just as should be done with any new cat, the cat should be isolated in a separate room at first, "babied" somewhat, and then introduced gradually into the canine family - always let the cat make the first moves. Remind new owners that a cat does not KNOW it has no claws, therefore it will mostly react just as it would if the claws were still there, and that is generally plenty good enough to protect it against little dogs...

My wonderful white cat, Xanth, was declawed [as other posters stated about their cats recently on Feline Health, having Xanth declawed was the only way I could keep this very active cat, as he was deaf so could not obey voice commands.] Xanth did very well with small dogs belonging to neighbors; when he was about six, a second cat, not declawed, came into his household - no problems at all, ever. Two years later, a rambunctious German shepherd puppy joined us when she was 6 weeks old... the pup grew to be nearly 100 lbs and stayed rambunctious... still there was never a problem re Xanth's lack of claws. Also: the neighbor mentioned above, who had a Yorkie, had her cat declawed... neighbor moved to the country, the sweet Yorkie has gone to the Bridge, but now there other dogs, and this person even allows her cat to be outdoors at times [as I say, it's a rural area, but still...] Best wishes to you, Wicket, and the Chi group.

[Tina B and crew]

Thanks E's!! Well, I have to wait and see if she is even interested. I just wanted to be prepared if she is. Wicket is a very special cat and I love her dearly...I think most of my resistance is actually attachment to her But I can't keep her here...we just have too many already. I'm really ready to strangle the idiot who adopted her and then abandoned her in the first place. If he hadn't adopted her she would have probably went to a good home in the first place I we wouldn't be in this position

[E's]

Many folks have seen the cats & dog pic and I don't know if I can post both pics... but here is HRH Prince Xanth, one of the finest felines I've ever known...

[E's]

OOPS Cat only pic on a dog board... but then, lots of us love both kinds best! Here is my crew circa 1997...

[Tina B and crew]

beautiful!!

[Amandasmom]

I have a cat and 3 dogs. My dogs aren't chihuahuas, they are 10 times bigger. But what has worked for me is to give the cat a safe area. It's usually a room with a baby gate. The cat can jump the gate and take a break. Many times I have found Nick sitting on the other side of the gate with a dog looking at him. The cat is usually faster then the dogs so if play time gets a little rough, the can run away. In the long run I've always found that the animals seem to work things out. I would go for it.

[Tina B and crew]

Thanks for the suggestions and encouragement...it's a moot point now though. She's not interested

[DeVon]

I would heartily agree with E's response to your question. The biggest thing at my house is I NEVER leave the cats unsupervised with the dogs when no one is home. I have two that are declawed, and five that aren't.