I use to always get my cats declawed until I actually read about the procedure and it was a lot more painful and invasive than just taking off their claw. So now I don't. My cat lets me clip her claws each week. I have a scratching post and she only scratches on that. She occassionally tries to claw my couch. I have a squirt bottle with water in it and that deters her. My sister has several cats, clawed and declawed. All outside. And all make out quite well. She said her declawed ones hiss and swat and make all the territorial aggressive sounds that the others make when fighting or marking their territory and the other cats don't seem to know that the declawed ones don't have claws. She said the declawed ones do quite well. Someone gave her the declawed ones and they get along fine outside with her other cats.

I have 2 cats with extra toes on all four feet and 1 cat that doesn't. I just love them. They look like that have mittens. One of them is called Thumbs and the other is Paws. Doodle is the normal one hahahah.

Ella is 10 years old, all black with green eyes and a stout body (she weighs 8 lbs if she's lucky). Ellis is Grey with a white belly, knee highs, gloves and a goatee that looks like he's been drinking milk (one of my friends calls him 'milkface'), he also has pretty green eyes and a really long tail. Ellis like to play with his food by picking up the dry food and droping it in the bowl of water, watching it float then getting it out of the bowl and eating it. He is also VERY skittish. I don't know why, but... It is so funny because even something dropping on the floor will send him hiding. When I moved, he hid for 3 days only venturing where I was when it was really quiet. One time one of my friends was over who has a really deep voice, he laughed at something and Ellis went flying under the bed. Ellis likes to be pet, when you are sitting by him and talking to him, all he does is look at your hands like "why isn't your hand petting me?" He likes his belly rubbed and curls around your hand when you do it. When he doesn't like the wet food I put out for them, he darts around the house howling like he's throwing a temper tantrum. As for Ella, she only likes to be pet on her terms. Sometimes she crawls on my chest and rubs her head against my chin and licks my face. She is a lover when she really want's to be. Even though Ellis is probably 6 lbs. more than her and about 6 inches taller, she rules the roost. They will play fight and she pounces on him and backs him into corners. She also checks out ANYBODY who comes over. One time a friend was over who doesn't like cat's and she kept trying to jump on his lap. After about 3 times of me telling her no and moving her, the 4th time she walked over to him, looked and me then hurried up and jumped on his lap before I could get to her. I think she likes to defy me. Well, those are just some of my silly cat stories. I will say this, Ella was my first pet EVER and I'm so glad I took her in, she and Ellis have both become the joy's of my life and I wouldn't give them up for anything!

Thank you for all the wonderful suggestions. I'm happy to report that Elvis and Janis are becoming fast friends. By following the suggestions given to me in my earlier post, Janis has made a beautiful transition as a part of our little family. Once Janis was finally free to rome the house, Elvis wasn't nervous more than a day...and now he seems to enjoy watching her play (she is very playful). I couldn't be more happy with the outcome of this new addition. Again, thank you very much for the helpful advice! -Mary P

Well lets see, Piglet likes canned food (only friskies and not the sliced, diced etc..) he will only eat the juice and then leave the icky stuff for his sister, Princess. He also will eat only whole pieces of dry food. Sitting at the dish taking a paw and grabing the whole pieces, as for the broken ones he tosses them on the floor. He is not the brightest bulb and if you want him for something all you have to do is open a can of food. Oh and the time I flew from CA to NC to live and piglet loved the attention. Or the time I drove from NC to SC and thought he was dying, until I stopped checking on him and asking if he was ok. He would roll over on his back and put all 4 paws in the air and "faint". That is until I ignored him, he then settled down and enjoyed the ride. Piglet is the correct name as he is a big ham! Princess is another story, like mommy she is a closet eater and if you go into the kitchen when she is there she will leave. She was badly abused as a kitten (SPCA talked me into fostering her, 14+ years later they still haven't asked for her back) So you have to be careful when petting her, can't move to fast. She loves to sit in the bathroom while I am on the toilet so she can be petted. She also loves to curl up with me on the bed and give me kisses. I have no family near me and these cats have been my life savers. I can't imagine my life without them even if they are spoiled rotten and well loved. Margaret