JohnBradshaw37

It's not "de-clawing", it's amputation of the tips of eight "fingers" (or toes). Over here in Europe it's classed as a mutilation, and veterinarians aren't allowed to do it. I suspect that declawed cats get phantom pains in their toes - just like any other amputee - hence altering their behaviour. I still get phantom pains in a fingertip that was severed in an accident nearly forty years ago. It makes me feel sympathetic!

Cats can be as friendly to people as dogs are, but their priorities are way different. Dogs have evolved to make their owners the centre of their universe - research we've done indicates that an abandoned dog will form a bond with someone after less than 15 minutes. Cats evolved from a solitary territorial species, so they are strongly motivated to find a place to live that's secure and where they will get enough to eat. Once they're happy with that, they'll start looking to form friendships.

Probably purring (also see previous post) which does not (always) indicate contentment. It's a signal from the cat to you - or another cat - to stay still and pay attention. Some cats purr when they want feeding, others when they're in distress. It's not a foolproof sign of emotion.

The same way you can tell if two cats like each other - puts its tail upright when it sees you, rubs around your legs, licks your hand (the cat version is licking behind the other cat's ears - and that's why cats enjoy being stroked and tickled here more than on any other part of their body).

Most owners don't seem to know that cats have a second "nose" that they use to pick up odours left behind by other cats. It connects the roof of the mouth, just behind the little grooming teeth, with the nostrils, and to use it cats have to pull their top lips upwards, baring their top teeth, though they're not intending to look fierce.