Older cats declawed; new kitties not.

Question
My daughter has brought home 3 kittens.  She already has two adult cats who have been declawed.  Hopefully she won't declaw the kittens as we've now learned that isn't the best thing to do for cats.  They have been together about two weeks now and one of the older cats seems to have gotten a big scratch to her nose. It was bad enough she stopped drinking and had to go into the vet. No idea if the kitten did it.  Will the fact the adults are declawed and the kitties not, be a problem while they are learning to get along and even later?  
Thanks,
Gnny

Answer
First, I must say that I am so pleased to meet someone through this service who has done some research on declawing and recognized that its not the best thing. I appreciate that you have looked at it carefully. As far as the kittens go, since you have them young, with proper rearing you can always achieve a gentle cat. I have four cats, none are declawed, and none ever stick out their claws to use or each other or my pomeranian dog, who believe me, provokes them to when she barks at them. As to the scratch that happened, its true the kittens are growing and learning. It was surely an accident. What you need to do is when you are palying with them, if they put their claws out you must stop, say no, and stop the play. They will associate and learn the correction. Training animals, like raising children, is all about the tiem we put in and the effort we make. But it is absolutely possible to raise clawed cats who don't use them. The only time that a gentle cat may resort to its claws is if it is seriously threatened by another and as long as you properly socialize the animals together, that should be avoidable. Give them sufficient space to walk away from each other and that will be their preference to do.

Finally, since you previously had declawed cats, your vet should have advised you that cats with intact claws need their claws clipped now and then. Not unlike a human whose nails grow, their nails grow too and must be clipped to eliminate pin sharp points and avoid them hurting themselves (no less hurting anyone else) entirely by accident. If you have never done a nail clipping yourself on a cat, please do not attempt it until your vet has shown you how. You must only cut to above the quick or the vein. If you accidentally cut deeper and nick the vein, the bleeding can be profuse and dangerous. So ask your vet to do it at first and to show you how. When you are sure you know, then you can do it yourself as needed. You can and should purchase styptic powder to keep on hand; this will stop bleeding in the event that you still might have an accident. But no worries; its really easy to learn and I have been clipping my four cats nails all their lives, the oldest being 13 years old - never had any accidents. But still have the styptic powder on hand because its always best to be on teh safe side.