Declawed Rescue Cat Dumped at Shelter Finally Gets a Name: 'Suits Him'

A rescue cat that was declawed by its owner and abandoned at a shelter finally has a name—and a new family.

Brooks, 5, was recently dumped at Collin County Animal Services in McKinney, Texas. "Unfortunately, not too much is known about his life before he came to the shelter," Brooks' foster carer Monica McCausland told Newsweek. "The previous owner didn't even tell the shelter his original name."

The tabby had also been declawed, where the last bone of each toe is removed using a scalpel, guillotine clipper or laser. Declawing is outlawed in many U.S. states and can cause a number of health issues including infections, tissue death and lifelong paw and back pain. It can also lead to behavioral problems, particularly aggression.

McCausland shared a video of Brooks to TikTok, asking fellow animal lovers to help name him. The clip received almost 45,000 views and hundreds of name suggestions, before McCausland's mom settled on the name Brooks.

A video announcing the rescue cat's name received over 1.3 million views and more than 300,000 likes. It shows Brooks baking biscuits on a duvet and rolling around in the rug. The caption reads: "You can declaw, dump me at a shelter and not even tell them my name, but I'll know."

McCausland and her mom have been fostering rescue cats for five years at their home in Frisco, Texas. They've cared for 53 cats in total, with foster animals spending around a month at their home before moving on. However, Brooks is their first foster cat to be declawed.

"It is extremely common for declawed cats to be surrendered by their owners due to the unforeseen consequences of the decision," McCausland said.

The pair looked out for any behavioral indications that Brooks was in pain, but fortunately, they didn't spot any.

To begin with, Brooks, then unnamed, was shy, choosing to hide under McCausland's bed for the first 24 hours. As he became acclimated to his new environment, he started to open up, demonstrating his friendly and loving personality.

Despite many social-media suggestions, the tabby's new moniker was chosen in a panic. A trip to the vet meant McCausland's mom had to pick a name quickly, so she opted for Brooks.

"She said he reminded her 'of an older English gentleman,'" McCausland said. "I didn't love the name at first, but it grew on me and now I think it perfectly suits him."

After two weeks of being lavished with affection in his foster home, Brooks seemed much more confident.

"He started exploring new things and seemed to be at peace with his new life," said McCausland.

Although his previous owner surrendered him, Brooks was quickly snapped up by an older couple looking for a laidback cat to dote on. He's been in his forever home for a month now, and his new owners say he is settling in great.

"We were sad to see Brooks go, but we are so excited to see him start this new chapter where he will live a long life full of love and joy," McCausland said. "Brooks loves his new home just as much as they love him, and we couldn't be happier for him."

TikTok users couldn't get enough of Brooks and his new moniker, with Aimee_Bee writing: "Such a sweet baby."

"IM BAWLING STOP THIS INSTANT," commented wheresbubba22.

"Those cute little pink beans," wrote westie bestie, while dd added that "with or without claws it still [makes] good biscuits."

"My kitty went thru something similar," wrote reese. "I'm glad he has a loving home now."

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