Thread: Adopt declawed Maine Coon?

I just registered here to ask this question, as I'm seriously considering adopting a certain Maine Coon and I'm told that it has been declawed.

My first reaction was positive because I do have furniture that I'd prefer not to have scratched up, and while I would not declaw at cat - maybe adopting one that already was would make sense. However, I've been doing some reading on the topic and have found several sources that say declawing these cats can lead to lifelong behavioral problems. This concerned me because the person putting the cat up for adoption did warn me that the cat does get a bit "nippy" and growls on occasion - This is not from the original owner but from someone who rescued the cat and is trying to find it a new home. I was hoping that those issues would fade away in time, but after reading more about declawed cats I'm a little concerned that it may be a permanent issue, and I don't want to make a mistake.

They estimate the cat is about 2 years old. He has also been neutered and just needs vaccinations. Unfortunately it's about 6 hours away, so I would not be able to visit prior to adopting. Can anyone here tell me if these are red flags, or something that could be resolved? What other questions should I be asking ahead of time?

Thank you!