I vote No....I have had several cats and never declawed any of them. They are very smart and can be trained not to claw furniture. None of my cats ever caused any destruction. I am glad to see so many people agree.

Declawing is really like amputating the first joint of your fingers. Not a kind, loving thing to do. As has been said, you can train a cat to not claw furniture (spray bottles and water guns come in real handy when training a cat).

I'm also sure there are some here who have declawed their cats and never regretted it, but are afraid to speak up. I do have friends who have declawed all cats they have owned and truly see nothing wrong with it. To them, the short period of pain the cat goes through is worth it. Their choice is either declaw the cat or get rid of it -- a hard thing to do once you've become attached. I can't say I understand their reasoning, but at least the cats have a home in which they are loved and cossetted.

I have 3 cats. My big girl will only claw on a cardboard box. Pain in the neck to pick up the shreds, but that's her definition of a scratching post. The black brat kitty actually uses the cat scratching post -- the only well-behaved thing she does. My baby Bo thinks the edge of the couch is where she is supposed to sharpen her claws. Fortunately, she hates water, so a quick squirt and she quits for a month or two and then has to be reminded all over that that is not acceptable.

We had a cat which had 6 fingers(?) on each front paw and she was always getting tangled up. We had the problem corrected by getting the claw on the sixth finger removed. Everything was fine after that.

She was some cat. With the extra finger came a bigger paw. She could really clout the other cats when they gave her a problem.

What I am saying is that there is sometimes a medical reason for declawing a cat.

Also, all cats in TV should be indoor cats so there should be no reason for them having claws to defend themselves against predators unless you are talking about the occasional anole that breeches the sliding door. And they are bad for cats to eat anyway. Some say poisonous.

If your acquiring a kitten, it would be easy to train that kitten to accept a product called "Soft Claws". It a great product. It's soft plastic claw covers that you glue to the trimmed claws of you cat/kitten with a glue like "crazy glue" that they give you. They fall off after a while when the nails regrows and then you trim and reapply a new cover. If you do it when the kitten is small they will learn to accept the procedure when they grow. I've used them for years and my furniture is very grateful. It comes in different sizes and a package costs about $20 in PetSmart but you can get it for about $15 online. Try it, you'll like it.

I totally agree with the posters who are against declawing a cat. I have four cats now, none are declawed. They don't scratch my furniture and if I see them go towards a chair, I yell "no" and take them to the scratching post. Now it's all they use.

If a person wants to adopt a cat and has this in mind, consider adopting a small dog instead.

IMHO, it's the most inhumane thing you can do to a helpless animal that has no voice or no decision making option. Ask a human if she or he wants to have their fingers amputated. What do you think the answer would be?

Does maiming include spaying and neutering? Is removing their nails any worse then cutting them open and removing their testicles or ovaries?
When we domesticate animals there are certain procedures that are appropriate.
Let's face it.. we slaughter and EAT animals every day of our lives.
I would never let my cat loose outside so who exactly does she need protection from?

Sometimes our best intentions go astray. Our indoor cat gets loose and runs away. So yes protection may be an issue at some point. But I still believe the bigger issue is the pain and suffering avoided. And I agree spaying does cause the same thing, but in order to adopt a cat in most places you have to agree to spay. Right thing to do? Probably. De-clawing? Really not. They can be trained to use the cat pole to scratch.

A lot of damage will be caused before the training is complete. And cats frequently "accidentally" scratch property and people when they picked up or startled. And they "forget" when you are not home. I will not risk my furniture, carpet, drapes, screens, clothing, and the physical safety of myself, my children, and my friends in case my cat "might" get away. My cat might also get hit by a car but that is no reason to board up the doors to my home.

If you don't want to spay, you can adopt a kitten or cat privately.. so shelters requiring spaying is no reason to put the cat through the "pain and suffering" ... I guess adopting from a shelter that requires the infliction of "pain and suffering" is "not really" the right thing to do either..

I noticed you did not answer my point about killing and EATING animals. I am pretty sure there is some "pain and suffering" there too.

JimJoe, If more people knew about the absolutely cruel torture that animals who are raised for food endure, I believe people wouldn't stand for these "factory farms" that now produce our meat. The animals and fowl have a horrible life filled with pain and suffering, and then are slaughtered in an inhumane way, too. Everyone should see the video narrated by Alec Baldwin, "Meet Your Meat"; it's on the internet, just google it.

But, back to the subject of declawing cats. Another idea to keep your furniture from being shredded is to have the cats nails clipped and filed. A groomer can do this for you, or you can do it yourself. That way, even if the cat wants to sharpen it's nails on your brocade sofa, it's soft nails won't penetrate. Just like a dog, the cat's nails can be clipped and filed every 4 weeks. Since cats in TV cannot roam outdoors, this will solve any problems.

If anyone would like instructions on how to clip and file your cats nails, send me a private email.

I have mixed feelings about this issue. If an older cat is declawed, it is horribly painful. If a young cat is declawed at the same time it is neutered or spayed, it fares better.

My indoor Himalyan cat is almost 18 years old. I did declaw her when she was spayed (at six months of age). The Vet recommended it and I didn't know any better. She didn't limp or come home with bloody paws. However, I feel differently now. If I had to do it over, I wouldn't declaw a cat.

Having said that, humane shelters are overflowing with unwanted cats. I'll bet some of these cats were taken to a shelter because they clawed furniture or drapes. So, is it better for a cat to have no claws, or no home?

Jblum, if you're willing to take a little time for cat training, I'd recommend not declawing.