First off, I'd like to say, I do not own a cat. That said, my fiance is a cat lover through and through. She's all for the humane treatment of all animals, as am I. We do, however, agree on one thing, if your cat stay's indoors, get the thing declawed.

I've read alot of the posts in this thread, and I've read alot of nonesense from alot of supposed educated cat people. like this payitforward person. Ignorance doesn't even begin to describe you, among some other people here. You seem to attack people for choosing to declaw their cat. It's their decision, leave them to it.

As far as some of you people saying a person does not love their cat because they got it declawed, or they should own a fish, or whatever...get over it!! After reading a few of these posts I was compelled to reply to it. I love the one where payitforward says someone is narrow minded for not checking out all the other options, before declawing a cat. All this person seems to think about is don't declaw, don't declaw, don't declaw. Even for a justified reason. Hell, because the owner wants to have their cat declawed is justified reason enough. It's more justified when you want to protect the contents of your home, like furniture, walls, whatever. Don't declaw, Don't declaw, Don't declaw...anyone see anything narrow minded here??

To those of you who would say not to have a cat if your worried about furniture, and people care more about their furniture than their cat, I say this... my fiance has a cat, she loves it more than anything and she chose to have it declawed. She would not want to know life without a cat, so should she not have a cat because she prefers to have it declawed?? Of course she should have a cat, because she is a loving person who chooses to give her love to one lucky cat.

Those of you who say it is cruel...if it's done when the cat is a kitten, yes it still feels pain (supposedly. No one really knows), but the pain is not remembered. It's the same as circumcized babies, they don't remember the pain. I'm sure alot of you neuter your pets, this also could be looked upon as cruel (I'm sure some of the extreme cat people on here think it is), but is accepted because cat's, like all other animals have no concept of birth control. They also have no concept of not ruining my leather couch and my custom home theatre, and, although I love animals, I love my home theatre too!!

There are other options, right?? Sure train the cat not to scratch, that will work, until that ONE TIME when it decides to have a go at my coffee table. Caps, on the end of the claws?? I, personally, would rather have my nails removed than have plastic or rubber caps glued to my nails. One question here...can the cat even retract it's nails with these abominations on?? If it can (although I can't see how) the extra space taken up by the caps will also cause pain permanantly. If they can't retract their nails while wearing these silly inventions, well, wouldn't that be slightly uncomfortable too??? OF COURSE IT WOULD!!! Did you so called cat lovers who think declawing is inhumane think about that one???

I may not own a cat, but I will be inheriting one in two months when my fiance and I move into our new house. Someone here said that people should not comment, or know nothing about cat's if they don't own one. Well genious, I've had dogs all my life. I'm very good at training, have read many books on the subject and my dog Mickey, a beautiful Golden Retriver, is an amazing dog. When I move, I've decided to leave him with my parents, they are retiring soon and love him to bits. So, when I move and no longer have a dog, should I not comment on dog's because I don't own one??

It's funny how most of you think your so much better than others because your againt declawing, and think other's love their cat's less because they choose to declaw. Do any of you people have kids?? Babies for that matter?? Must be nice when your kid get's all scratched up by your special cat. Well, I'll be having kids in the next couple of years, and although I'm not going to have our kid declawed, or circumcized for that matter, I can sleep at night knowing our baby wont need a new eye because a cat's claw accidentally tore it out. If you think that sounds rediculous, you should really review what some of you have said on here, rediculous doesn't even begin to describe it.

One thing's for sure, my leather couch, my home theatre, my car, my coffee table, fridge, carpet, walls, and yeah, even my future kids will all be intact, because I decided I'd be smart and make sure our cat is declawed. Do I think material things are more important than life itself?.. no, but I REALLY love my home theater and my leather couch. All of you who disagree with me can KMA!!! <you can figure that one out on your own.