Welcome to Pet Talk and three cheers for your vet! Too many vets are looking to make a fa$t buck, and often will push clients into declawing their cats while undergoing the spay/neuter procedure. It's enough to make me cringe, and then there's the ones that insist all four feet should be mutilated. Having done extensive rescuing of abandoned kitties for a number of years now, I've picked up a few declawed kitties along the way, and usually with bad injuries from being unable to defend themselves. I'm glad you were educated by your vet on just how awful this procedure is. And I'd love to see the day that it's banned here in the States.