you guys have opened my eyes. as soon as my cat has his 'fixing operation'. i'm gonna start getting him used to the outdoors on a harness and leash. I've never actually seen anyone walk their cat though.
oh, and i think declawing is cruel too. just think if your cat was to escape, how would it defend itself or catch food? Getting a cat "fixed" is also cruel but that is necessary to cat populations. not doing that makes more problems and more stray or abandoned cats. poor guys.