I unfortunately did have one of my cats declawed (front only) several years ago before I became educated on the issue. I will never do it again. I have also read a lot about how some cats are never the same. I trim Otie and Mir's nails about every other week. I started doing this with Mir when she was a baby and she is 3 now and just sits on my lap and lets me do it. I have a scratching post, but most of the time she uses the chair at my desk, but it's old anyway. The joy they bring me far out weighs a little snag to the furniture.