PIF--Good stuff! I was reading your first arguments on your site, and then looked at some of the pro-declaw sites (somewhat in a state of unpleasant awe that such things exist). The crux of their arguments seems to be that training a cat (squirt bottles, etc), and/or clipping its nails (or, presumably, using Soft Paws) amounts to a constant struggle that stresses out the cat and owner. Whereas, once declawed, a cat and his owner can have a happy, tension-free relationship, and the cat may “scratch” wherever he pleases, and will be the better for it. And isn’t that worth some “discomfort?” (It fascinates me how people use that word when they want to downplay pain). Just thought I’d drag that argument out so that you can address it early!

Somebody should start an inside/outside thread. I could go back and forth on that one for hours, but don’t have the guts to start a flame-inducing thread myself.