All of my cats (indoor only!) have been declawed, front and back. This makes them loveable, soft, cuddly pets who will not damage your furniture or scratch YOU. Even cats with only hind claws can scratch. My dining table has the marks to prove it.
My Leo isn’t declawed and he’s also loveable, soft and cuddely. Sure he scratches me from time to time. But he’s a CAT. A living, breathing CAT. Not a plushie.


Who knows if it "hurts" the animal? Only the cat can anwer to that. But they sure don't act like it hurts... they're roving around the house as soon as they come home from the vet.
Of course it hurts! And even if it didn’t it’s still totally unethical and ONLY serves the humans benefit.
I’m sure a lot of parents are tired of their toddlers getting into every drawer and closet.. But that doesn’t give them the right to surgically remove the kids fingers, now does it?


And I have NEVER heard of deformaties or back problems later in life. I believe these are POSSIBLE,
Exactly. They are possible and heard of. So why risk it?


but I also believe advocates of non-declawing will come up with any logical SOUNDING terrors as a way to steer people away from declawing.
Vice versa!


In truth, declawing doesn't harm the animal in any way, does not affect the health, personality, or future well-being. It simply helps the pet and the human to co-exist better for a livetime of love and contentment.
As said so many times before. Cats come with claws. No claws. No cat. Get a plushie.

None of my cats has ever learned to not scratch nor to use a scratching post. Those who insist on scratching can be less damaging with simple surgery. To say that an owner must put up with ruined furniture, carpets, and curtains is ludicrous when a simple solution is available.
(However, my Marley has managed to damage my sofa ($1,000 apiece) arms and a wicker room divider ($200) with just an instant's worth of scratching with clawless paws. )
Cats can’t learn “not to scratch”.. As you said. Even declawed they feel a need to scratch. It’s just one of those things you accept, when you bring a cat into your home.

-Varga