Michael, please don't get your cat declawed! If you get her something fun
to scratch on, like any number of vertical or horizontal scratchpads or
posts, she will
prefer them over the furniture. (Really--mine do!) Trim her claws by
clipping the point
off, or apply Softpaws, the glue-on tips.

As far as your little girl goes, you--and she--can train your cat
not to put her claws out when she plays, and not to use her claws
to jump up on her. A loud "OW!" and placing the cat far away
from the person she scratched, done over and over again, will
work wonders. She loves you and wants your approval. Nobody
can mutilate her beautiful little feet unless you let them. Please
don't let them. Instead, train your cat. It takes a little time and
a little patience, and will send the right message to your daughter.

Michael Balarama <mbalar@ev1.net> wrote in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav:

It's a cat and a carnivore.  What did you think it would do?  I had my
cat declawed because the only alternative was getting rid of her.  Your
kitten is doing what kittens do.  Get a scratching post and nal
clippers and maintain your cat.  There's more to having one than
dumping food in the bowl.

Please do your research and attempt training before taking this drastic step.
Clip her nails.
Train her to scratch appropriate things.
Train her to behave.
Try SoftPaws.

http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart/nodeclaw.html

Cats need training. Just because she isn't a dog doesn't mean she doesn't
have to be taught the right way to behave, manners, and the like. And just
because she isn't a dog doesn't mean she can't be trained.  :)
Just like a puppy, kittens will play rough unless you teach them otherwise.
Just like a puppy will chew anything and everything, cats will scratch
whatever they like unless trained otherwise.

You have a living, breathing, thinking, feeling creature sharing your home.
Don't think you can just hand her to a 10 year old and all her needs will be
met. You have to teach the kitten how to interact appropriately, and you have
to teach your daughter how to best interact with your kitten - that includes
no rough playing that would encourage the biting and scratching, respect for
the kitten, and so on.
Please don't have your 10 year old being responsible for the kitten's health
and training, and don't have her attempt to clip her nails.

If you put work into it, it will be the best thing ever for all of you. Cats
can be *awesome* pets and companions.

If you don't, it'll end up a bad thing for at least one of you. All of you,
if you end up declawing the kitten, having her end up with a biting problem
or worse because the core behavior issues that caused the scratching weren't
settled, and end up giving her to a shelter, your daughter heartbroken, and
so on. At best, the cat loses the top joint of every front toe. At worst, she
gets put to death. Not good.

Keeping a cat healthy, happy, and well-adjusted IS work - just not as MUCH
work as a dog.  ;)

Read this and let your conscience be your guide.

http://maxshouse.com/facts_about_declawing.htm

Spend about $5.99 at the pet store or hardware store for some cat nail
clippers and ask you vet to show you how to do it. Start clipping her claws
now so she gets used to it.

Spend a half hour with some scrap lumber and carpet ends and make a
scratching post. Sprinkle some cat nip on it and let her go to it.

Buy a turbo chaser with a cardboard insert and let her play and scratch.

If she scratches the furniture, buy a roll of double stick tape at the
hardware store for $1.45 and put it where she scratches.

Treat your cat like you'd treat your child. It's about behaviour
modification and caring for the well being of the cat. When you adopted her,
you took on the responsibility of being a kind, fair and loving owner.

Please don't get the cat declawed. I would trim the cat's claws and teach
the cat how to use a scratching post. I also would teach your daughter how
to interact with the cat.

Absolutely not. Declawing is true amputation and can have serious
ramifications for your cat and your family.  Learn to clip her claws,
and teach your daughter how to interact with the cat appropriately.
Getting scratched occassionally is all part of cat guardianship.  Buy
the cat a cat TREE  where she can scratch to her heart's content.

good ideas here:

http://www.stopdeclaw.com

Be sure to read all about declawing.  I used to work for a vet and
thought declawing was ok - but after seeing and experiencing all of
the negatives associated with it, I now believe it is nothing more
than cruel mutilation.

Please - do your research, and DO NOT declaw!

-L.