One, they didn't cut off his twig and berries, just the berries. Two, he just
had the surgery. It's tough to tell all the long term effects right after
surgery. You also can't forsee his entire future. What if he finds a way
outside? or you get another cat with claws? or you take him to a shelter and he
ends up an outside cat? An important thing with kitties is teaching them proper
clawing as kittens. Never allow a kitten to bite you in play, scratch you for
fun or climb your body. Cute as kittens, not so cute as adults. Always teach
them proper scratchy tree clawing as kittens. I've done kitten and cat rescue
for 20 years, never declawed a cat, just taught them how to claw appropriately.
I adopted one cat declawed and he had litter box problems (paws too sensitive
for normal litter) and he still clawed the furniture with his paws. I had to go
to a behavioral psychologist to cure his issues. I also had to teach him how to
use a scratchy tree. I do hope that your cat will be fine without claws but
it's tough to tell right now

Cats don't think like humans. Take away their testicles, the urge for sex,
and sexual behaviors like marking and roaming and fighting,  is gone.
Testicles produce hormones. OTOH, you can never take away the urge to
scratch by removing the claws.
Asking YOU if you'd rather lose the first half of all of your fingers,
versus your balls, would not be an equitable comparison.
Ask ME if I'd rather have scratched furniture , or piss-soaked carpet, I'd
choose the scratching. The price of cohabitating with a cat.

Cats are not people. He won't have the same attachment to meat and two
veg (and the meat will still be there.) that your average human male
will.

When he starts biting are you going to do your job properly and train
him not to, have him defanged or just dump the creature?

Did you even bother to learn how to trim his nails?  Didn't think so.

There are health benefits to neutering, but I didn't expect YOU to
have researched that.

When your cat starts pissing inappropriately, suffers regrowth
problems and/or has arthritis in his old age so severe he will hardly
walk and refuses to use the litter box, just remember these five
words:  We told you so, a.shole.

-L.

I gather this is a kitten your talking about? Well duh, kittens climb legs.
They stop all by themselves and that can be helped by providing something
more fun than legs to climb. Kittens are also the easiest to train to
scratch appropriately. For the same cost as the declaw you could have
purchased or built a great cat tree. Not only would it have supplied an
appropriate place to scratch and climb but would provide exercise (much
needed for an inside cat) for years to come. If you start clipping claws
early (an opportunity you have with a kitten) it only takes a couple times
before you can do this without a fight.

I don't think you wanted to hear any suggestions tho. I suspect your mind
was made up before you ever posted here. For the sake of your cat I
sincerely hope he continues to do well and doesn't develop problems later.

OK, folks.  To summarize: the topic a few weeks ago was to declaw or not to
declaw.   I was pro, some of you were con.   As far as my cat is concerned,
who was tearing the hell out of everything and insisted on climbing up your
leg (whether you were wearing pants or not!),...I won.   He was declawed
Monday morning along with a neuter-job.

We brought him home today and had prepared two litter boxes so he wouldn't
have to go up and down the steps.  We were also prepared to delicately haul
him around for a few days.

Upon entering the house, he shot off like nothing had happened -- exploring
everywhere! When he came to the hardwood steps, he pounced up them (and
later down them) like nothing had happened.    He's doing great!...and is by
ever indication, comfortable and lively.

Finally, for those of you who call this 'mutilation' that will "scar" the
cat for life.    What about cutting off his "meat and two veg."?!     Talk
about scaring!   Given the choice, I bet he'd opt to lose the  claws over
the eggs and bacon.   :)

-dkar