There is the worry from cat lovers that the cat will have behavioural problems like being more aggressive. However, there are owners who say that the cat becomes more gentle. The big worry is that the cat can't defend itself when attacked. This is unlikely in an indoor cat.

4. Less than 15 cases of cat declawing in the past 40 years in my practice as at Jan 24, 2019. The cat owner is not encouraged to declaw the cat.

5. My personal view is that I will perform the surgery only when the cat-owner relationship is strained such that the cat will be sent to the animal shelter where it will be put to sleep or the cat owner will need to euthanase the cat.  Training needs time, patience and perseverance. Get one or many strong scratching post for the new kitten. Train it to use the scratching post or give it an unwanted piece of carpet to claw.

Firm verbal commands when the kitten starts clawing furniture and give treats on success may be effective if done consistently and at an early age.
Clip nails weekly for older cats.  Do not grab, grip or play tug-of-war with kittens as they may scratch out of defence.

Failure in training e.g. use of a solid scratching post, anti-clawing spray, nail caps, food treats for positive reinforcement training, balloons, noises, water guns, noisy paper wrapping over furniture and weekly nail clipping will lead to the cat being euthanased or abandoned. If the owner still cannot resolve the problem, declawing is preferred to euthanasia. Many young children feel distressed when the cat is euthanased due to parental concerns for the damage to property or personal safety. If such parents don't have declawing as an option, they need to get rid of the cat or put it to sleep. In such instances, I will perform the surgery.

Toa Payoh Vets