If any one topic is sure to produce a discussion among cat- lovers, it's declawing. The procedure is widely performed to end scratching and is just as widely vilified. Some breeders and humane societies refuse to place a cat or kitten with any adopter who doesn't promise not to declaw. Even Paul and Gina don't agree on the subject.Should you consider declawing?

Declawing is the surgical amputation under general anesthesia of the last part of the toe - comparable to the removal of your fingertip at the first joint. The skin is glued or stitched over the exposed joint, the feet bandaged, and the cat sent home to heal for the next couple weeks. In most cases, only the front claws are removed.

Although the procedure is a successful way to curb destructive behavior, Gina feels that, too often, declawing is performed at the first sign of clawing or - worse - is considered as automatic a part of owning a cat as vaccinations. Paul believes that though perhaps not what your cat would choose, done properly, the short-lived and very controllable discomfort that results from declawing is easily justified when you consider that for many cat-owning families there is not agreement on the value of the cat to the household. To those who are not the cat lovers in the house, the cat will lose when it comes down to a choice between the leather couch or the cat.

Scratching is natural and satisfying for cats, and you owe to your pet the effort to teach him to scratch in appropriate places before you opt to declaw him. But although Gina feels that declawing should be reserved for those cats who can't be reformed and are facing euthanasia because of their behavioral problems, Paul argues that many cat owners know their tolerance for destruction and many just do not want to even risk damaging their furniture and opt for declawing as a preventive measure.

Paul adds that frequent attention to trimming your cats nails - keep the points off - can accomplish the task nearly as well, but most people just aren't religious enough about this task to stay ahead of the risk to the furniture.

By the way, Paul's cat, PC, is not declawed. She and Paul have an understanding that she abides to and so the issue has not needed to be addressed.

One thing that Gina and Paul agree on concerning declawing: If you do choose to declaw your cat, you must keep him inside - without his claws, he's less able to defend himself against dogs and other dangers; he can't swat and has a harder time climbing to safety if attacked. (Although don't ever think for a moment that declawing diminishes the threat posed by a good sharp set of cat teeth!)