Many people with indoor catsprotect their furniture by mutilating their beloved pets.
Make no mistake about it, declawing is mutilation.
Unlike a fingernail, a cat's claws are attached directly to the bone.
When the claws are removed, the last bone and joint in each toe are also removed.
When you amputate your cat's toes, you upset its agility and balance.
You change the way your it walks.
No one wants their furniture ruined by their cat, but there is another way to deal with the problem.
Think a minute - why do cats claw furniture and climb drapes in the first place?It is because cats retain some of the instinctual behaviors they used when they were wild animals.
Cats that live out doors climb rocks and trees and scratch the bark.
That is natural behavior for a cat.
Cats don't claw furniture because they are bad, they do it because they are cats.
The best way to prevent Fluffy or Bosco from ruining your Chippendale is to provide an alternative in the form of a cat tree with a built in scratching post.
A good cat tree will be sturdy and tall enough to simulate the experience of climbing a real tree.
It could have built in hiding places and definitely should have a built in scratching area.
Sisal rope wrapped around the "trunk" of your structure works very nicely although other materials also work well.
It's best to get your kitty used to using a cat tree and scratching post while it is young.
It's easier to do than to try to get an older cat to change it's habits.
In any case, providing a natural alternative for scratching and climbing will make both him and you happier.
Don't mutilate your little friend for for your own convenience.