To follow up on Mike's post, there is also a surgery that can be done that cuts the muscle in the toes that allow a cat to bring out it's claws. Our vet recommended this over declawing, the only downside is that you have to keep up on trimming their nails. After the surgery, they can no longer flex and therefore can't maintain their nails themselves and they can become ingrown if you don't take care of it. Cutting nails is not that big of a deal and it is a way to cut down on damage to your furniture if you decide not to declaw.