Why declaw a cat?
So you can keep them locked up indoors 24/7 for maybe 10 years?
Now THAT is cruel.
All of our cats we’ve had since 92 have been declawed and indoor cats only. They are not exposed to the stress, cold, traffic, wild animals, and diseases of the outside, have the run of the house, live to be 18 to 20 years old in good health and far outlast any of the fully clawed, indoor/outdoor cats we had before that time. Cats are adaptable animals and if given the easy living conditions like they have in our house they thrive. Ours sniff at the garage when the door is open but don’t like to be outside, even in a carrier. Had one of them in an older carrier that opened up while on the ground outside of the garage. The cat took on a panicked look and as soon as he saw the garage he was at the door to the house to get back in.
Yes, a 7 lb animal living its life in a heated and air conditioned 2500 square feet of space having all of its needs met for him is complete cruelty... send in the marines.
Ok - Let’s turn the cat loose and let him/her roam the neighborhood, picking fights with other cats; killing birds; spreading disease, and having numerous litters of kittens, all to become feral scavengers or road kill. I prefer keeping my 3 cats indoors where they are safe, and they love it.
I removed claws from all 4 paws of Peanut. She's an outdoor cat as often as she wants, and is still a stone cold killer routinely bringing me presents of chipmunks, mice, rabbits, and birds.
My tribute for being a worthy master.