People get way too emotional about this issue. The whole "How would you like the tips of your fingers to be chopped off?" My answer would be that I'd prefer it to having my balls chopped off. Yet that's what we do to male cats. Animals aren't humans. Cut the bullshit. Do I agree with declawing? No. But the idea that it's animal cruelty is way overblown. People who let their cats outside fully equipped are the true cruel ones. Do they know how many birds their cat has killed? Oh, but that's fine. But god forbid indoor cats are mildly inconvenienced. It's all just anthropomorphizing nonsense.