Can you even begin to imagine how even the idea of this mutilation is seen by those of us who live in countries e.g the UK, that have NEVER declawed? Revulsion is too weak a word, disgust with your countrymen who do the only polite word I can use. This mutilation is backward, deluded, cruel and lazy and, as one American replied to a comment I made, "It is usually the first resort". Quite, because I have seen your vets advertising 'kitten declaw'. Mutilating kittens? They're babies FGS! It takes them time to learn. As far as household damage is concerned, the reality is that dogs do far more damage - theinsuranceblogger.co.uk shows claims for damage by dogs = 55%, cats 29%, others 16% (or take a look on YT). Then there's the ridiculous 'for health' claim. Circa 800,000 Americans p.a. are treated in hospital for dog bites, circa 30,000 need reconstructive surgery, and circa 50 will die. Apparently 80% of dogs that bite are entire males - yet you mutilate cats 'for health reason'?