Declawing is illegal in over 40 other countries; you will be fined and/or jailed if you declaw a cat. It is a government issue to stop animal cruelty. Millions of cats are declawed in North America, so that's great that you understand the needs of the cat, but many people don't, and are being lied to by their vets. The AVMA is spending a LOT of money trying to ensure they continue to be allowed to amputate cat's toes. The procedure usually costs hundreds of dollars, for a 15 minute mutilation. They make a lot of money from putting cats through unnecessary and lifelong pain.