Declawing cats is generally not recommended because it is an elective surgical procedure done solely for owner convenience, with no benefit to the feline. It is difficult to justify a procedure that is painful and can result in physical and behavioral complications when there are alternative methods to deter scratching of undesirable surfaces. The solution to the undesirable scratching should be to modify the cat’s behavior by making changes in the environment and redirecting the cats’ natural scratching behavior to a suitable area. Scratching is a natural, healthy behavior that allows cats to stretch and mark their territory, and is an activity they simply enjoy. Declawing cats takes away all of this as well as their basic means of movement, balance and defense. Cats should not be treated as an nonliving object that can be modified as owners see fit. In fact, there are several countries in which declawing is either illegal or considered extremely inhumane.