Declawing (onychectomy) cats should be recognized as a form of animal abuse and be made illegal in all states. It is the equivalent of amputating a person's fingers and toes for the sake of convenience.
Declawing is illegal in many countries around the world, including Great Britain, Brazil, Australia, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Germany, France, Spain, and many others. Unfortunately, this type of painful mutilation, disguised as routine surgery, continues to be practiced in America.
There are many alternatives that should be sufficient in preventing the cat from damaging furniture, including scratching posts, nail trimmers, and vinyl nail caps. If an individual does not wish to own a cat with claws, the individual should not own a cat at all.