Well, I've been pretty quiet on the issue but if I was to just sit around and cowtow to avoid an argument - then that just wouldn't be me. And, this was posted in an open forum for discussion, so here's what I truly feel and have experienced from kitty declawing...
1) I don't understand why folks get a cat, knowing full well it will scratch things up here and there, as a dog does chewing things here and there... from my experience, usually the cat outgrows the scratching of furniture in about 3 years and sleeps most of the day, as a dog does chewing things... for heck sake, you don't surgically remove all the teeth in the dog and have him with nothing but gums and feed him soft food forever. Why do that for a cat? When you get a cat as a responsible owner, you know what you are getting into... cat's sometimes get into in a scratching mode. I used to trim the nails back... everytime the cat scratched something I'd break out the trimmers (yes she hated it but she also associated scratching things with getting her nails trimmed) which leads me to my next personal opinion on the matter...
2) there's soo many other alternatives out today to stop the scratching, for example, kitty's are fuss fanatics when it comes to their feet and walking on things that are sticky or wet, etc...... they make double sided tape that works well instead of declawing ... just keep that on the scratch points of furniture and remove when company comes overs; or like I mentioned, do behavioral training and clip their claws each time (mindful of their quick); or get the little nails capped. At least try these alternatives first :shrug: it's not like you can decide it was a mistake and then surgically have their toes and fingers put back on :shrug:
3) although I've always been trying to keep an open mind about declawing, it just never set right with me so I did the same as you did and asked about the subject - except I asked vets, etc... and generally if something doesn't sit right with your gut don't do it. "When in any doubt don't." The way I see it, if you didn't have these concerns and gut feelings you wouldn't be asking.:shrug:
4) Lastlly... I was at the vets office one day picking up a kitten that needed deworming and I heard aweful, gosh darned awful gutteral crying of a cat all the way out in the parking lot from the vets office ... I thought maybe the cat was in there from giving birth and it was 10 times louder so I thought maybe it was a breach birth or something and thereby soo much pain... when I got my kitten Possum and was checking her out, it broke my heart to find out from the assistant that the cat was just waking up from the anisthesia (sp?) from being declawed (and it was the front paws only)... I shudder to think about that poor baby there in the vets office, all alone and to have its main strength and survival as a species being surgically ripped out.
All because the owner was worried about a couch? Or didn't want to deal with a cat for being a cat and try other alternatives :shrug:
Soo, there you have it, I can go to sleep tonight with a clean concensious - to each is own though... just thought I'd share my opinion if it helps any on the matter and for the sake of your cat, not worry about sugar coatting things because I have NEVER seen anything good come out of scenarios where the cat got its nails declawed. :shrug: Hope that didn't sound too rough... Really LYMI
Sometimes I just write rougher than it would come out if I was talking IRL.
My prayers will be with you and your decision and your cat if it goes to surgury.
Also they have an alternative where you can get your kitty's nails capped (little caps put on the end) that the vet can help you do or you try yourself :shrug:
And yes, he is from PFLR.
I didn't whack Abbey's ears and I didn't have Biscuits done. Tail docking when done at three days or so is nothing more than cartilege. Sure it's painful. 
When do you need the grass by?
Meanie. 
