subject: Declawing Cats - Is it Necessary? [print this page] When you weigh the pros and cons; declawing cats comes down to necessity. If your cat claws at your furniture and won't take to a scratching post, then it will be inevitable they need to be declawed. The same goes for cats that don't learn how to keep their claws retracted while playing with you, your other pets and your children. On the same note, you don't want to haphazardly decide to declaw them because it seems like the thing to do, or a friend says it has to be done.