my cat just turned 1 and i might want to declaw him should i?

No! Please don’t do it. With a bit of retraining and nail trimming, you should be able to cohabitate quite peacefully.

If you’d like to learn more about what’s involved with declawing, see these links. Most of them also provide alternatives, such as training tips.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/327400811
http://www.cafepress.com/buy/declaw/-/cfpt2_/x_19/cfpt_/source_searchBox/copt_/y_4
http://www.avar.org/whatsnew_catdeclawposter2.asp
http://www.pawsneedclaws.com/Stop_Declaw_Advocacy.php
http://cats.about.com/cs/declawing/a/nodeclaw.htm
http://network.bestfriends.org/celebrateclawsnotdeclaw/news/
http://www.kinshipcircle.org/letter_library/letter.asp?LetterID=1582&seriesfirst=true
http://www.goodcatswearblack.com/declawing/about_declawing.htm
http://www.de-clawing.com/

Please don’t declaw your cat. It’s terribly cruel.

Read these sites fully before you make such a life altering decision for your cat.

Source Link: http://www.declawing.com/
Source Link: http://www.lisaviolet.com/declaw/declawpics.html (GRAPHIC)
Source Link: http://www.declaw.org/

don’t do it man, don’t do it. its just like not having fingers for cats!!!!!!

Please don’t declaw your cat ! Declawing involves much more that removing the nail part of the claw - bone is also removed. Compare it to cutting off your finger just above the first knuckle ! If your cat is allowed outside he needs his claws not only to defend himself but to climb trees to escape danger. It sounds like at 1 year old your cat has learned some bad behaviours ! Many “outside” cats will scratch furniture when they come inside - it’s one way cats “mark” their territory. Teach him to scratch other things - scratching posts or pads. Reward him when he scratches the right thing ( with praise and/or a treat) . Discourage him from scratching the wrong things by spraying him with water or rattling an empty soda can that has a few pennies in it. ( The can won’t get the furniture wet ). Keep the spray bottle or rattle can handy at all times - you might need one for every room until you re-train him !
If he is scratching you , does it seem he does this from anger or fright or is it part of his play ? If you tease him and make him mad or scare him then you deserve to be scratched . If he scratches during play he has probably learned that that is how to play - after all , when cats play with each other their own fur protects them and scratching is no big deal. ( However , they do teach each other not to bite during play !). If scratching is how your cat plays then you have to teach him differently. Immediately stop playing with him and walk away. Do this everytime he scratches you !
You must be consistent - if you walk away and ignore him just some of the time it won’t work. Don’t hit him or yell at him - punishment doesn’t work with cats - they just learn to fear you or hate you and sometimes they retaliate. Good luck - I have a 10 month old kitty that I am trying to teach not to scratch me during play and it’s very hard to remember to walk away when we are having fun !

NEVER declaw your cat! It is terribly cruel! It is extremely painful for them! People who declaw their cats care more about thier furniture then they do their cats!

Well it depends.If he is and outdoor and cat you might nt want to.He/She wil need them to defend him/herself.But if it is an indoor cat just cut them short so he/she may use them just incase.

Source Link: declaw your cat