Claws and couches are a bad combination, and every cat lover knows it. Upholstery is just too expensive to be used as a scratching post. So what's a girl to do when cushions meet cat claws? De-clawing is one option, and iVillagers tell their stories here.

"I prefer behavioral training, but I fully admit that it's time-consuming and can be difficult, especially with older cats who've had bad habits for years. You have to be ready to make a commitment." --paulajean2

"If you want a cat to stop biting, never declaw it. Declawing tends to increase biting because you've taken away his natural defense and he compensates by using his teeth more. Train him not to bite instead. When he bites, say 'Ouch' loudly and 'No.' Then stop playing with him. He should correlate biting to an unpleasant reaction from you (and being ignored)." --willed

"Utter nonsense! I've had 10 cats throughout my life who have all died of natural causes -- and I declawed all of them. They were not more prone to biting, nor did it affect their personalities in any negative way. They were sweeties before the operation and sweeties afterward." --grafixgal