awww…so sweet…you are very similar to me sgc…I really didn’t like the idea but after getting him four different kinds of scratching posts, covering most of our upholstery with double-sided tape, trying to trim myself and having him groomed numerous times in the short few months after we brought him home, a consult with the vet determined that this was the best process not only for us as the adoptive family but also for Coco.
Putting him through the forced trimming repeatedly was making him more and more aggressive because he was fighting it. His fur was constantly matted as he wouldn’t let us get close enough and being the long-haired breed this was also unacceptable.
He is gentle by nature…he was when we got him…so that has not changed…he just loves us more cuz we don’t constantly reprimand him for scratching us and the furniture and draperies. And we are less scared to handle him and have him around any babies that visit.
I’ve had many, many cats during my years and trust me, I would never do anything that I thought was painful or unfair to them. The reason we had him declawed at the same time that he was neutered was that I didn’t want to put him through the anesthesia twice. I actually think that it is unfair to yell/hit the animal (as some folks do) for doing what is only instinct to them (i.e. scratching).