Declawing a cat....please help!

[shopgirl]

Hello everyone,

I never declawed my cat b/c I thought it was
inhumane. However, he did ruin my old furniture.
Not badly, but enough to bother someone anal
like me. And it was more from jumping up on the
dressers than it was scratching the couch and what
not.

Anyway, I just got my cat back (long story) and I have
new furniture and I have to buy more, etc. and I
figured that I should get him declawed.

However, I got up this morning and cancelled the
appointment. I just don't have the heart to do it.
I just can't get over what they do to the cat. It
seems inhumane. I'm afraid he will be in too much
pain, for too long and I'm afraid it will change the
type of cat he is.
They do have their own personalities...I swear!

I know some of you might think I'm crazy and that
I'm thinking about it too much. However, I'm hoping
someone (cat lovers?) can offer me some words of
wisdom. Advice? Comfort? Reason?

I really am torn. I don't want a life of scratched and ripped furniture, but I don't want to put my cat through hell either.