Kitten

[Mermaid]

One thing I am wondering about is whether I should take it in to get it's front paws declawed. Does anybody have any useful input on this?

DO NOT!  A declawed cat has no defense.  Try as you might, the cat will get out of the house and cannot climb effectively to escape the neighbor's dog nor be able to defend itself.

It's not just defense. It's physioogical function and pain. They need their claws to properly exercise and stretch their shoulder and back muscles. Declawed cats can develop behavioral problems after the very painful procedure (which is just like cutting off the first joint of your fingers) such as reluctance to use the litterbox due to pain from digging and also declawed cats can develop biting habits. I've seen that more than once.