I'll attempt to answer the first set of bulleted questions as best I can.

1) This was answered previously in this thread. Follow your cycle. The small increase to raid DPS is approximately equal to your loss by having a less efficient cycle. Alternatively, have a bear mangling.

2) This was previously discussed in this thread. If you have 5cp and a Rip ticking and are at 81 energy, Shred. If you have less than 81 energy, wait.

3) If you have 4CP from two yellow attacks, I wait for 81 energy and Mangle/Rip.

4) I have no experience Maiming on a 25man so I wont comment on this point.

5) I agree the best strategy is to wait to have just enough energy for the bite. Shred and bite have approximately the same returns on energy and its not like you have anything else to do with those CPs.

Second list:

1) Looks like the thing to do is to get the Shapeshifter's. After the next patch [Gloves of Dexterous Manipulation] are going to be amazing for DPS, I would do what I can to work those in to your set.

2) I believe there is math previously presented in this thread to quantify the value of 2 piece T4. At this point the only thing that is commonly accepted as competing for damage output is considered to be 4 piece T6. Unfortunately for you the T4 shoulders and hat are the best pieces to keep out of the set for the 2 piece bonus.

3&4) Sorry, I don't have time for these right now.

As for Idols, if the rest of the melee group greatly out performs your DPS, I would think strongly about using the raven goddess over everbloom.

Good advice here. An energy tick timer is useful too. Energy watch works well.

What macro are you using to use your trinket and then Rip? I remember trying to make a similar macro (for when I was grinding) but it never seemed to work.

If I remember correctly, it's:

#showtooltip Rip
/use Crystalforged Trinket
/stopcasting
/cast Rip

If you have other clicky trinkets that would be useful (Core of Ar'kelos, etc.), you can add additional "/use [name]" lines before the /stopcasting, and it'll attempt to use them too.

Note that this macro will display an error message and play a sound if the trinket is on cooldown. There's a way to suppress the error, but I've never bothered setting it up myself and I can't find it on a quick Google search now.

Haste already does affect energy regen for combat rogues, though

Yeah, like i would use Rake then ... even Mangle does more DPE than Rake.

It has to either a useful debuff or they have to seriously up Rake's damage .. or both.

I like the idea of extending the usefulness of Tiger's Fury by making it CP based. Could it be based off the SnD model? Or would the timing need to be revamped? I need to think that out. Definitely would change up the DPS cycle.

As far as Rake goes maybe modify it to inflict damage at the end of it's duration (CoD type thing) or a chance to proc something like a movement impairment or casting speed debuff.

Oops, been a while since I used rake, thought it's energy cost was much lower.

Ignore me, carry on

For the Maim question (4), I only maim on caster trash mobs where the interrupt is valuable - basically only Kael trash, though I've been doing it on Bloodboil's trash when not tanking if there aren't many interrupters in the raid. It's a total DPS gimp, but on something like Kael's centurions, it can make a huge difference as otherwise you'd have to run out and/or die -- as would other melee. I can't really think of other situations I use maim in BT/Hyjal though, for something like the shadowbolt mobs in Hyjal the melee have interrupts covered already.

Combination of having low AP (due to wielding Earthwarden) and not being 100% sure of the optimal gems at the time. Not that it really made much of a difference before this.

Can't warrior tanks use windfury as well? I've never seen any nerf posts about it, plus you'd never have a shaman in the MT group anyway. If they can restrict trees to be the only druid form that can use pots, then I don't see why they can't restrict windfury to cat form.

newb question sorry but, for cat DPS what is the consensus on rip CPs? is 4 or 5 more DPS?

You can't say 4cp or 5cp is superior, for it depends on your ap/crit ratio. With low crit and high ap, 4cp is superior, with high crit, 5cp becomes better.

In almost every case (of highend gear) that i evaluated in that case, i found 5cp to be the superior cycle. A main factor is that with high crit values you have cycle lengths that are shorter than 12 seconds with the 4cp cycle.

I'd recommend testing out both for yourself. If you use 5cp and you notice that there is a 3-4 second gap between your rips, switch to 4cp.

Edit: It also depends on whether you use mangle or not. If you are only shredding, a 4cp cycle is superior in all cases (providing you don't fall under 12s).