Bill To Ban Cat Declawing Passes Assembly Floor

Cat declawing is a barbaric surgical procedure that permanently disables cats. AB 867, authored by Assemblymember Alex Lee, will affirm California’s commitment of protecting the welfare of cats by prohibiting cat declawing in the state. The bill passed the Assembly Floor on April 28 with bipartisan support on a vote of 72-0. 

“Cat declawing is a cruel and barbaric surgical procedure that causes lifelong disfigurement and pain,” said Assemblymember Lee. “Mutilating healthy cats merely for convenience is inhumane and unethical. It’s the equivalent of removing a person’s fingers at the top knuckle. This is a common sense bill reinforcing that cat declawing goes against ethical treatment standards for animals.”

Declawing involves amputating cats’ toe bones or severing the tendon controlling their paws — a surgical procedure that can lead to debilitating health effects. Surgical complications include hemorrhage, infection, pain, and anesthetic complications. Removing cats’ claws also increases the likelihood of behaviors like biting, aggression, and litter box avoidance. Overgrooming, chronic back pain, residual bone fragments and mobility issues are among other long-term effects of declawing. 

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(Photo courtesy of the Montreal SPCA)

AB 867 prohibits the declawing of a cat unless a veterinarian performs the procedure for a medically necessary purpose that benefits the cat’s health. Scratching is a natural cat behavior, and non-surgical alternatives are available to address inappropriate behaviors such as nail trimming, soft claw caps, and behavioral training. While some believe that cat declawing reduces health risks for immunocompromised cat owners, experts instead emphasize the importance of proper hygiene and parasite control.

Cat declawing is already outlawed in many places. In 2003, the city of West Hollywood passed the nation’s first legislation to ban cat declawing, with seven other California cities following suit. New York then became the first state in the U.S. to enact the ban on this inhumane practice in 2019. Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Massachusetts have also passed bans. Globally, dozens of countries including Australia, New Zealand, the U.K. and Switzerland have all banned cat declawing. 

See Assemblymember Lee’s social media video to learn more about his cats, Udon and Soba, and his inspiration for introducing AB 867.