This alert is no longer active, but here for reference. Animals still need your help.

California is on the verge of protecting cats statewide from the cruel practice of declawing! Assembly Bill 867, introduced by Assemblymember Alex Lee, has passed both the Assembly and the Senate. Now it awaits the signature of Governor Gavin Newsom to become law.

Declawing is not a simple nail trim. It's a painful surgical procedure that amputates the last bone of each toe, equivalent to cutting off a human fingertip at the last joint. This traumatic procedure can cause lasting harm, including chronic pain, arthritis, back problems, and behavioral issues.

Declawing is most often done for human convenience, such as protecting furniture, but it comes at a devastating cost to cats. Without their claws, cats can develop painful complications, including:

• Bone fragments left behind from botched surgeries
• Infections that threaten their health
• Lifelong arthritis and mobility problems
• Behavioral issues like avoiding the litter box and biting due to pain

Scratching is a natural, healthy behavior for cats. They need their claws for balance, exercise, and protection. California's existing local bans in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco prove that cats thrive without this cruel practice.

You can also support compassionate veterinarians who put their patients first by refusing to perform mutilating procedures like declawing and devocalization. You can find a list of veterinarians in the U.S. and Canada who refuse to declaw at the Paw Project, which is sponsoring this bill.

Letter to Decision Maker(s) for reference:

Subject: Protect Cats from Cruelty: Sign AB 867 to Ban Declawing!

As someone who cares deeply about animal welfare, I am urging you to sign Assembly Bill 867, which will make declawing cats illegal in California.

Declawing isn’t just a nail trim. It’s a painful, life-altering surgery that amputates the last bone of each of a cat’s toes which is equivalent to cutting off a human fingertip at the last joint. This procedure severs nerves, tendons, and bone, leaving cats with lifelong pain and a host of physical and behavioral problems.

For many declawed cats, suffering doesn’t end in the operating room. They may develop infections, arthritis, and debilitating pain that forces them to shift their weight, causing back problems. Behavioral issues are also common. Cats who once used the litter box may avoid it, and cats who feel defenseless without their claws may resort to biting.

Tragically, many declawed cats are abandoned at shelters, where they are more likely to be killed due to behavioral problems caused by pain. Declawing doesn’t protect cats; it sets them up for suffering.

There is no justification for this cruel procedure, especially when humane alternatives like nail caps, regular trimming, and scratching posts are readily available. Eight California cities, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, have already banned declawing. Now it’s time to protect cats statewide.

Please stand with compassionate Californians and protect cats by signing AB 867 into law.

Sincerely,

Signed

This alert is no longer active, but here for reference. Animals still need your help.