Victory! This alert helped the declawing bill pass the California House. It has since passed the Senate. Now, we need your help to encourage Governor Newsom to sign it into law.

California is on the verge of protecting cats statewide from the cruel practice of declawing! Assembly Bill 867, introduced by Assemblymember Alex Lee, has already passed the Assembly and is now in the Senate. If signed into law, this bill will make it illegal to declaw cats unless medically necessary to treat a serious condition.

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. Protect cats from this cruelty. Urge your state senator to support AB 867!

Declawing is often performed for human convenience, such as preventing furniture scratching, 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, and they need their claws for balance, exercise, and protection. California's existing local bans in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco have proven that cats can thrive without this cruel procedure.

Letter to Decision Maker(s) for reference:

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

As someone who cares deeply about animal welfare, I am urging you to support 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 — 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 supporting AB 867.

Sincerely,

Signed

Victory! This alert helped the declawing bill pass the California House. It has since passed the Senate. Now, we need your help to encourage Governor Newsom to sign it into law.