California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed Assembly Bill 867 into law, officially banning the cruel practice of declawing cats statewide. This groundbreaking legislation is the culmination of years of advocacy by advocacy groups as well as powerful support from local communities across California.

Declawing isn’t a nail trim; it’s a painful amputation that has no place in a compassionate society. Declawing involves the removal of the last bone of a cat’s toes. This is equivalent to amputating a human fingertip at the last joint. The procedure often results in lifelong pain, arthritis, infections, and behavioral issues, including problems with litter box use and biting. For many cats, the trauma continues long after the surgery, and many are abandoned at shelters due to these painful side effects.

California has become the largest state to implement a full ban on declawing, following in the footsteps of Rhode Island to become the fifth no-declaw state after Rhode Island, New York, Maryland, and Massachusetts, which have also passed effective declaw prohibitions. In Defense of Animals has long supported this legislative push, this year organizing over 3,000 emails from supporters to their lawmakers in the House and the Senate, and nearly 1000 emails directly to Newsom urging him to sign the bill into law.

This victory proves California is leading the way in protecting cats and prioritizing their well-being over human convenience. We are proud to have empowered thousands of compassionate Californians to make their voices heard on this issue. 

California has long been a leader in animal protection, and today’s signing of AB 867 further cements the state’s commitment to compassion and ethical treatment of animals. Assemblymember Alex Lee, who authored the bill, has worked tirelessly to ensure that no cat in California will be subjected to this cruel practice unless it is medically necessary to address an underlying condition.

Many countries have also outlawed this inhumane practice. AB 867 shows the nation and world that California does not endorse surgical mutilation performed electively on healthy cats for human convenience.

This law is a direct result of the collaboration between animal welfare groups and compassionate California residents, whose voices pushed the bill through the legislative process. Humane Veterinary Medical Alliance and Paw Project have played pivotal roles in educating both lawmakers and the public about the harmful consequences of declawing and advocating for alternatives, but we could not have done it without our dedicated supporters. Thank you!