New York Is About to Become the First State to Ban Cat Declawing

This week, New York state lawmakers passed bill A01303B, a bill that will outlaw onychectomy (declawing) of cats statewide. Currently awaiting signature from New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, the bill was introduced by New York assemblywoman and animal-rights activist Linda Rosenthal in January. The cruel practice, which involves surgical removal of cats’ claws by cutting through tendons attached to their bones, is typically performed for aesthetic reasons (such as preventing cats from scratching furniture) and is associated with many complications for the animal. “It’s unnecessary, it’s painful, and it causes the cat problems,” Rosenthal told the New York Times. “It’s just brutal.” After the bill is signed into law, veterinarians who perform declawing procedures will face a civil penalty of up to $1,000. In March, Rosenthal—an ardent animal-rights activist—introduced a bill that aims to ban fur sales and production across the state of New York by 2021.