Massachusetts could become the next state to ban the harmful and traumatic practice of cat declawing. Alley Cat Allies is rallying our supporters and advocates in the state to contact their legislators right away in support of SB 190, which would outlaw declawing statewide except in rare cases of medical necessity.
The bill is now in the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure in the Massachusetts General Court. We need it to pass through the committee and move closer to becoming law.
The goal is to educate Massachusetts legislators on the cruel, unnecessary, and harmful nature of declaw surgery. Alley Cat Allies has made great strides in this critical education, but too many officials still don’t realize that declawing is the surgical amputation of the last joints of a cat’s toes, which can have severe consequences for the cat. It is not a simple nail trim.
Without their claws, cats can’t perform many of their natural behaviors, can feel unsafe, and can experience issues with walking and balancing. The pain and discomfort caused by declaw surgery can lead to permanent physical and mental harm, which in turn causes behaviors like litter box avoidance and increased “aggression.” These are among the most common reasons cats are abandoned and relinquished to shelters.
New York, Maryland, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, and over a dozen major cities in the United States have already banned declawing to protect the wellbeing of cats. This is our chance to ensure Massachusetts joins them.
Alley Cat Allies has advocated strongly against cat declawing since our founding in 1990. We will continue the fight to Keep Cats’ Claws On Their Paws until every community around the world has banned declaw surgery once and for all.
Learn the facts about declawing.
Watch our Action Center for more ways to take legislative action for cats.