PA Ban On Declawing Cats Proposed

HARRISBURG, PA — Declawing cats would become illegal under a proposal being advanced by a Pennsylvania lawmaker.

State Sen. Carolyn Comitta, a Chester County Democrat, is about to introduce a bill that would ban declawing unless the procedure is medically necessary and performed by a licensed veterinarian. Declawing for cosmetic or aesthetic reasons, as well as for reasons of convenience, would be prohibited.

"Declawing a cat can cause chronic pain, infection, nerve and tissue damage, bone spurs, lameness, as well as back pain caused by changes in the cat’s natural gait," Comitta wrote in a letter to colleagues this week seeking support for the legislation. "Declawing may negatively affect litter box use and can result in increased aggression, including biting."

Medically known as an onychectomy, declawing amputates most or all of the last bone of each of the cat’s toes. The procedure is commonly performed to prevent unwanted scratching.

The Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, Paw Project, Alley Cat Allies, and International Society of Feline Medicine do not support declawing cats as an elective procedure.

Declawing was banned in the state of New York in 2019. Eight cities in California, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, plus St. Louis, Missouri and Denver, Colorado have enacted declaw bans. Legislation to prohibit declawing was introduced in New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Arizona, and Ontario during the past year.