Are you planning to declaw your cat? Scratch that. It is now illegal in Massachusetts except in rare medical cases.
Gov. Maura Healey signed a law Thursday banning inhumane feline declawing, the Animal Legal Defense Fund said in a statement.
The new law bans the declawing of cats in Massachusetts except in rare situations of medical necessity, such as cancer of the nail bed or other conditions that endanger the cat’s health, the group said.
“This law will protect countless cats across the Commonwealth from a painful and unnecessary surgical procedure that is typically performed for human convenience and not for the benefit of the cat,” said Stephanie Harris, Senior Legislative Affairs Manager of the Animal Legal Defense Fund, in a statement.
Massachusetts joins New York and Maryland, which also have declaw bans, and jurisdictions including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Madison, West Hollywood, Austin, Denver, Beverly Hills, Berkeley and Washington, D.C., according to Animal Legal Defense Fund. Virginia has also banned the procedure with limited exceptions.
According to animal advocates, declawing cats is an invasive surgical procedure similar to amputating the last knuckle of a human finger. Declawing can cause lifelong medical problems in cats, including permanent disability, nerve damage, chronic back pain and lameness.
“Massachusetts joins other states that have effective declaw bans, in addition to the many local laws passed in cities of all sizes,” Harris said. “We hope to build on this momentum in 2025 as we continue to advocate for cat’s claw laws nationwide, including in neighboring Rhode Island.”
Declawing an animal is “abhorrent,” said Sen. Mark Montigny, a Massachusetts Democrat who represents the 2nd District of Bristol and Plymouth, as he praised the new law.
“Declawing is an abhorrent practice that most veterinarians consider inhumane, but it is also a procedure that is often misunderstood and requested by owners,” Montigny said in a statement.
“By passing this law, veterinarians no longer have to make a choice knowing that if they don’t offer the procedure, an owner will likely just look for someone who will,” Montigny said. “This is another step in my commitment to protecting animals across the Commonwealth.”
The declaw bill was passed on the last day of the two-year legislative session. It joins other laws passed in the Bay State to protect animals, including laws protecting wild animals used in circuses, dogs entrusted to daycares or boarding houses, puppies and kittens too young to be loved their mother to be separated, as well as human and animal victims. captured in violent situations using coercive control, officials said.
According to animal rights advocates, declawing can cause many adverse behavioral effects in cats because it takes away their ability to use their claws to scratch, stretch and mark territory. Problems with litter box use and inappropriate marking are common in declawed cats, and some declawed cats resort to biting – which can lead to infections in humans – to defend themselves because they can no longer do so. their claws.
Massachusetts has a new law banning the declawing of cats in the state.
“All of these behavioral problems can increase the likelihood of cats being surrendered to shelters,” the Animal Legal Defense Fund said in a statement. “There are many humane alternatives to control scratching behavior, including regular nail clipping, scratching posts and behavioral training.”
In June, a poll by the Animal Legal Defense Legislative Fund found that 70 percent of veterinary professionals oppose declawing cats. The poll also found that half of veterinarians interviewed reported that their practice does not perform declawing procedures due to policy or that there are no veterinarians willing to perform the procedure.
Lawmakers in neighboring Rhode Island, including Rhode Island Senator Melissa Murray and Rhode Island Representative William O’Brien, both Democrats, are calling for a declaw ban in that state.
In April, a similar declaw bill sponsored by Murray passed the Rhode Island Senate but did not pass the House before the legislative session ended in June, The Valley Breeze previously reported.
“Declawing is an amputation operation with serious and often lifelong consequences. Declaimed cats often become fear biters and carpet wetters, putting them at greater risk of surrender or abandonment; Many suffer from crippling arthritis in old age,” Murray said. “Declawing has no place in our society.”
This is a development story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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