New York has become the first U.S. state to ban the declawing of cats statewide.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law on Monday that outlaws the procedure and imposes a $1,000 fine on veterinarians who perform it. Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal of Manhattan sponsored the bill. Declawing will still be legal in any case where it is deemed “medically necessary” for the cat.
Medical necessity cases are few and far between. Declawing is a painful procedure for cats.

The procedure is more than a simple pedicure. It involves the surgical amputation of the first knuckle of a cat’s toes, a painful process. If performed on a human being, it would be like cutting off each finger at the last knuckle. It forces cats to adjust to walking on their surgically altered feet.

The Humane Society of America warns against the procedure:

“People often mistakenly believe that declawing their cats is a harmless “quick fix” for unwanted scratching. They don’t realize that declawing can make a cat less likely to use the litter box or more likely to bite. Declawing also can cause lasting physical problems for your cat.”

“Many countries have banned declawing. The Humane Society of the United States opposes declawing except for the rare cases when it is necessary for medical purposes, such as the removal of cancerous nail bed tumors.”

“People who are worried about being scratched, especially those with immunodeficiencies or bleeding disorders, may be told incorrectly that their health will be protected by declawing their cats. However, infectious disease specialists don’t recommend declawing. The risk from scratches for these people is less than those from bites, cat litter, or fleas carried by their cats.”

The Humane Society notes that there are other ways to keep a cat from using its claws in a destructive way.

“Scratching is normal cat behavior. It isn’t done to destroy a favorite chair or to get even. Cats scratch to remove the dead husks from their claws, mark territory, and stretch their muscles.”

“Cats are usually about eight weeks old when they begin scratching. That’s the ideal time to train kittens to use a scratching post and allow nail trims. Pet caregivers should not consider declawing a routine prevention for unwanted scratching. Declawing can actually lead to an entirely different set of behavior problems that may be worse than shredding the couch.”

If you are worried about your cat damaging your home, or want to avoid unwanted scratching, start with these tips:

• Keep their claws trimmed to minimize damage to household items.

• Provide stable scratching posts and boards around your home. Offer different materials like carpet, sisal, wood, and cardboard, as well as different styles (vertical and horizontal). Use toys and catnip to entice your cat to use the posts and boards.

• Ask your veterinarian about soft plastic caps (like Soft Paws®) that are glued to the cat’s nails. They need to be replaced about every six weeks.

• Attach a special tape (like Sticky Paws®) to furniture to deter your cat from unwanted scratching.