TOLEDO, Ohio —

Ohio could join five other states and Washington, D.C., when it comes to a ban on declawing cats, as Senate Bill 252 would make it illegal to remove a cat's claws.

"When people say they're going to declaw, most people don't understand what that means," said Steve Kiessling, director of Toledo Animal Rescue.

Kiessling said declawing is more than just a manicure.

"I say, 'Hold up your hand.' I say, 'Now, now cut your top knuckle off.' That's what declawing is," Kiessling said. "They don't just mess with the nails, they actually cut the first knuckle off."

If passed into law, the bill would allow declawing if medically necessary. It would not affect nail trims.

Rachel Bellis with PETA's Cruelty Investigations Department said most of the time, cat owners choose to de

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