(FOX40.COM) — Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 867 on Thursday, prohibiting the declawing of cats except in cases where it is medically necessary.

The bill's author, Assemblymember Alex Lee, cited the American Veterinary Medical Association's 2020 policy change on declawing as part of the reason for the ban.

"The AVMA strongly discourages veterinarians from performing onychectomy, tenectomy, or any other surgical procedure intended to prevent the normal use of the animal’s claws that is not medically necessary," the organization's current policy reads. "The amputation or other surgical alteration of the distal digits is an acutely painful procedure and may result in chronic pain, maladaptive behavior, disability, and significant mutilation."

The organization recommends nail trimmi

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