California Becomes Largest State to Ban Cat Declawing

California has taken a historic step in animal welfare by officially banning the declawing of cats, joining a small but growing list of U.S. states that have outlawed the practice. Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 867 into law, making California the largest state to prohibit declawing except when medically necessary.

The new law, authored by Assemblymember Alex Lee, allows the procedure only in cases where it is required to treat injuries, infections, or diseases that directly threaten a cat’s health. For decades, declawing was performed largely for human convenience — to stop cats from scratching people or furniture — but the process itself is far more invasive than many realize. It involves amputating the first bone of eac

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