California Bans Cat Declawing

https://a24.asmdc.org/press-releases/20251010-california-bans-cat-declawing

The Governor has signed Assembly member Alex Lee’s legislation, AB 867, to ban cat declawing in California, marking a landmark and momentous achievement for animal welfare.

“AB 867 marks a historic milestone for animal welfare by banning cat declawing,” said Assemblymember Lee. “This important legislation shows our commitment to protecting our cat companions. After years of pushing to make this a reality, I’m proud to see California create a more compassionate society for our feline friends by moving away from this inhumane practice.”

Nationally, veterinarians overwhelmingly oppose cat declawing, with the majority supporting a prohibition on cat declawing when it is not medically necessary. California now joins a growing number of cities and states to outlaw this practice. In 2003, the city of West Hollywood passed the nation’s first legislation to ban cat declawing, with seven other California cities following suit. New York then became the first state in the U.S. to enact the ban on this inhumane practice in 2019. Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Massachusetts have also passed bans. Globally, dozens of countries including Australia, New Zealand, the U.K. and Switzerland have all banned cat declawing.

A YIMBY Democratic socialist, Alex Lee is one of the most progressive members of the California legislature. During his tenure, he has been a strong supporter of legislation to increase housing, in particular social housing. (He is only 30 years old!)