It is now illegal to declaw a cat in California, a practice that lawmakers and animal advocates argue is inhumane. The ban bars veterinarians from performing the procedure, which involves amputating the first bone in each of a cat’s toes or severing its tendons so that it can’t extend its claws. California joins New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC, which all have declawing bans in place. While most owners don’t declaw their cats, the practice has been used by some to prevent the animal from scratching people, furniture and other pets. The practice has fallen out of favor among veterinarians and pet owners in recent years. The nation’s largest veterinary provider, Mars Veterinary Health, said feline scratching and nail sharpening are normal behaviors and the removal of nails has been shown to lead to chronic pain and, in some cases, long-term behavioral issues. A recent survey of veterinarians showed than 80% of veterinarians no longer declaw cats. What they recommend is soft nail caps — small pieces of flexible plastic that fit over the cat’s nails. Most applications last 4-6 weeks, falling off as the cat’s nails grow out.
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| Nail Caps |
