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California Bans Cat Declawing

Lisa Selvaggio
by Lisa Selvaggio
Published:  October 27th, 2025

More and more cities and states throughout the United States are banning cat declawing, and California is one of the latest. Governor Newsom signed AB 867, a law that has now made declawing a cat illegal in the state, unless it is medically necessary for the cat’s health.

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West Hollywood was the first city in California to ban the declawing of cats back in 2003. Since then, seven other cities in California had done the same, but now it isn’t allowed in any part of the entire state.


Declawing Is a Serious Procedure That Comes with Risks


It’s important for pet parents to understand that declawing is a surgery during which the bones of the toes are amputated. Think of it like having the tips of your fingers amputated at the last joint (you can see an illustration here).


Another method severs the tendons controlling the claws, rendering a kitty unable to use their claws even though they still have them.


Both of these cruel and unnecessary procedures can cause serious side effects and long-term complications, such as pain and behavioral changes.    


Alternatives to Cat Declawing


Sharing your home with a cat requires understanding their needs to stretch and scratch. To save your furniture, purchase a variety of scratching posts that your kitty will want to use. Also, trim your feline’s claws with high-quality cat nail clippers on a regular basis to keep them from getting too sharp. You can even use positive reinforcement training methods to teach your kitty where they can scratch and where they shouldn’t.


Many animal welfare groups and pet parents are happy to learn that California has banned medically unnecessary declawing—now let’s see which states will follow suit. Hopefully someday soon, the entire U.S. will do as so many other countries have already done and will no longer allow cat declawing for non-medical reasons.


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Lisa Selvaggio
Lisa Selvaggio

Lisa Selvaggio is a freelance writer and editor, and our resident cats-pert, with certifications in pet nutrition and pet first aid. She enjoys producing content that helps people understand animals better so they can give their pets a safe and happy home.

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