The Rhode Island Senate voted Tuesday to ban the declawing of cats, a procedure that removes the final bone of each of the cat’s toes. The bill now moves to the state House for consideration.
A declawed cat may lick its furniture more frequently, but research has shown that the procedure can also cause infection, nerve damage, lameness and back pain. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says the prevalence of declawing is linked to a rise in aggressive and destructive behaviors among cats.
“Declawing is painful, unnecessary and inhumane. It’s no way to treat any pet,” said Sen. Melissa Murray, who sponsored the bill. “Fortunately, there has been growing awareness of the risks and cruelty of declawing. Our state must recognize that declawing is animal abuse and prohibit it altogether.”
Declawing is not considered a medical treatment and there are simpler and safer alternatives, such as scratching posts, for dealing with scratching behavior. In addition, landlords in Rhode Island are already prohibited from requiring tenants to declaw their cats.
At least 38 countries already ban declawing. New York and Maryland have passed statewide bans, and numerous cities around the country have adopted their own local bans. A similar bill to the one approved by the Rhode Island Senate passed unanimously in January in Massachusetts.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
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