California Joins Growing List of States Banning Cat Declawing

California has become the seventh U.S. state to ban cat declawing for nonmedical reasons after Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 867 (AB 867) on October 9, 2025. The law prohibits declawing, tendonectomy, or any claw-removal procedures unless medically necessary, with violators facing fines or loss of Veterinary licenses. While supported by animal welfare advocates as a major ethical step, the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) and American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) opposed the bill, arguing that declawing decisions should remain under veterinarians’ professional discretion.

Declawing, which amputates the last bone of each toe, has been linked to chronic pain, infection, behavioral issues, and mobility problems. Animal organizations including the American Animal Hospital Association and Feline Veterinary Medical Association advocate for nonsurgical alternatives. With this legislation, California joins Illinois, New York, Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, along with several U.S. cities, in outlawing elective feline declawing.