Why is declawing cats not illegal?

Many veterinarians in the U.S. and abroad absolutely refuse to declaw cats. In fact, in Germany and some other parts of Europe, declawing is illegal. Without their claws, cats are virtually defenseless, and this can lead to neurosis and even skin and bladder problems.

Why is declawing a cat legal?

In North America, declawing is commonly performed on cats to prevent damage to household possessions by scratching and to prevent scratching of people. Laws have been passed in California (2012) and Rhode Island (2013) that ban landlords from requiring the declawing cats as a condition of occupancy.

Is declawing illegal in any states?

In the United States, declawing is outlawed in Austin, Denver, the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County, Pittsburgh, and Madison. It is also outlawed eight California cities: West Hollywood, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Berkeley, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Santa Monica, and Burbank.

Is it illegal to declaw in the US?

New York became the first state in the nation to pass a ban on elective cat declaw surgery in 2019, and Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver and St. Louis have passed similar bans in recent years. More than 20 countries, including England, Germany, Spain, Australia and New Zealand, have also long banned the practice.

What is laser declawing?

Laser declawing is a relatively new procedure for removing the third knuckles and claws from cats. It offers many benefits over traditional declawing, including less bleeding and a reduced chance of infection.

Is it OK to declaw a kitten?

Typically, our veterinarians suggest you declaw your cat at spay or neuter time. For many cats, that’s around 5 or 6 months of age. If your kitten is already spayed or neutered, we may perform the declaw surgery earlier. We do not recommend declawing older cats.

Where in the USA is it illegal to declaw a cat?

Cat Declawing is legal in the state of California, USA except for in eight cities where it is banned. The cities where cat declawing is banned are as follows: West Hollywood. Santa Monica. San Francisco. Beverly Hills. Los Angeles.

Is it ethical to declaw a cat?

The Ethics Of Declawing. For most people the real issue is not whether it is ethical to declaw a cat, the real issue is whether they are going to spend the time and energy to seek alternatives. For many people a cat is an accessory to their lifestyle or a concession to one of their children.

What are some alternatives to declawing a cat?

Some of the more prevalent alternatives to declawing cats are: Behavioral Training: This is a much more effective alternative for kittens than adult cats, and involves redirecting a misbehaving cat to a toy or scratching post.

Should declawing cats be against the law?

It is against the law in many countries including England, Germany and Switzerland. Without their number one defense system many declawed cats resort to nipping or biting with very little warning. They often use oral means to express their insecurity and this may also result in destructive chewing problems.