Last week, state senator Carolyn Comitta issued a memorandum announcing that she was going to introduce a bill to ban declawing in Pennsylvania, as a companion bill to HB508 in the state house. Declawing is already illegal in some communities, including Allentown and Pittsburgh.

Once considered standard practice for housepets, declawing has become steadily less popular over the past several decades, in part due to increased awareness of what declawing actually entails (hint: it is not just a kind of enhanced nail trimming).

Read Pennsylvania House Bill 508.

The practice of cat declawing has a history dating back several decades. It became more common in the mid-20th century as a means to prevent cats from damaging furniture and to address scratching-related issues in households. The procedure gained popularity, especially in North America, during the 1950s and 1960s.

Initially, the procedure was promoted as a solution to protect furniture and prevent scratching-related injuries to humans. However, over the years, concerns about the ethics and potential negative consequences of declawing have led to increased scrutiny and changing perspectives.

The procedure has faced criticism from animal welfare organizations, veterinarians, and advocates who argue that it is a painful and unnecessary surgery that can lead to behavioral and physical problems in cats. As a result, some jurisdictions and professional veterinary associations have taken steps to discourage or restrict the practice, emphasizing the importance of alternatives such as regular nail trimming, providing scratching posts, and using soft nail caps.

In Pennsylvania, communities such as Allentown, Easton, Etna, and Pittsburgh have passed local laws to prohibit declaw procedures.