Declawing a cat is inhumane and cruel. The surgery (called onychectomy) actually removes the last bone of each toe, which is equivalent to amputating each of our fingertips at the first knuckle. It also cuts tendons, nerves, and ligaments in the paws.  

Declaw surgery carries many risks. Complications include severe pain, bleeding/hemorrhage, lameness from infection and/or the laceration of the pawpads, nerve and tissue damage, gangrene, bone chips, painful regrowth of deformed claw (inside the paw), chronic back and joint pain, paw ischemia, necrosis, and abscess. (Read more at The Paw Project, an extremely well-researched/well-sourced site). And the effects aren't just physical: Many declawed cats urinate and defecate outside the litterbox because their paws hurt, and -- because their main defense is gone -- many resort to biting people. When they are eventually surrendered to shelters (which is often the case), these behavioral issues greatly reduce their chances of finding new homes.

Did you know that declawing is already illegal in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Monica, Berkeley, and Beverly Hills, and banned in countries that include England, Scotland, Wales, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Slovenia, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand? Let's become the first state in the U.S. to outlaw declawing by passing A.1297/S.5084. 

As someone who lives in a household of three humans and four cats, I know that there are plenty of ways to protect the furniture while keeping your cats happy and pain-free. There is simply no need to continue this cruel and painful mutilation of cats' paws.

IMPORTANT: In addition to signing this petition, please call your New York State Assemblymember and Senator (find them here!) and voice your support for the bill to ban declawing. It's so easy -- just give the staffer your name, tell him/her where you live, and say that because declawing is inhumane you support Bill S.5084 (when you call your state senator) and A.1297 (when you call your assemblymember). It's vital that the people who represent you know what you think!