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​California residents: protect cats' claws 

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Prohibit Declawing in the State of California

Update (Aug 31, 2022): The most recent attempt, bill AB2606, died on the Senate floor. Continue to contact your representatives about the importance of a state ban on declawing!

Update (June 8, 2022): The bill must now pass the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee. 

​The declawing procedure can lead to lifelong injuries and behavioral issues in cats. It involves removing the first joint of the cat’s toe, equivalent to amputating the tip of a person's finger from the first knuckle on. Cats can suffer from symptoms such as chronic foot pain, infection, arthritis and difficulty walking.

Owners may declaw their cats in an attempt to prevent unwanted scratching, but sometimes the declaw procedure will actually cause new problem behaviors to occur. Declawed cats are more likely to urinate outside of the litter box because the litter has become painful to walk on; declawed cats may be more likely to bite because they can no longer use their paws and claws for protection. Further, scratching is a natural cat behavior that helps them exercise and tone their muscles.


Proponents of declawing will claim that the practice keeps cats in homes. However, data from U.S. cities that have banned declawing shows a decline in the number of relinquished cats since the bans were enacted. Declawing can bring about problems, such as litter-box issues and pain-induced aggression, that may actually make an owner more likely to relinquish their cat.

Effective and humane alternatives to the declaw procedure exist. Please show your support for AB 2606 by contacting Chairperson Roth by mailed letter to the address below, or by Email via this link.
**Use this sample letter to tell the committee to support AB 2606. Include a personal note to increase your impact:
​Subject: Prohibit Declawing, Please Vote to Pass AB-2606

The Honorable Richard Roth
Chair, Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee
California State Senate
1021 O Street
Suite 7510
Sacramento, CA 95814-4900

As a compassionate and concerned citizen, I urge you to pass AB-2606, which would ban the painful procedure of declawing cats in the state of California. The declaw procedure is actually the amputation of the last joints of a cat’s toes; it creates lifelong damage that cannot be reversed.

A cat’s claws are essential; they’re used as a means of protection and defense and the grip they provide allows cats to stretch and strengthen muscles. Cats use their paws in many ways, from grooming to leaving their scent, and any pain from declawing can disrupt these natural behaviors.

Declawing does not address unwanted scratching behavior and in fact can cause additional behavioral problems due to chronic pain and trauma. A cat who experiences paw pain may exhibit litter box avoidance, and cats who lack claws may use their teeth more in nervous situations. Thankfully, there are many alternatives to declawing; scratching posts, nail caps and trims, spray deterrents and positive behavior modification are all ways to minimize problem scratching.

Eight cities, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, have already banned declawing. The state of California should join New York, Maryland, the numerous countries around the world and almost every Canadian province, which have already banned this unnecessary and ineffective procedure.

​Please protect cats’ claws by voting in support of AB-2606.
 
Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your address]
[Your city, state, zip]
[Your email address]
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  • Home
    • About >
      • Mission
      • Our Team
      • Board of Directors
      • Financial Information
      • Email Sign-up
    • ACR in the Press
    • ACR Publications >
      • Newsletters
      • Blog
      • Press Releases
      • National Surveys
    • Adoptions >
      • Adoption Application
      • Cats available for adoption
      • New Cat Checklist
      • Introducing A New Cat
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Contact Us
    • Partners
  • Action Alerts
    • Spay Neuter Pledge
    • No Declaw Pledge
    • Campaigns >
      • TNR Support Letter
      • The Feral Fix
      • Working Cats Program >
        • Shelters with Working Cat Programs
      • End Deadly Eradication Methods
      • "Fix the Family"
  • Spay/Neuter
    • Early Age Spay/Neuter
    • Misconceptions About Spay/Neuter
    • State Low Cost Spay/Neuter
  • How to Help Community Cats
    • Find a Stray Cat?
    • What is a Feral Cat? >
      • Feral vs. Stray Cats
      • Benefits of Feral Cats
    • TNR-- What does this mean? >
      • TNR Statistics
      • TNR Step-by-Step
      • Targeted Trapping
      • TNR Tips
      • Hard to Catch Cats
      • TNR Equipment Loan Resources
      • Where to Buy TNR Equipment
      • TNR/Community Cat Care Financial Resources
      • Helping Shelters Implement TNR Programs
      • Common Complaints
    • Providing Shelter
    • CAT Action Teams: TNR Groups by State
    • Health Care
    • Cat Overpopulation
    • Relocation
    • Feral Kittens >
      • What to do if you find kittens
      • Stages of Kitten Development
      • Orphaned Kittens
      • Socializing Feral Kittens
      • Fostering Kittens
    • How Rescuers Can Effectively Adopt Out Cats >
      • Adopting Adult Feral Cats
    • Winter Tips for Protecting Cats
    • Summer Tips for Cats
    • Feral Cats and the Law
    • Cats and Wildlife >
      • Cats and Predation
      • Where have all the birds gone?
      • Debunking the Myths and Misinformation: Cat Predation
      • Why Eradication Methods Fail
    • Handbook Download
  • Cat Health & Supplies
    • Health Care for Your Cat >
      • Vaccines
      • Wellness Vet Checkups
      • Microchiping
      • Nail Trimmings
      • Effects of aging
      • Hospice Care and Euthanasia Decisions
      • Financial Assistance
      • How to Prepare for an Emergency
    • FIP, FeLV, FIV >
      • Testing for FeLV/FIV
    • Common Cat Health Issues >
      • Feline Panleukopenia
      • Fleas
      • Zoonotic Diseases
      • Rabies
      • Toxoplasmosis
      • Ringworm - Symptoms and Treatment
      • Ringworm Myths Debunked
      • Obesity in Cats
      • Diabetes
      • Indoor/Outdoor Cats
    • Cats & Claws
    • Animal Cruelty Against Cats
    • Hazardous Poisons
    • Poisonous Plants
    • Cats and COVID-19
    • Cat Supplies
    • Pet Food Banks
    • Pet Disaster Preparedness
  • Cat Behavior
    • Solutions to Prevent Surrendering your cat >
      • Rehoming
    • Common Cat Behavior Issues >
      • Litter Box Problems
      • Scratching and Destructive Behavior
      • Aggressive Cats >
        • Cat on Cat Aggression
      • Meowing and Yowling
      • Urine Marking
      • Behavior Issues in Elderly Cats
    • Introducing Cats
    • Cat Enrichment
    • Tips for Entertaining an Indoor Cat
    • Cat Supply Resources
    • Lost Cat
  • African Wildcats
    • AWC Conservation Projects
    • Press Release on African Wildcat Campaign
    • Differences between AWCs and domestic cats
  • Donate
  • Store