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An estimated 20-25% of pet cats in the US have been declawed, though the practice is declining
Source: Various veterinary sources (2024)
Notes
Declawed cats 3x more likely to have back pain due to altered gait
Veterinary Declawing Studies. (2024). Veterinary Declawing Studies. As cited in Cat Cognition. https://catcognition.com/statistics/behavior/#us-cats-declawed-percentage
6 states + DC
Six US states plus DC have banned cat declawing as of late 2025: New York (2019), Maryland (2022), Virginia (2024), Massachusetts (2025), Rhode Island (2025), California (2025)
Animal Legal Defense Fund (2025)
70%
70% of veterinary professionals oppose cat declawing, with 50% reporting their practice no longer performs the procedure
Animal Legal Defense Fund (2024)
57%
57% of US and Canadian cat owners keep their cats exclusively indoors, while 43% provide some form of outdoor access
Frontiers in Veterinary Science (2021)
21%
Of cats with outdoor access, 21% have uncontrolled access and 22% have controlled access via supervision, enclosures, or leashes
Frontiers in Veterinary Science (2021)
