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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)
Source: Animal Legal Defense Fund (2025)
Notes
DC enacted ban in 2023; Illinois legislation pending but not yet enacted
Animal Legal Defense Fund. (2025). Laws Banning Cat Declawing. As cited in Cat Cognition. https://catcognition.com/statistics/behavior/#us-declawing-states-banned-2025
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)
70%
70% of veterinary professionals oppose cat declawing, with 50% reporting their practice no longer performs the procedure
Animal Legal Defense Fund (2024)
20-25%
An estimated 20-25% of pet cats in the US have been declawed, though the practice is declining
Various veterinary sources (2024)
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)
