AS A SELF-PROFESSED crazy cat lady, my heart sank when I saw an article titled “This kitten was found in Everett wearing a strawberry dress. Is it yours?” accompanied by an image of said kitten on Facebook. When I saw that someone had commented that the kitten had been reunited with its family, I breathed a sigh of relief. I immediately felt that relief twist into nausea when I clicked on the article and saw “… the kitten is about 3 months old and is declawed.” 

This should not have been shocking, as it’s estimated about one in four owned cats are declawed in the United States. Still, there was something jarring about seeing a cute, obviously well-loved kitten that had been subjected to such a cruel practice. 

Onychectomy, the declawing procedure, is the surgical amputation of all or part of a cat’s third phalanges (toe bones) and the attached claws. Owners typically declaw their cats to prevent the scratching of both furniture and people. However, they are often unaware of the pain and distress that they are inflicting on their pet. 

Some veterinary hospitals will compare an onychectomy to the removal of toenails, but, as mentioned earlier, it is the amputation of the cat’s bone. The Humane Society compares it to cutting off one’s finger at the last knuckle. Possible complications include chronic pain, infection, necrosis, lameness, increased risk of biting, and chronic stress responses like inappropriate urination and chronic respiratory infections. 

Complications aside, there is something deeply disturbing about removing something so central to a cat’s life and means of expression. Cats use their claws to stretch, to climb, to play, and to knead on soft things when they are happy. Is it fair for us to take something so crucial from them? The answer is no. Keeping the couch free of scratch marks is not worth diminishing a cat’s quality of life.

I do not intend to shame cat owners who have declawed their cats, as it seems like many have been deceived into believing the procedure is harmless by their veterinarians. Rather, I wish to shine a light on the cruelty of this procedure, which is uncommon outside of the United States and Canada and is broadly regarded as unethical. 

The good news is that momentum has been building to outlaw the practice of declawing cats. New York passed a comprehensive ban in 2019 and was joined by Maryland in 2022. Dozens of American cities have also outlawed the practice.

In January, the Massachusetts Senate unanimously passed a bill prohibiting inhumane feline declawing. It is now being considered by the Massachusetts House of Representatives. If passed, the legislation would prohibit declawing and similar procedures from being performed on cats, except in cases of medical necessity as determined by a licensed veterinarian. 

Massachusetts has a long history of animal welfare, which began in December 1641 when the Massachusetts General Court included in the state’s legal code a prohibition of “any Tirranny or Crueltie toward any bruite Creature which are usuallie kept for man’s use.”

In 1835, Massachusetts became the second state to pass a law against animal cruelty. If the House passes the feline declawing bill, we will continue to lead the way in our commitment to the ethical treatment toward our furry counterparts. 

My housemates and I love seeing our cats stretch their paws above their heads, extending their claws and raking them along the scratching post while we coo “Ooooh, good stretch!” Sometimes they scratch things they shouldn’t, but hey, they’re cats.

Anneke Butkus is an account executive at Slowey McManus Communications.