Rhode Island Residents: Help Stop Declawing

This action is ONLY for residents of Rhode Island.

Update: May 3, 2019

Thanks to everyone who took action on this bill. Unfortunately, it has been held for further study. We hope this declawing prohibition will move forward in Rhode Island next legislative session.

Original Message:

The Rhode Island House Committee on Health, Education, and Welfare will consider an important bill to ban the declawing of cats on Wednesday, Feb. 27. Please testify in person or send a message to your legislator to support House Bill 5073, which would prohibit declaw surgery throughout the state.

Declaw surgery is far from a nail trim; it is the surgical amputation of the last joints of a cat’s toes. Declawing is traumatic to cats and can cause permanent damage and chronic pain. Without their claws, cats can have trouble walking and balancing. Discomfort in their feet may cause them to avoid using the litter box. Also, because they may feel unsafe without their natural protection, declawed cats are more likely to bite. These are some of the most common reasons that owners relinquish their cats to animal shelters, where most cats are killed.

Declawing is often done to address unwanted scratching behavior. However, many humane and affordable alternatives are widely available such as scratching posts, vinyl nail covers, and deterrent spray.

Ask your legislators to support HB 5073 and make Rhode Island the first state in the nation to ban declawing.