Michigan Lawmakers Decide On Cat Declawing

For centuries, Humans have been domesticating animals and making them into household pets, the most common are cats, dogs, fish, birds, etc but obviously, dogs and cats are far above the rest. We often see the owners modify these animals to make them more home or family-friendly, in some cases it's the right thing to do, in others it's a little troublesome.

The most common modification we see is a spade/neuter/fix operation which depends on what kind and gender of your pet. Still, essentially it removes their reproductive organs so they can't reproduce. The other would be clipped ears or declawing which makes an animal look more dangerous(ear clipping) or removes their chance at protection (declawing). Lawmakers are looking to make some changes in Michigan regarding declawing.

Michigan State Representative Jimmie Wilson Jr of Ypsilanti sponsored House Bill 4674 which was introduced on May 25th, which would make declawing a cat outside of medical necessity illegal. If state legislators follow through and vote this bill into law, Michigan would become only the third state in the country to ban cat declawing.

Lawmakers cite that any surgical procedure that prevents or limits the normal function of a cat's claws, toes, or paws would be banned unless it was performed to address a therapeutic purpose. If the ban is passed this would not include cosmetic or aesthetic means for declawing such as protecting from damaged furniture or any scratches.

So, if you're someone who wants a cat without all the claw problems either purchase or adopt a cat that is already declawed or go about getting a cat declawed as soon as possible or it'll be too late. The wording in the bill states that the painful procedure removes the last bone of a cat toe, in which the nail grows. They are asking that the Humane Society look into scratching posts, weekly nail trims, and nail caps instead.

So far, this bill is following the other declawing bills that have been proposed to Michigan legislators. A declaw ban has been proposed multiple times before, the most recent in 2020 but none were able to get enough traction. Currently, House Bill 4674 only has 13 Democratic sponsors and no Republican sponsors.