Cat Declawing Could Be Outlawed in Pennsylvania – Here’s Why It Matters
Published On: 9/16/2025
Last Updated On: 9/16/2025
By Callie, Seymour, Yebba, and Mama and our Hooman Ashley!
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😿 Imagine Losing Your Claws…
Picture this: someone takes away your fingers at the first knuckle. No scratching posts, no stretching your paws, no natural defenses. Sounds like a nightmare, right? For too many cats in Pennsylvania, this is reality.
But hope is on the horizon! New legislation could make cat declawing illegal in Pennsylvania—and as four rescue cats with all our claws intact, we couldn’t be more relieved.
🐱 What Declawing Really Means
Declawing isn’t a fancy manicure. It’s a surgical amputation that removes not just the nail, but the last bone of each toe. Painful, permanent, and completely unnecessary.
Why vets and advocates oppose declawing:
🚫 Causes lifelong pain and arthritis
🚫 Increases biting and litter box avoidance
🚫 Robs cats of natural behaviors like climbing and stretching
As Seymour puts it: “Declawing is like asking a cat to be a cat… without the cat.”
🏛️ What the PA Legislation Says
According to state lawmakers, this new bill would ban declawing across Pennsylvania except for rare medical reasons. Several U.S. states and cities (like New York and Denver) already have bans, and now PA could join the movement to protect paws.
🐾 Yebba’s take: “Finally, humans are realizing our claws aren’t the problem—your leather couch obsession is.”
Why This Matters in Berks County & Beyond
In our own backyard, too many cats face surrender or unnecessary surgery because of scratching. But the truth is, there are better solutions:
Sturdy scratching posts
Nail trims
Deterrent sprays and covers
Callie insists: “We’re not being destructive—we’re decorating!”
By banning declawing, Pennsylvania would send a powerful message: cats deserve respect, not mutilation.
What You Can Do Right Now
✍️ Support the bill by contacting your state representative
🐕🐈 Educate friends and family about what declawing really is
🐾 Provide scratching outlets for your cats instead of quick fixes
And while you’re learning, don’t forget to grab our freebie: 3 Cat Hair Hacks That Saved Our Couch —because loving your cats AND your furniture is totally possible.
🐾 Coming tomorrow on Stray Cat News
Mayoral campaign signs for Orange Cat and the incumbent, Berry, along the Somerville Community Path, curtosity of NBC 10 Bostom
🐾 Tomorrow: Cat Yoga at Columbia Animal Shelter – Event Recap
The mats were rolled out, the candles were lit… and then the cats took over. 🐈 From playful kittens chasing ponytails to adoptable cats curling up on laps mid-pose, Cat Yoga at Columbia Animal Shelter was equal parts zen and chaos (the best kind).
We’ll share our favorite moments, what it was like practicing yoga surrounded by adoptable cats, and how this unique event helps support the shelter’s mission. Spoiler: downward dog never looked so good when paired with upward cat. Stay tuned for the full recap tomorrow — your heart (and your stress levels) will thank you. 💜
