Washington and Pennsylvania Advance New Cat Declawing Ban Legislation

Momentum behind statewide cat declawing bans is continuing to build in 2026. Following California's ban taking effect in January, advocacy groups including Alley Cat Allies are actively pushing Washington state legislation that would make it the eighth state to prohibit the elective procedure, building on what the organization describes as momentum from bans passed in California, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.

Pennsylvania also has a statewide ban bill in active legislative consideration, which would extend protection across the entire state rather than the current patchwork of individual city bans that includes Pittsburgh and Allentown.

Supporters cite a 2018 peer-reviewed study examining British Columbia's earlier declawing ban, which concluded that the legislation did not increase the risk of shelter relinquishment for destructive behavior or overall, and was unlikely to meaningfully affect euthanasia rates or shelter length of stay — directly countering a common argument used by ban opponents.

At least 42 countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, and Switzerland, already prohibit cat declawing outright, and advocates argue the U.S. patchwork of state and city-level bans is converging toward similar national norms over time.

Sources

• Alley Cat Allies — Washington: Ban Cat Declawing Once and For All in 2026
• Bestie Paws Hospital — Cat Declawing