Downers Grove, Illinois Passes Ordinance Prohibiting Cat Declawing

Contact: media@aldf.org

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. — This week, the Downers Grove Village Council passed an ordinance, which is supported by the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), to prohibit the declawing of cats. Cat declawing is an invasive surgical operation that is akin to cutting off the last knuckle of a human finger. Declawing can cause lifelong medical issues for cats, including permanent disability, nerve damage, chronic back pain, and lameness. 

“Cats’ claws are essential to their overall health, and declawing — which is only medically necessary in rare circumstances — can cause chronic injury and lifelong pain,” said ALDF Strategic Legislative Affairs Manager Alicia Prygoski. “We are grateful to the Downers Grove Village Council for protecting cats by prohibiting cruel cat declaw surgeries.” 

“A cat’s health and well-being should not be jeopardized for owner convenience, especially when so many humane alternatives to safely control scratching exist” said Downers Grove Commissioner Sadowski-Fugitt. “Declawing is an outdated, cruel practice that has no place in our community.” 

Declawing can cause many adverse behavioral effects in cats because it removes their ability to use their claws to scratch, stretch, and mark territory. Issues with litterbox use and inappropriate marking are common in declawed cats, and some declawed cats resort to biting — which can lead to infection in humans — to defend themselves because they no longer can with their claws. All these behavioral issues can make it more likely that cats are surrendered to shelters. There are many humane alternatives to control scratching behavior, including regular nail trims, scratching posts, and behavioral training.   

In June 2024, ALDF released poll results revealing 70 percent of veterinary professionals oppose cat declawing. The poll also found that half of the veterinarians interviewed report that their practice does not perform any declawing procedures due to policy or no veterinarians willing to perform the procedure.  

Currently New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C., in addition to several other municipalities nationwide have already banned declawing cats with narrow exceptions for a cat’s health, and Virginia has banned the procedure with limited exemptions.