The proposed bill, General Assembly Committee Bill No. 6267, aims to prohibit the declawing of cats, defined as any surgical procedure that removes or modifies a cat's claws, including onychectomy and tendonectomy. The bill specifies that declawing is not permissible unless performed for a "therapeutic purpose," which is defined as a medically necessary procedure to address health issues related to a cat's claws or paws. The bill establishes that any person who performs such procedures for non-therapeutic reasons will face civil penalties, starting at $500 for the first violation and escalating to $2,500 for subsequent violations.

The bill will take effect on October 1, 2025, and will be enforced by the Department of Public Health, the Department of Agriculture, and local municipalities. The language of the bill includes new definitions for terms related to cat declawing and outlines the penalties for violations, thereby reinforcing the intent to protect the welfare of cats by prohibiting unnecessary surgical alterations to their claws.