Madison Common Council approves ban of elective cat declawing

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - The Madison Common Council approved a ban on elective cat declawing in its meeting Tuesday night, putting an end to the practice in the city.

A declawing procedure involves removing the last bone of each of the cat’s toes, which Madison Alder Lindsay Lemmer compared to severing the human finger at the first knuckle.

The Common Council voted unanimously in favor of the ban.

Lemmer, who was a sponsor on the proposal, called the act of declawing a “cruel and outdated procedure.”

“Today, every cat in Madison lands on its feet as we set an example for the rest of the state and join the numerous cities throughout the country that have already banned this archaic practice,” Lemmer said.

Madison Cat Project, a local cat rescue, also favored the ban. The rescue’s executive director, Colin Steinke, noted cities like Los Angeles, Denver and San Francisco have already banned declawing of cats, in addition to the entire state of New York.

“We are ecstatic,” Steinke said. “This is a big step forward toward a better world for cats, and to see Madison take this step to join the other cities and states who have done so before us is really exciting.”

The Council’s next meeting is Jan. 4.

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