Declawing a cat in Missouri is legal under state law, but two of the state’s largest jurisdictions have banned the elective procedure. If you live in the City of St. Louis or St. Louis County, you cannot have a cat declawed unless a veterinarian determines it is medically necessary. Everywhere else in Missouri, the procedure remains legal and available.
Where Declawing Is Banned in Missouri
The City of St. Louis passed its ban in 2019, becoming one of the first Midwestern cities to prohibit non-therapeutic declawing. St. Louis County followed in April 2021 with Bill 69, extending a similar ban across the county. Both ordinances carve out an exception for procedures a veterinarian finds medically necessary for the cat’s health. Repeat violations of the county ordinance carry fines of up to $1,000.
No other Missouri city or county has enacted a declawing ban. If you live outside those two jurisdictions, any licensed veterinarian willing to perform the procedure can legally do so.
What State Law Says
No Missouri statute mentions declawing. The state’s animal cruelty law makes it an offense to purposely cause injury or suffering to an animal, but it does not name declawing or any other specific veterinary procedure.1Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Revised Statutes of Missouri, RSMo Section 578.012 Prosecutors have not treated declawing performed by a licensed veterinarian under anesthesia as animal abuse.
The Missouri Veterinary Medical Practice Act in Chapter 340 governs how veterinarians practice but does not prohibit any specific elective surgery.2Missouri Veterinary Medical Board. Missouri Code Chapter 340 – Veterinary Medical Practice Act A veterinarian who follows professional standards can legally declaw a cat anywhere in Missouri that has no local ordinance against it.
Could the Law Change
After the St. Louis bans passed, Missouri lawmakers introduced legislation that would have overridden local declawing ordinances and blocked cities and counties from restricting the procedure. Animal welfare advocates and veterinary organizations opposed the effort, and as of early 2025 no preemption bill has been signed into law. The St. Louis City and County bans remain in effect.
The direction could shift either way in a future session. A preemption bill could undo the local bans, or a statewide prohibition could extend a ban across all of Missouri. Five states currently prohibit elective declawing statewide: New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Virginia. Missouri is not among them.
What Declawing Actually Is
Declawing, called onychectomy, is not a nail trim or a simple claw removal. The procedure amputates the last bone of each toe. A congressional resolution on the practice describes it as the surgical removal of a cat’s third phalanges and claws.3Congress.gov. H. Res. 985 – Expressing Opposition to the Use of Onychectomy for Elective Surgery in Cats The closest human comparison is cutting off each finger at the last knuckle. Removing the full third phalanx is what prevents the claw from growing back.
A related procedure, tendonectomy, cuts the tendons in each toe so the cat can no longer extend its claws while leaving the bone and claw intact. The same congressional resolution treats both procedures as forms of declawing because both disable normal claw function.3Congress.gov. H. Res. 985 – Expressing Opposition to the Use of Onychectomy for Elective Surgery in Cats
Health and Behavioral Risks
Studies suggest roughly one in three declawed cats develops at least one behavioral problem after the surgery. The two most common are litter box avoidance and increased biting.
Cats dig and cover waste with their paws, and pressure on amputated toes can stay painful long after the surgical wounds heal. Many declawed cats begin eliminating outside the box because they associate the litter with discomfort. That is one of the top reasons declawed cats end up in shelters.
Biting tends to increase because the cat has lost its primary defense. A cat that would have swiped as a warning may skip straight to biting, and cat bites carry a higher infection risk than scratches. Declawed cats can also become more anxious or aggressive toward other animals in the home.
Chronic pain is the less visible consequence. Nerve damage, lameness, and permanent disability are all documented complications, and some cats need lifelong pain management.
Alternatives Worth Trying First
If your cat is scratching furniture or people, several approaches work without surgery. Most veterinary professionals now recommend trying these before considering declawing.
- Scratching posts and pads. Vertical posts, horizontal pads, and angled scratchers made of sisal or cardboard give cats a sanctioned outlet. Place them near wherever the cat already prefers to scratch.
- Regular nail trims. Trimming the sharp tip of each claw every two to three weeks sharply reduces damage.
- Nail caps. Small plastic covers glued onto each claw prevent scratching damage while the cat keeps full use of its paws. They need replacement every four to six weeks as the claws grow out.
- Deterrents. Double-sided tape, aluminum foil, or commercial sprays on off-limits surfaces discourage scratching there. Cats dislike sticky or crinkly textures under their paws.
- Environmental enrichment. Cat trees, window perches, interactive toys, and daily play sessions that mimic hunting can redirect the energy behind destructive scratching.
If scratching stays severe after these changes, a veterinarian or certified animal behaviorist can evaluate whether anxiety is driving it. That consultation costs far less than surgery and avoids the risks that come with permanent amputation.