Maryland would become second state to ban cat declawing under a bill General Assembly passed Monday

Maryland appears set to become the second state to ban declawing of cats, something animal welfare advocates consider a “barbaric” practice. Critics say declawing is already rare, though, and that the measure would infringe on the judgment of veterinarians. The General Assembly approved a bill Monday that would outlaw any procedure removing a portion of a cat’s claws or paws, except in the case of a medical condition compromising the animal’s well-being. It would not affect practices to file or trim cat claws.