Ricky Gervais Speaks Out Against Declawing Cats

Ricky Gervais has a message for New York State lawmakers: Ban all cat declawing.

Gervais is a longtime cat owner, as well as actor and animal advocate. Now, he and his current cat, Ollie, are teaming up with the Paw Project to advocate for a statewide ban on declawing cats.

"How could anyone in their right mind declaw a cat or a kitten?" Gervais wrote in a statement. "I could never imagine committing such an injustice to my beautiful moggy (cat) however many stair carpets or sofas she likes to ruin. New York is one of the greatest most progressive places in the world and I hope to see it at the forefront of the humane treatment of all animals."

Declawing is a procedure that removes all or part of the cat's toe bones, and while it used to be recommended for cats who would scratch things their owners didn't want them to scratch, nowadays many vets prefer behavioral modification techniques and other nonsurgical alternatives to declawing. As it involves removal of bones, it's understandably an often painful experience for the cat, and can cause both health and behavioral problems down the road.

To find out more about why you shouldn't declaw your cat, click here.