MI HB5209

Prohibits licensed veterinarians from performing declawing procedures on cats, including onychectomy (claw removal), partial or complete phalangectomy (toe bone removal), tendonectomy, or any surgical procedure preventing normal claw, toe, or paw function

Allows exceptions only when procedures are medically necessary to address a "therapeutic purpose" such as existing or recurring illness, infection, disease, injury, or abnormal claw conditions compromising the cat's health

Explicitly excludes cosmetic, aesthetic, or convenience reasons from qualifying as therapeutic purposes that would permit declawing

Applies to domestic cats (Felis catus) and hybrid breeds including savannah cats, Bengal cats, Maine coons, Serengeti cats, and chausies