Evanston, IL Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

City Code Section 9-4-22, adopted by Ordinance No. 86-O-24 on December 9, 2024, prohibits performing a declawing by any means on a cat within the City of Evanston unless the procedure is necessary for a therapeutic purpose, and even a therapeutic declawing may only be performed by a licensed veterinarian. The Section defines declawing procedure broadly to cover an onychectomy, meaning a procedure in which part of a cat's paw is amputated to remove or disable a claw, a partial or complete phalangectomy excising some or all of the toe bones, a partial digital amputation, a tendonectomy cutting or modifying the tendons so claws can't function normally, or any other procedure altering a cat's toes, claws or paws to stop them from working normally. Trimming a claw husk that is already nonviable, or fitting temporary nail caps, does not count as declawing and stays legal.

Therapeutic purpose is defined narrowly too: it means a licensed veterinarian has determined the procedure is medically necessary to address an existing or recurring infection, disease, injury or abnormal condition of the claw, nail bed or toe bone that jeopardizes the cat's physical health. The Code is explicit that convenience or cosmetic reasons, such as making a cat easier to handle or keep, do not qualify as therapeutic, no matter who performs the procedure.