New York's state Legislature will consider a bill Tuesday to make declawing a cat illegal, NBC News reported.

While many cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Denver, have already banned declawing, New York would be the first state to do so.

ADVERTISEMENT

"New York prides itself on being first," said state Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal (D), the bill's sponsor, said according to NBC.

Rosenthal said she expects other states to follow New York's lead.

"This will have a domino effect," she said.

Veterinarians would still be able to perform the procedure for medical reasons, such as infection or injury. However, those who violate the ban could face $1,000 fines.

Animal welfare advocates have backed the bill, according to NBC. Such groups argue that declawing a cat is cruel given it involves the amputation of a cat's toes back to the first knuckle.

The New York State Veterinary Medical Society has opposed the bill, saying the procedure should be allowed as a last resort if cats won't stop scratching furniture or humans, or if its owner has a weakened immune system, which could increase the chance of infection from a scratch.

"Medical decisions should be left to the sound discretion of fully trained, licensed and state supervised professionals," the society said in a memo opposing the legislation, according to NBC.

The bill was introduced years ago, NBC noted, but has gained momentum among lawmakers. If New York's bill passes both the Senate and Assembly on Tuesday, it heads to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's (D) desk. Cuomo has not spoken publicly on the issue, NBC reported.