"YOU are the issue": Riley Gaines compares declawing a cat with surgically removing a 13-year-old's breasts

American conservative political activist Riley Gaines recently compared California's ban on cat declawing, which takes effect January 1, with medical procedures available to minors, sparking debate online.

Gaines took to her X account on December 26, 2025, to voice her opinion, writing:

"Effective January 1st in California, it's illegal to declaw a cat because it's inhumane and causes chronic pain. Yet a 13-yr-old girl can go to the doctor to surgically remove her healthy breasts. If you don't see the issue here, then YOU are the issue."

Effective January 1st in California, it's illegal to declaw a cat because it's inhumane and causes chronic pain.

Yet a 13-yr-old girl can go to the doctor to surgically remove her healthy breasts.

If you don't see the issue here, then YOU are the issue.

— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) December 25, 2025

The comment section of the post quickly filled with mixed reactions, with some users expressing support for Gaines' comparison and others pushing back against it.

"Both should be outlawed in my opinion," wrote one user.

"I do see the issue here and it's Ok to be happy that declawing a cat will be illegal and at the same time be repulsed and outraged over the fact that 13 year old girls can get their breasts removed," commented another user.

"No other way to describe it. It’s evil," another user stated.

"I’m glad it’s illegal to do that to cats in California. It’s cruel and it should be illegal everywhere. Mutilating children should be illegal too," another user said.

Meanwhile, others questioned the comparison itself and challenged Gaines' framing.

"How are these two issues related? And even if they are, why must one wait on the other to be resolved?" one user said.

"Make it make sense," another user wrote.

"Comparing declawing a cat to gender-affirming care for a minor is… not how ethics work. One is animal welfare, the other is medical care under supervision. Apples ≠ oranges," another user commented.

Declawing cats banned except for medical reasons

According to the US Sun, under California's AB 867, effective January 1, 2026, cat declawing is banned except when medically necessary.

"When taking away all that padding, you’re making the area substantially more sensitive because there’s not as much for them to walk on. They can get more uncomfortable and painful if they’re using their paws to try to play with things, move around, jump around etc," Tyler Baum, worker at the Sacramento vet hospital, said.

In January 2025, Massachusetts made it illegal to declaw cats. People who break the law can be fined $2,500, and veterinarians who perform the procedures despite the ban may face professional penalties. A similar ban on cat declawing already exists in New York and Maryland, per the outlet.

In other news, former swimmer Riley Gaines revealed that she and her husband, Louis Barker, welcomed their first child in September.

"there's nothing that could've prepared me for a love like this. God has blessed us beyond belief. welcome to the world, sweet Margot 🩷🧸🎀" the couple wrote in a joint Instagram post dated October 3.

Gaines shared the news of her pregnancy in June, revealing her baby bump.

Following the announcement, she confirmed the news on Instagram on June 15, writing:

"surprise! we're 26 weeks pregnant! God is SO good all the time."

Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Riley Gaines began dating Barker in 2019 and tied the knot in May 2022.