State lawmakers on Tuesday approved a bill that would ban the declawing of cats in New York.

The measure now goes to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s desk for his consideration.

“Cat declawing is a brutal procedure similar to severing a human finger at the first knuckle and has lifelong ramifications for cats,” said Sen. Mike Gianaris. “I am proud of the Senate’s emphasis on animal welfare and I am pleased we passed this important proposal.”

The measure has long been proposed in Albany and was approved as part of animal advocacy day at the Capitol. New Jersey lawmakers approved a similar bill earlier this year.

“Cat declawing is a horrific, yet often-practiced surgery that leads to a lifetime of pain and discomfort for thousands of cats. Today though, every cat and kitten in New York State lands on its feet as we prepare to make New York the best state for cats to live in the United States,” said Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal. “I want to thank the advocates and my colleagues who together with me have fought to see this bill become law since 2015. I look forward to it being signed into law.”