New York has become the first U.S. state to ban the declawing of cats statewide.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed a bill into law on Monday that outlaws the procedure and imposes a $1,000 fine on veterinarians who perform it. Declawing will still be legal in any case where its medically necessary for the cat.

Declawing is a misleading term, because the operation does not simply remove a cats claws. Because cat claws are attached to bones in their paws, declawing actually involves amputating the first knuckle of a cats toes.

Declawing can lead to chronic pain, as cats have to adjust to walking on their surgically altered feet. The procedure is already prohibited in multiple European countries and some U.S. cities and towns, including Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Cat declawing is a horrific yet often-practiced surgery that leads to a lifetime of pain and discomfort for thousands of cats, Democratic Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal of Manhattan, the bills sponsor, told NPR prior to it being signed into law.