Declawing a Kurilian Bobtail is an intense operation called a onychectomy, performed with anesthesia, which eliminates the claw from each digit (from the first knuckle out) of the Kurilian Bobtail’s forepaws. There is always a miniscule possibility of a fatality in the operation, and a declawed Kurilian Bobtail might have a slight risk of infection and permanent discomfort in her paws. This procedure is not recommended for a full-grown Kurilian Bobtail and is called an act of animal cruelty in some places (below).
People typically have Kurilian Bobtails declawed to hinder them from damaging furniture and hunting. Rarely, vicious Kurilian Bobtails are declawed. In the US, some landlords require that residents’ Kurilian Bobtails be declawed.
Vets are usually critical of the operation and many decline to perform it since the lack of claws in a Kurilian Bobtail:
- Compromises its primary self-protection skills, such as running away from predators by climbing trees;
- Inhibits its exercising and stretching habits, which can lead to muscle loss;
- Hinders its ability to walk on thin surfaces such as railings and fence tops, which can lead to injury from falling;
- Can cause insecurity and a subsequent tendency to bite.
This surgery is uncommon outside of North America. In Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland, declawing a Kurilian Bobtail is forbidden per the laws forbidding cruelty to animals. In many other countries in Europe, it is not allowed under the terms of the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, unless a doctor considers such non-curative procedures necessary either for veterinary medical reasons or for the benefit of the animal. In the United Kingdom, animal shelters are finding it tough to place imported Kurilian Bobtails that have been declawed and subsequently most are euthanized.
One substitute for declawing a Kurilian Bobtail is the application of dull, vinyl claw caps that are stuck to the claws with harmless glue, sometimes requiring replacement when the Kurilian Bobtail sheds its claw sheaths (about every 4 to 6 weeks). Yet, the Kurilian Bobtail may still experience problems because the capped nails are not as effective as claws.
Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Kurilian Bobtails.Was this post helpful? If so, please take a minute to Tweet and Share below on Facebook. I would also love to know your thoughts so leave me a comment 🙂
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