Declawing the Bombay is an intense procedure called a onychectomy, performed under anesthesia, that eliminates the claw from each finger (from the first knuckle out) of the Bombay’s forepaws. There is always a miniscule possibility of death in the operation, and a declawed Bombay may have an increased risk of infection and life-long displeasure in her paws. This procedure is not advised for an adult Bombay and is referred to as an act of animal cruelty in some countries (see below).
People generally have Bombays declawed to stop them from damaging furniture and hunting. Rarely, vicious Bombays are declawed. In America, some landlords demand that residents’ Bombays are declawed.
Animal doctors are typically negative about the operation and some decline to perform it because the lack of claws in a Bombay:
- Inhibits its main defense skills, like running away from predators by climbing trees;
- Inhibits its stretching and exercise routines, which can lead to muscle loss;
- Hinders its ability to balance on narrow surfaces such as fence tops and railings, which could lead to injury from falls;
- Can cause insecurity and a subsequent tendency to bite.
This surgery is rare outside of North America. In Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany and Finland, declawing a Bombay is forbidden by the statutes against cruelty to animals. In many other countries in Europe, it is illegal under the terms of the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, unless a vet deems such non-curative procedures necessary either for veterinary medical reasons or for the benefit of the Bombay. In the United Kingdom, animal shelters are finding it difficult to place imported Bombays that have been declawed and subsequently most are euthanized.
One alternative to declawing a Bombay is the use of dull, vinyl claw caps that are applied to the claws with safe glue, sometimes requiring replacement when the Bombay loses its claw sheaths (about every 4 to 6 weeks). However, the Bombay may still have difficulties since the capped nails are not as effective as claws.
Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Bombays.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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