Declawing a Ocicat is a major surgery called a onychectomy, performed with anesthesia, which eliminates the claw of each finger (from the first knuckle out) of the Ocicat’s forepaw. There’s a miniscule chance of a fatality during the surgery, and a declawed Ocicat may have a slight risk of infection and life-long displeasure in his paws. This surgery is not advised for an adult Ocicat and is termed an act of animal cruelty in some countries (as shown below).
People typically get Ocicats declawed to impede them from hunting and from damaging furniture. Seldom, vicious Ocicats are declawed. In America, some landlords demand that residents’ Ocicats be declawed.
Vets are typically critical of the operation and some decline to perform it because the lack of claws in a Ocicat:
- Hinders its main self defense skills, like running away from predators by climbing trees;
- Hinders its stretching and exercise routines, leading to muscle atrophy;
- Compromises its ability to balance on thin surfaces such as fence tops and railings, which can lead to injury from falls;
- Can lead to insecurity and as a result a biting habit.
This surgery is rare outside of North America. In the Netherlands, Finland, Germany and Switzerland, declawing a Ocicat is forbidden per the statutes forbidding cruelty to animals. In many other European countries, it is prohibited under the terms of the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, unless a doctor deems such non-curative procedures necessary either for veterinary medical reasons or for the health of the Ocicat. In the United Kingdom, animal shelters find it difficult to place imported Ocicats that have been declawed and as a result most are euthanized.
One alternative to declawing a Ocicat is the use of blunt, vinyl nail caps that are applied to the claws with safe glue, sometimes requiring replacement when the Ocicat loses its claw sheaths (about every four to six weeks). Although, the Ocicat may still have difficulties since the capped nails are not as effective as claws.
Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Ocicats.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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