Declawing the Munchkin is an intense surgery known as onychectomy, performed under anesthesia, that eliminates the claw of each finger (from the first knuckle out) of the Munchkin’s paws. There is always a tiny possibility of a fatality during the surgery, and a declawed Munchkin may have a slight risk of infection and long-term pain in its paws. This procedure isn’t appropriate for an adult Munchkin and is deemed an act of animal cruelty in some countries (below).
People generally have Munchkins declawed to prevent them from damaging furniture and hunting. Rarely, vicious Munchkins are declawed. In the United States, some landlords demand that residents’ Munchkins are declawed.
Veterinarians are generally negative about the operation and some decline to do it since the absence of claws in a Munchkin:
- Hinders its main defense abilities, including escaping from predators by climbing trees;
- Compromises its exercising and stretching routines, which can lead to muscle loss;
- Inhibits its ability to walk on narrow surfaces such as railings and fence tops, leading to injury from falling;
- Can cause insecurity and as a result a tendency to bite.
This procedure is rare outside of North America. In Germany, Finland, Switzerland and the Netherlands, declawing a Munchkin is prohibited per the statutes against cruelty to animals. In many other countries in Europe, it is prohibited under the terms of the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, unless a veterinarian considers such non-curative procedures beneficial either for veterinary medical reasons or for the benefit of the animal. In the UK, animal shelters are finding it difficult to place imported Munchkins that have been declawed and as a result many are euthanized.
An alternative to declawing a Munchkin is the application of wide, vinyl nail caps that are stuck to the claws with harmless glue, requiring periodic replacement when the Munchkin sheds its claw sheaths (about every 4 to 6 weeks). Yet, the Munchkin will still have problems because the capped nails are not as effective as claws.
Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Munchkins.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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