Declawing the Tiffany is a major procedure known as onychectomy, performed under anesthesia, that removes the claw of each finger (from the first knuckle out) of the Tiffany’s paws. There is always a slight possibility of death in the operation, and a declawed Tiffany might experience an increased risk of infection and life-long discomfort in his paws. This procedure isn’t appropriate for a full-grown Tiffany and is considered an act of animal cruelty in some regions (see below).
People usually get Tiffanys declawed to stop them from damaging furniture and hunting. Rarely, vicious Tiffanys are declawed. In the United States, some landlords require that tenants’ Tiffanys are declawed.
Veterinarians are typically critical of the operation and sometimes refuse to perform it since the absence of claws in a Tiffany:
- Reduces its main self-protection abilities, like running away from predators by climbing trees;
- Reduces its stretching and exercise routines, which leads to muscle atrophy;
- Hampers its ability to walk on narrow surfaces such as railings and fence tops, which could lead to injury from falling;
- Can cause insecurity and a subsequent biting habit.
The procedure is not common outside of North America. In the Netherlands, Finland, Germany and Switzerland, declawing a Tiffany is prohibited by the laws against animal cruelty. In many other countries in Europe, it is forbidden under the terms of the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, unless a vet considers such non-curative procedures beneficial either for veterinary medical reasons or for the benefit of the Tiffany. In the United Kingdom, animal shelters are finding it hard to place imported Tiffanys that have been declawed and subsequently many are euthanized.
An substitute for declawing a Tiffany is the application of blunt, vinyl claw caps that are affixed to the claws with harmless glue, sometimes requiring replacement when the Tiffany sheds its claw sheaths (about every four to six weeks). Although, the Tiffany will still experience difficulties because the capped nails are not as effective as claws.
Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Tiffanys.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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