Declawing the Cymric is a major surgery known as onychectomy, performed using anesthesia, which eliminates the claw from each toe (from the first knuckle out) of the Cymric’s forepaw. There is always a remote chance of death in the surgery, and a declawed Cymric may experience an increased risk of infection and permanent pain in her paws. This surgery is not suitable for a full-grown Cymric and is called an act of animal cruelty in some regions (as shown below).
Owners usually have Cymrics declawed to impede them from hunting and from damaging furniture. Seldom, vicious Cymrics are declawed. In the US, some landlords demand that tenants’ Cymrics be declawed.
Animal doctors are typically negative about the surgery and sometimes refuse to do it since the absence of claws in a Cymric:
- Hinders its primary defense skills, including running away from predators by climbing trees;
- Hinders its stretching and exercise routines, which can lead to muscle atrophy;
- Hinders its ability to walk on thin surfaces such as railings and fence tops, leading to injury from falls;
- Can lead to insecurity and a subsequent tendency to bite.
The procedure is uncommon outside of North America. In the Netherlands, Finland, Germany and Switzerland, declawing a Cymric is prohibited by the statutes against cruelty to animals. 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 deems such non-curative procedures beneficial either for veterinary medical reasons or for the benefit of the animal. In the UK, animal shelters find it difficult to place imported Cymrics that have been declawed and subsequently most are euthanized.
One substitute for declawing a Cymric is the use of wide, vinyl claw caps that are attached to the claws with safe glue, sometimes requiring changing when the Cymric sheds its claw sheaths (about every four to six weeks). However, the Cymric will still experience problems since the capped nails are not as effective as claws.
Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Cymrics.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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