Declawing a Bengal is an intense surgery called a onychectomy, performed using anesthesia, which removes the claw of each finger (from the first knuckle out) of the Bengal’s forepaws. There is a miniscule chance of a fatality during the surgery, and a declawed Bengal might have an increased risk of infection and perpetual pain in its paws. This surgery is not recommended for a mature Bengal and is referred to as an act of animal cruelty in some places (as below).
Owners generally get Bengals declawed to impede them from hunting and from damaging furniture. Rarely, vicious Bengals are declawed. In America, some landlords require that tenants’ Bengals be declawed.
Animal doctors are typically critical of the procedure and some refuse to perform it because the lack of claws in a Bengal:
- Hinders its primary defense abilities, such as escaping from predators by climbing trees;
- Hinders its stretching and exercise routines, which leads to muscle loss;
- Hinders its ability to balance on thin surfaces such as fence tops and railings, which could lead to injury from falling;
- Can cause insecurity and a subsequent biting habit.
This procedure is uncommon outside of North America. In Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany and Finland, declawing a Bengal is not allowed by the statutes forbidding animal cruelty. In many other countries in Europe, it is illegal under the terms of the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, unless a veterinarian deems such non-curative procedures necessary either for veterinary medical reasons or for the health of the Bengal. In the UK, animal shelters find it tough to place imported Bengals that have been declawed and subsequently many are euthanized.
One substitute for declawing a Bengal is the use of blunt, vinyl claw caps that are adhered to the claws with nontoxic glue, requiring periodic changing when the Bengal loses its claw sheaths (about every four to six weeks). Yet, the Bengal may still experience problems because the capped nails are not as effective as claws.
Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Bengals.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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