Declawing a Oregon Rex is a major operation called a onychectomy, performed under anesthesia, that eliminates the claw from each finger (from the first knuckle out) of the Oregon Rex’s forepaws. There’s a slight chance of a fatality in the surgery, and a declawed Oregon Rex may experience a slight risk of infection and long-term discomfort in its paws. This surgery is not suitable for an adult Oregon Rex and is considered an act of animal cruelty in some countries (shown below).
People generally get Oregon Rexs declawed to hinder them from damaging furniture and hunting. Rarely, vicious Oregon Rexs are declawed. In America, some landlords demand that residents’ Oregon Rexs be declawed.
Doctors are usually negative about the operation and many decline to do it since the absence of claws in a Oregon Rex:
- Compromises its main defense abilities, like running away from predators by climbing trees;
- Hinders its stretching and exercise habits, leading to muscle loss;
- Hinders its ability to walk on narrow surfaces such as railings and fence tops, leading to injury from falling;
- Can lead to insecurity and a subsequent biting habit.
The operation is not common outside of North America. In Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany and Finland, declawing a Oregon Rex is forbidden by the statutes forbidding animal cruelty. In many other European countries, it is prohibited under the terms of the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, unless a vet deems such non-curative procedures necessary either for veterinary medical reasons or for the health of the Oregon Rex. In Britain, animal shelters find it difficult to place imported Oregon Rexs that have been declawed and subsequently most are killed.
An alternative to declawing a Oregon Rex is the use of dull, vinyl claw caps that are stuck to the claws with nontoxic glue, sometimes requiring replacement when the Oregon Rex loses its claw sheaths (about every 4 to 6 weeks). Yet, the Oregon Rex may still have problems since the capped nails are not as effective as claws.
Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Oregon Rexs.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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