Research overview: declawing and other elective procedures in captive big cats

Declawing of big cats, performed in some private and entertainment settings to reduce injury risk to handlers, removes the last bone of each toe and has lasting welfare consequences. This overview surveys the anatomy and effects of declawing in large felids, including chronic pain, altered gait and weight-bearing, arthritis, difficulty climbing and grasping, and behavioural changes, drawing on parallels with the better-studied domestic-cat literature that has driven bans in many jurisdictions. It also considers defanging and other elective alterations done for handling convenience. It discusses why such procedures are considered mutilations incompatible with good welfare and how sanctuaries manage the long-term care of declawed rescues. The synthesis frames these procedures as enduring welfare harms imposed for human convenience.