A tissue-removing catheter for removing tissue from a wall of a body lumen during a cutting operation thereof, the tissue-removing catheter comprising: an elongate catheter body configured for insertion into the body lumen, the catheter body having opposite distal and proximal portions (26, 24), and a longitudinal axis extending between the distal and proximal portions (26, 24), the catheter body having a jogged portion configured to apply an urge force against the body lumen wall and urge a portion of the catheter body toward a portion of the body lumen wall; a drive shaft; a tissue-removing element for removing tissue from the body lumen during the cutting operation, the tissue-removing element being coupled to the drive shaft, the tissue-removing element being located generally adjacent the portion of the catheter body that is urged toward the body lumen wall by the jogged portion; the tissue-removing catheter characterized in that the tissue-removing catheter comprises an urging mechanism configured to selectively apply a compressive load to the catheter body to adjust the bending stiffness of the jogged portion and the urge force applied by the jogged portion wherein the urging mechanism includes a tension member for imparting the compressive load to the catheter body; wherein the tension member is elongate and extends along the catheter body; wherein the tension member is movable longitudinally with respect to the catheter body; wherein the tension member has a distal portion adjacent the distal portion of the catheter body, and an opposite proximal portion adjacent the proximal portion of the catheter body, the distal portion of the tension member being fixedly secured to the catheter body; and wherein the urging mechanism includes an elastic tension component for imparting a tensile load to the tension member, and a load actuator for imparting a tensile load to elastic tension component. an elongate catheter body configured for insertion into the body lumen, the catheter body having opposite distal and proximal portions (26, 24), and a longitudinal axis extending between the distal and proximal portions (26, 24), the catheter body having a jogged portion configured to apply an urge force against the body lumen wall and urge a portion of the catheter body toward a portion of the body lumen wall; a drive shaft; a tissue-removing element for removing tissue from the body lumen during the cutting operation, the tissue-removing element being coupled to the drive shaft, the tissue-removing element being located generally adjacent the portion of the catheter body that is urged toward the body lumen wall by the jogged portion; the tissue-removing catheter characterized in that the tissue-removing catheter comprises an urging mechanism configured to selectively apply a compressive load to the catheter body to adjust the bending stiffness of the jogged portion and the urge force applied by the jogged portion wherein the urging mechanism includes a tension member for imparting the compressive load to the catheter body; wherein the tension member is elongate and extends along the catheter body; wherein the tension member is movable longitudinally with respect to the catheter body; wherein the tension member has a distal portion adjacent the distal portion of the catheter body, and an opposite proximal portion adjacent the proximal portion of the catheter body, the distal portion of the tension member being fixedly secured to the catheter body; and wherein the urging mechanism includes an elastic tension component for imparting a tensile load to the tension member, and a load actuator for imparting a tensile load to elastic tension component.