Apr 062018
Don’t I have cute feet? But y’know…not only are they cute…my paws are quite fascinating…and an engineering marvel.
I thought I’d share some fun and interesting facts about a cat’s paws with you today.
- Us cats walk and run on our tiptoes. This is called digitigrade. It gives us the ability to run with spurts of speed as well as being very quiet when sneaking up on prey.
- Just like humans have a dominant hand, cats have a dominant front paw. Wanna figure out what your cats’s dominate paw is? Give them a challenging task to see what paw they use…or see what paw they use first to grab a wand toy. I’m right paw dominant.
- Our paw pads are soft and act like shock absorbers when we jump or walk on hard surfaces.
- Cats paws are very flexible which helps us maintain our stability when we climb, jump and hunt.
- Our paws are sensitive and contain many nerve receptors. That’s why many of us don’t like our paws touched or messed with. This sensitivity gives us the ability to feel texture, pressure and even vibrations through our paw pads and helps when hunting prey.
- Us cats sweat through our paw pads. It keeps us from overheating on hot days. And when we’re stressed, we sweat through our paw pads, too.
- When we scratch surfaces, our paws emit pheromones from scent glands located in our paws. This marks our territories and lets other cats and animals know more about us.
- Cats paws are our own purrsonal wash cloths. We use our paws to groom and clean ourselves.
Okay…now who wants to play footsie with me??
39 Responses to “Footsie Friday – Fun Facts About a Cat’s Paws”
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Zoey, I’m pulling on my coat and grabbing my car keys…see you shortly to play footsie!
Cute toesies and darn cool facts pretty Zoey!
The day is still young! Let’s stop talking about my paws and get playing!
Nice toesies and great facts!
The Florida Furkids
Mom knew most of that but not the dominant paw. Very cool!
Those are some great facts about our toes. We knew most of them. Those toes and paws are very important. You all have a great day and Zoey, you take care of those paws.
Now, Zoey, you should know that our mom is a complete cat toe freak!
All amazing facts!
I’m left pawed 🙂
Oh, you cutie, can we play with all four footsies? Mama rubs my paws and I LOVE it. Weird kitty, I.
Fascinating! Our Mom knows we’re all right-pawed except for our brother Quint who prefers his left-paw. We’ll play footsie with you, but we’d want to know first if you “play” footsie with bites like some of us do.
Zoey you do have cutie tootsies indeed!
Hugs, Teddy
It was fun reading about cat paws! When Niko goes to vet, he sweats a lot, leaving wet paw prints on the table. You have such gorgeous paws, Zoey. I’d love to play footsie with you!
those were fun facts. fun fact about our house: three cats, 11 paws.
You have great toesies.
Your feets are definitely cute, Zoey! And these facts are fascinating! Thanks for sharing.
My human always checks my paws when we are out somewhere to see how I’m doing stress-wise.
Zoey my little green eyed beauty…guess what I’m ambidexpawed!! Is that even a word? I think not but any ways and I really don’t like my back paws touched front no biggy.
Hugs Madi your bfff
That’s so interesting. I knew most of the paw signs but not all of them.
Shoko
Very interesting facts, Zoey, and you have beautiful footsies ! Purrs
Just look at your adorable toesies, Zoey! These are some fun and fantastic facts you’ve shared here. I love that you touched on the concept of paw dominance. My Angel Rosie was always left paw dominant. This was especially obvious when she would steal milk from cups. Sometimes she’d lift her right paw, and then rewind and use her left paw to steal the milk instead. I’ve tried testing this out with my current kitties, and so far I have deduced that Evan and Eddy are right paw dominant, and that Thimble seems to have no preference whatsoever, so I guess she is some semblance of ambidextrous. Happy Friday!
Such fun facts! There’s nothing much more adorable than a cat paw 🙂
I do, beautiful girl.
Yes, Zoey, you have cute feet! These are some interesting facts, a lot that I didn’t know. I’ll have to see if Pierrot and Annie are right or left pawed.
Most of TW’s cats have been lefties like she is but I can whap with the best with either paw.
I will play footsie with your happy feet, Zoey 😀 Pawkisses for a Happy Weekend 🙂 <3
Minchie will be right there, Zoey, to play footsie with you!
Thanks for all the very interesting paw info. You have lovely one. Mom always likes big paws, not dainty ones, on cats. XOCK, angel Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, angel Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth, Calista Jo, Cooper Murphy and Sawyer
I would play! I never knew cats had a dominant paw–I am going to go see what my guys are!
That was so interesting! And we thought your paws were just for swatting us with. MOL. Sam likes to use hers to grab our hands when she doesn’t think we should stop petting her yet. Now I’m going to pay attention to if she always grabs with the same paw. 🙂
First class toe floof, Zoey! You look so sweet and innocent! Why do I have the feeling your brothers wouldn’t agree?!
We didn’t know a lot of those.
Sweet paws!
Have a wonderful weekend…
Noodle and crew
Pawsome facts.x
What innterestin factss about our pawss Zoey!! LadyMum sayss pawss are all so fur kissin…..shee has a reel fing about pawss, mew mew mew…..
An mee iss left paw dommynent…..kewl yes?
**nose kissesss** Siddhartha Henry xXx
Great info, Zoey! I’m gonna go check to see which paw is dominant on all my cats now!
What a great post!!! No wonder I don’t like my toesies touched. Thank you for sharing your paw story Zoey
Oh Boy! Paws are great! II always keep mine spick and span! And I like to pat Mom with mine.
Yours are gorgeous and I WILL play footsies with you!
Purrs
Marv
zoey…not only is this an awesome post; you look FABulous as always !!!!! I’m going to have to let the people know if I’m right or left pawed !!! have a marvelous week !! ~~~~~~~ hugs from dai$y =^..*=♥♥
paws are little miracles.. but then again, so are cats
Fun and interesting facts, Zoey!
I would love to play footsie with you:)