You may have noticed I often use my paws like hands. Abyssinians, and my breed, Somali, are known for that! So do many other breeds, and random domesticated cats. Since you see me using my paws for everything from giving high fives to grabbing onto my human’s treat-holding hand, I thought you’d enjoy learning some facts about cat paws. I’m sure you know some of them, but I hope others surprise you!
- Cat paws are extremely sensitive! They are loaded with nerve receptors that help us navigate through life. Their ability to sense temperature changes and vibrations help us hunt (at least the hunters among us — I’m not known for that ability). This sensitivity also helps us hide when we need to, and balance when that is required. If your cat hates having his paws touched or messed with, now you know why. Just like many people have more sensitive skin than others, so do kitties.
- Cat paws also have scent glands so we can leave our mark when we want to claim territory. When we’re clawing up our cat tree or your sofa, we are leaving both visual and olfactory marks. When I’m outside not long after neighbor cats have been visiting my patio, I often check for the scents they’ve left with their paws.
- Cat paws are extremely flexible! In fact, if human digits were as short as cat paw pads, I bet they would be less flexible than our paws. That’s why some of us kitties are so handy… because we can do it!
- Can you guess what the palm part of a cat’s front paws are called? It’s the metacarpal pad! The same pad on our back paws is called the metatarsal. You humans have a metatarsal too. It’s the ball of your foot.
- Cat paws act as shock absorbers, and they come in very handy when we are landing after a good jump. Plus they help us make those landings quiet.
- I’ve mentioned this before, but cats sweat through their paws. Just like with human sweat, it’s our most important cooling system. We also sweat through our paws when we are frightened and stressed out.
- Cats can get arthritis in our paws, just like humans do in their hands. So it’s important to keep an eye on any changes in your cat’s gait as she ages, to see if this is a problem that you might need to discuss with your veterinarian.
So what did you think? Are some of these facts new to you? Let me know in the comments.
Other posts you’ll enjoy:
- 5 Fast Facts About the Origins of Caturday
- Facts About Cats… By a Cat
- Four Surprising Facts About Humans – for Cats
Truly cat paws are very amazing things. Most of these facts I did know, but not all of them, so thank you for the review and for enlightening me. I love how soft and velvety cats pads are.
You always teach so many valuable things to everyone little lady! We so appreciate and love that! XOXO
Mom says she “mostly” knew these but not all so we DID learn something! Thanks for the education – it will benefit ME and MOM to know more about my fabulous paws!
Hugs, Teddy
We already knew it, but Claire is always amazed on how purrfect we cats are. We love your fluffy paws ! Purrs
Being a crazy cat lady the majority of my life, I knew nearly all of these Summer
pawsome post, Summer 😉 it never really occurred to our mom that our paws would be sensitive. no wonder, she says, trying to clip our nails can be a problem. arthritis is another one that she didn’t know about. she likes it when we, or other cats, paw at things to investigate them 🙂 purrs,
minnie, hollie, sharpie, ditto, TL
We knew these facts, Summer. But we are still in awe of how amazing cats’ paws are!
We’ve had a couple of polydactyl cats over the years and they helped us realize that even cats with “regular” paws can do more than you might think – especially if they employ a little “clawsomeness”.
I only knew a couple of these facts! Very interesting, plus cat paws are just plain adorable!
Cat paws are wonderful and totally kissable!
Purrs,
Tama and Genji
Those were all good sweet Summer, paws are pretty darn special!
Great post! We love seeing how you use your paws! Kozmo and Marv use their paws like hands and they have BIG paws, Jo Jo does not. You are awesome. Have an AMAZING day!
Very interesting facts about paws. I had never thought about arthritis in the paws, I will watch for it now.
They are really interesting and we read them to Dad even though we think he knew most of them. We were going to mention to the other week about how interesting your paws look Summer but Miss Fitz said you never mention a ladies feet.
I didn’t know about the scent glands in the paws –
makes sense. Also, I didn’t know about the sweating
part either. It’s good your weather is so nice.
Did you know that if you get lots of static whilst petting your kitty, if you hold one of their paws in your hand the static will stop!
Really interesting paw facts, with utterly adorable pictures as illustrations!
Love the paw-facts! very interesting to know. My girls both “hold” my hand with their paws when they are on my lap and it makes me very happy.
Raz makes biscuits in Mom’s neck with his paws. He purrs like crazy (and drools!)
The Florida Furkids
My Sydney likes to mark me, by kneading my neck and right below my knees!
Summer, what I knew about cat’s paws before this post:
No one should ever declaw a cat
I like to stick my finger into a cat’s paw, so they can wrap it around and we hold paws!
Those are some great facts about our paws, Summer. With my big paws, I have bigger shock absorbers!
I hold mom’s finger(s)with my paws. I curl my toes around it. And I pat mom’s face very very gently. I show her I know my claws can hurt her so I learned to keep them pulled in tightly so I won’t hurt her. If she winces when I touch her face, it’s time to go get my claws trimmed. I take my paw off her skin those times and when I put it back, my claws are as far inward as I can make them.
I knew most of these facts but not arthritis. Our toes are our fingers so that makes sense to mom that I might get arthritis.
Toward the last months of Admiral’s illness, she left paw marks on shiny surfaces when she walked over them. I knew it was sweat. A vet told me a long time ago that they fit that when I saw marks on the exam table. So it may be a harbinger of sickness too.
Flynn would use his paws like hands to squeeze my finger tips when he was having a cuddle. He would squeeze tight but no claws so I couldn’t pull away. Not that I wanted to!
We knew most of those facts but did not consider arthritis.
It does make sense though.
I often touch mum’s face with my paws 🙂
Purrs, Julie