The difference between cat’s paw and dog’s paw

Both dogs and cats have four paws that get them around, cushion their body weight and allow them to manipulate objects. While cat’s and dog’s paws might appear similar at first glance, a closer inspection reveals quite a few differences between the two.

Cats and dogs have pads on the bottom of their feet that act as a cushion. Your cat’s front paw has seven pads. Five are digital — sort of like a person’s toes. There’s also a large pad on the heel (called the plantar pad) and a small one on the wrist or carpal area. In contrast, your dog has a total of six pads — four are digital, one on the heel and one on the carpal area. Your dog also has a dewclaw, sometimes referred to as a dog’s thumb, on the inside of each front leg. The dewclaws never make contact with the ground.

The overall shape of the canine paw is oval, while the overall shape of the feline paw is circular. The pads themselves are triangular on the dog and teardrop-shaped on the cat. If you take a look at the large heel pad on your cat, you’ll see that it has three lobes on the back edge and two lobes on the front edge. Pick up your dog’s paw and you’ll see it has two lobes on the back edge of the heel and one lobe on the front. If you can hold it still long enough, you’ll also see that the middle pad of the five digital pads on your kitty’s paw is located slightly ahead of the adjacent pads, while your dog’s two middle digital pads are aligned and close together.

Nails And Claws

Cats have retractable claws, meaning they can extend them or sheathe them. When a cat is relaxed, walking or playing gently, the claws are sheathed. If your kitty needs a tool or a weapon to bring down that mouse, however, the claws will be extended. In contrast, your canine has nails that are always extended, similar to a person’s fingernails.

Besides walking, cat and dog paws also serve other functions. Dogs sweat from their paws, can maneuver objects, dig holes or impress your friends with a friendly shake. Kitties probably won’t shake paws with your guests, but they can climb with their paws, use them as weapons and shred food (or perhaps, on occasion, things in your home best left un-shredded).

Why Need Clip the Nail for You Cat

At ordinary times, the kittens we see are so gentle and lovely, and their claws are fluffy and soft. Why do we need to trim their nails often. It turns out that the cat’s nails are retractable and usually hide well. Once extended, they become sharp, curved and slender claws. Everyone must have seen the movie Wolverine. His steel claw can stretch freely according to the owner’s wishes.

Especially for kittens around the age of one, they haven’t learned how to control the cat’s claws, let alone the strength. In this period, the time between cats and their owners is not long enough, and they haven’t well established mutual trust. They don’t know each other very well. If they don’t pay attention, they are easy to be scratched by them. Even when cats grow up, or are relatively docile pet cats, they often scratch sofas, chair backs and other household items.

You know, nails are its secret weapon. They are specially used to hunt food and catch mice. Although the pet cat no longer needs to hunt by itself, it will often practice its claws, and the furniture at home will suffer. So cat owners will buy cat scratch boards, cat racks and other supplies for it to hone its claws. However, this can not solve the fundamental problem. It often destroys the furniture and objects at home. Even if it has established a good relationship with the owner, its long claws are potentially dangerous.

Therefore, cat owners should often trim their cats’ nails. There is a pink blood line on the cat’s fingernail. When trimming, pay attention not to cut too deep. Cut it at the front third of the fingernail. First of all, make protective equipment, put on gloves, put a neck cover on the cat, gently press the nails to be cut, and the nails will stick out. It has five nails in one hand and four feet. Be careful not to cut it too short to avoid hurting blood vessels. Also remember to trim frequently, almost once every two weeks. If you don’t trust or don’t dare to cut yourself, you can go to a special pet hospital to trim.