A paw is the soft foot-like part of a mammal, generally a quadruped, that has claws.

Common characteristics

The paw is characterised by thin, pigmented, keratinised, hairless Epidermis (skin), epidermis covering Subcutaneous tissue, subcutaneous collagenous and adipose tissue, which make up the pads. These pads act as a cushion for the load-bearing limbs of the animal. The paw consists of the large, heart-shaped metacarpal or palmar pad (forelimb) or metatarsal or plantar pad (rear limb), and generally four load-bearing toe, digital pads, although there can be five or six toes in the case of domestic cats and bears (including giant panda). A carpal pad is also found on the forelimb which is used for additional traction (engineering), traction when stopping or descending a slope in digitigrade species. Additional dewclaws can also be present. The paw also includes a horn-like, beak shaped claw on each toe, digit. Though usually hairless, certain animals do have fur on the soles of their paws. An example is the red panda, whose furry soles help insulate them in their snowy habitat.

Animals with paws

* Felidae, Felids, such as cats and tigers; some of these animals may have toe tufts * Canidae, Canids, such as dogs and foxes * Rabbit, Rabbits and other Lagomorpha, lagomorphs have paws with very sharp nails and have no pads underneath them * Bears and raccoons * Weasels and other Mustelidae, mustelids * Rodents

Gallery

File:Brown Bear Paws.jpg, An Brown bear, American brown bear's paws. File:Eisbaer hintertatze-3.jpg, A polar bear's paws. File:DogDewClawTika1 wb.jpg, A dog's paw resting on a hard concrete surface File:Ellenberger Leisering Dog.jpg, Structures of the leg and paw of a dog. File:Wolf Paws (6798208076).jpg, alt=, A wolf's paws File:Panthera tigris11.jpg, A tiger's paw, showing pads File:Cat foot (10225182346).jpg, A cat's paw, showing pads. File:Anatomy of the cat (1991) (18195201631).jpg, Structures of the paw of a cat. File:Rabbitsfoot.jpg, A rabbit's foot. File:Lepus brachyurus (hind legs).jpg, The hind paws of a Japanese hare. File:Red Panda (37469241852).jpg, A red panda's paw, showing the absence of paw pads. File:Martes flavigula paw.png, The paw of a yellow-throated marten. File:Meles meles-front paw.jpg, The forepaw of a European badger. File:Cricetus cricetus front foot.jpg, Front paw of European hamster

References

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Bibliography

Maine Coon Polydactyl International
Mammal anatomy

Common characteristics

Animals with paws

Gallery

See also

References

Bibliography