Paw facts for kids

Right front paw of a dog, showing its parts: A) claw, B) digital pads, C) metacarpal pad, D) dew claw, E) carpal pad.

A paw is the soft, foot-like part found on many mammals. These animals usually walk on four legs, like dogs and cats. Paws have special soft pads and claws.

What Makes a Paw Special?

Paws have soft pads that act like cushions. These pads are made of tough, hairless skin. They help protect the animal's feet when they walk or run. The pads also help them grip surfaces.

Each paw has a large, main pad. On the front legs, this is called the metacarpal pad. On the back legs, it's called the metatarsal pad. Most paws also have four smaller pads called digital pads. These are under each toe. Some animals, like domestic cats and bears, can have five or six toes and pads!

You might also see a carpal pad on the front legs. This pad is higher up on the leg. It helps animals get extra grip when they stop quickly or go down a hill. Some animals also have dewclaws. These are like extra toes that don't touch the ground when the animal walks.

Every toe on a paw has a strong, beak-shaped claw. While most paws are hairless on the bottom, some animals have fur there. For example, the red panda has furry soles. This fur helps keep their paws warm in snowy places.

Animals with Paws

Many different animals have paws. Here are some examples:

• Cats like cats and tigers. Some cats even have tufts of fur between their toes!
• Dogs like dogs and foxes.
• Rabbits have paws with very sharp nails. Unlike many other animals, they do not have soft pads underneath.
• Bears and raccoons.
• Weasels and other animals in the weasel family.
• Rodents like mice and rats.

Images for kids

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  An American brown bear's paws.

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  A polar bear's paws.

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  A dog's paw resting on a hard concrete surface

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  Structures of the leg and paw of a dog.

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  A wolf's paws

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  A tiger's paw, showing pads

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  A cat's paw, showing pads.

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  Structures of the paw of a cat.

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  The hind paws of a Japanese hare.

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  A red panda's paw, showing the absence of paw pads.

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  The paw of a yellow-throated marten.

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  The forepaw of a European badger.

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  Front paw of European hamster