THE NON - RETRACTABLE CLAW
- Vignesh CV
One of the most remarkable aspects in the anatomy is its paw. The claws of a cat are remarkably well developed . A cat has five digits in its front legs and four at the rear legs. The claws are enclosed by the fur and skin around its toe pads. These claws are protractable (i.e) they extend out only when hunting, climbing and holding onto prey. This protects these claws from wearing down and breakage. It also enhances the silence during the stalking process.
A Tiger's paw with claws inside
A cheetah paw with exposed claws
But four members of the cat family have unique claws - The Non Retractable claws. The Cheetah, the Iriomote cat, the Flat Headed cat and the Fishing cat have claws that cannot be pulled back into the protective sheath. Though this may seem a disadvantage, it rather serves as advantages for these cats. For example, these claws provide good grip for the cheetah which runs at an extreme speed of 115 kmph. It serves the same purpose of the SPIKED SHOES worn by athletic runners.
Sprinting Cheetah ( Acionyx jubatus)
These types of claws are termed non retractable because of the absence of the protective sheath found in the other cats. Instead they are always exposed like the claws in a dog's paw. This makes the claws prone to damage than the claws of other cats.
Flat headed cat
Fishing cat
Iriomote cat
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