Who doesn't like to pet a cat? They are so soft and so relaxing that all of us who like them are bound to be close to one and resist. However, we know that there are certain parts that "hate" or do not tolerate being touched in the vast majority of cases. Specifically, the legs, the gut and the tail. With regard to the legs, they are a very sensitive part in this species due to their numerous nerve endings and blood vessels, which explains why many of our felines They don't like us to touch them. In addition, their pads not only have receptors that tell them how the ground, their prey or the temperature is, but they also sweat and mark their territory through them.
Have you ever wondered " why my cat doesn't like to have his paws touched"? Keep reading this article on our site where you will find curiosities about the paws of our little felines, the possible causes that prevent us from approaching them and tips to be able to handle them when necessary.
Curiosities about cats' paws
To know why my cat doesn't like to have his paws touched, it's important to get to know this part of his body a little better. The legs are a very important and curious part of the feline anatomy. They have a series of characteristics that make them special and allow cats to develop their characteristic activities and behaviors. Specific:
1. The pads sweat and serve to mark territory
Cats sweat especially through their paws because the vast majority of sweat glands in cats are located on the bottom of the pads, that is, they sweat through their paws. In addition to sweat glands, there are other specialized eccrine glands es to produce odors that allow them to mark territory where they walk, scratch, scratch or knead; in this way, they let it be known that this place already has an owner.
two. Matching pads with your cape
The pads match the color of the cat's coat and skin, since the same pigment acts, so that in black cats the pads will be black, in whites they are usually pink and in multi-colored cats several small spots are usually reflected on the pads. What are your cat's like?
3. They wash their paws frequently
We know that cats are very clean, and during the day we see them wash themselves several times. They also wash their feet a lot, so you must always check that they do not touch dirty areas or areas with poor hygiene conditions to prevent them from ingesting microorganisms, toxic plants or small objects that damage their he alth.
4. They tiptoe
Cats are digitigrade animals, which means that instead of walking like us, with the heels and soles of the foot, they do it on tiptoe, supporting only the fingers when they walk. Although it may seem uncomfortable for them, the truth is that it is not, because anatomically they are prepared to walk like this. In addition, together with the softness and low hardness of their pads, they allow them to move silently so that prey, whether running, walking or jumping, do not hear them, making them into extremely ste althy beings.
5. His particular way of walking
They share with camels and giraffes a way of walking that consists of first moving the front and rear legs on the same side and, then the same but on the opposite side, so the legs on one side are suspended while stepping on those on the other side. In addition, with the hind leg on one side they step on the same place where the front leg left a mark.
6. They have great sensitivity
Because they have numerous nerve endings and blood vessels, so a cut or damage to a leg causes them a lot of pain and a lot of bleeding. In addition, this sensitivity allows them to know the temperature of the surface where they are, the state of the terrain and its characteristics.
7. They have retractable claws
Normally their nails are kept in a leather case under the pads that prevent wear and tear and allow them to walk silently. The keratin with which they are constituted makes them grow. They only take them out when climbing or defending In addition, they scratch to keep their claws poised and sharp ready to use if the situation calls for it, so it is important to cover this need putting scratchers on them to prevent them from scratching the armchairs or curtains in our house.
8. They prefer one leg
Studies have shown that, just as people are left-handed or right-handed, most cats tend to prefer one paw over of other. You can check it by playing with them with something difficult to hunt, they will put their preferred or dominant leg with more effort to reach it.
9. Great flexibility
Their legs are very flexible and adept at climbing, as they can direct their hind legs forward to climb. However, going down is something else, because their front legs are not prepared for that, so sometimes they need help to descend from certain heights. That is, your body is able to go up, but not as much to go down
10. Number of fingers may vary
Most cats have 18 toes, 5 on each front paw and four on each hind paw. However, there are cats that show polydactyly or more toes than normal due to genetic mutations This is more common in Maine Coon cats.
My cat won't let its paw be touched - 7 reasons
Next, we will discuss the causes that may make your cat not want you to touch its paws:
It hurts
As we have mentioned, cats have a lot of innervation in their paws, and their pads, although they are resistant despite their appearance, can be damagedWhen a cat steps on something sharp like a needle, tack or nail that we have around the house, or if it goes outside and is the victim of a trauma or is pricked by something, its nerve pathways will be activated and the cat will feel a lot of pain. This means that when you want to get close to its legs, it will move them away and even attack you to avoid more pain with your contact.
If your cat has a wound on its paws, this other article on Healing wounds on the cat's paws may be useful to you.
You want to protect your nails
Inside your fingers are your nails. For them they are a treasure, they defend them, take care of them and hide them with great dedication. They don't usually trust our intentions, despite being their guardian and giving them love every day, they protect them so much because it is a great defense against to potential attackers.
He doesn't want to accept you
Especially if the person who approaches a cat's paws is a newcomer, someone you don't like, your guardian's partner, or a child or someone very restless, the cat will somehow way makes you stressed, jealous or annoyed that person and avoid contact. If you touch their paws, they would surely get their scent and they don't want that person to be welcome in their house, so rejecting it is a possible way of saying: "I don't want you in my house "
If this is your case, we encourage you to read this other article about My cat doesn't love me - Why and what to do.
Past Trauma
If your cat has previously gone through a traumatic period that caused him great pain in his paws, or if he has been run over and operated on for a fracture, will especially protect that zone, since it reminds him of a great pain that happened and he feels that if you touch him it may hurt again.
You are not petting him correctly
Cats should be caressed tactfully and gently, avoiding squeezing, caressing them against the grain, force and pulling. If it is not caressed correctly it can be unpleasant for them, even feeling pain and discomfort. In this way, if you have ever done it to them, especially on the legs, they will prevent you from doing it again due to their high sensitivity in the area and because of everything they want to protect from them.
If you want to know how to properly pet a cat, we encourage you to read this other article on How to pet a cat?
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis or wear on the cartilage of the joints that produces the exposure of the bone, is an annoying and painful disease that affects the greater extent to older cats. It can also be secondary to trauma or malformation of the joint. In general, these cats, in addition to avoiding us touching their legs if the joint is affected by osteoarthritis, especially the elbow joint, generally hide their pain. Cats are specialists in hiding what happens to them, but we can observe a decrease in their physical activity or that they avoid climbing to high places, limp or wash their paws excessively.
Their likes
It could just be your feline's tastes. It is well known that cats love to be stroked on the head, forehead, neck, back to the base of the tail, but avoiding the legs, tail and bellyIt's just taste or that they feel better if you caress those areas before their legs, their tail (which also has numerous nerve and blood endings) or their gut, which knows that it must protect their vital organs.
How do I get my cat to let me touch its paws?
Sometimes it is necessary to manipulate the paws of our cats, either to trim their nails, heal wounds, look for injuries or infections or extract foreign bodies. For this reason, it is important to try to reduce stress at this traumatic moment that usually ends in scratches and our cats fleeing. However, it is very difficult to achieve, especially if our cat has past trauma or pain.
You can also discuss the problem, especially if it is accompanied by other behavioral changes, with an ethologist. But if the character of our cat is like that, we can hardly change it. We can try the following if we need to manipulate its legs:
- Seek a quiet moment: Try to pick him up in a quiet moment or when he is half asleep, as he will not respond fully to stimuli.
- Pet him only where he likes: pet him where he likes and calm him down so that he trusts.
- Back or side: try to perform the procedure with your back or side to the cat, avoiding direct contact from the front because they is a threat.
- Be patient: Be very patient and stay calm.
- Gently stroke him: Very gently stroke the area while you stroke another area he loves, such as the sides of his head or the back of his head. throat, depending on your feline's preferences.
- Do it fast: Perform the procedure as quickly as possible so as not to stress it too much.
If these measures are not effective, the only way is to wrap him in a blanket or towel and expose only the extremity to be manipulated, this way you have fewer defense and movement options and it will be easier to touch the paws. In very extreme cases, the only solution will be take them to the vet and have them do it there, aided by sedation to avoid this stressful situation.
