# Paw

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Paw.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paw
> Source revision: 1313941853
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{short description|Soft foot-like part of a mammal that has claws}}
{{other uses}}
{{Redirect|Pawing|the Philippine village|Palo, Leyte}}
{{no footnotes|date=November 2022}}
[[File:Paw and pads.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|Right front paw of dog showing A) claw, B) digital pads, C) metacarpal pad, D) [dewclaw](/source/dewclaw), E) carpal pad.]]

A '''paw''' is the soft foot-like part of a [mammal](/source/mammal), generally a [quadruped](/source/quadruped), that has [claw](/source/claw)s. '''To paw''' is for an animal to use their paws, usually gently or for digging, or for a human to use their hands in the manner of an animal's paw.

== Common characteristics ==
The paw is characterised by thin, [pigment](/source/pigment)ed, [keratin](/source/keratin)ised, hairless [epidermis](/source/Epidermis_(skin)) covering [subcutaneous](/source/Subcutaneous_tissue) [collagen](/source/collagen)ous and [adipose](/source/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](/source/metacarpal) or palmar pad (forelimb) or [metatarsal](/source/metatarsal) or plantar pad (rear limb), and generally four load-bearing [digital](/source/toe) pads, although there can be five or six toes in the case of [domestic cat](/source/domestic_cat)s and [bear](/source/bear)s (including [giant panda](/source/giant_panda)). A [carpal](/source/carpal) pad is also found on the forelimb which is used for additional [traction](/source/traction_(engineering)) when stopping or descending a slope in [digitigrade](/source/digitigrade) species. Additional [dewclaw](/source/dewclaw)s can also be present.

The paw also includes a horn-like, beak shaped [claw](/source/claw) on each [digit](/source/toe). Though usually hairless, certain animals do have fur on the soles of their paws.  An example is the [red panda](/source/red_panda), whose furry soles help insulate them in their snowy habitat.

== Animals with paws ==
* [Felids](/source/Felidae), such as [cat](/source/cat)s and [tiger](/source/tiger)s; some of these animals may have [toe tuft](/source/toe_tuft)s
* [Canids](/source/Canidae), such as [dog](/source/dog)s and [fox](/source/fox)es
* [Rabbits](/source/Rabbit) and other [lagomorphs](/source/Lagomorpha) have paws with very sharp nails and have no pads underneath them
* [Bear](/source/Bear)s and [raccoon](/source/raccoon)s
* [Weasel](/source/Weasel)s and other [mustelids](/source/Mustelidae)
* [Rodent](/source/Rodent)s

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Brown Bear Paws.jpg|An [American brown bear](/source/Brown_bear)'s paws.
File:Eisbaer hintertatze-3.jpg|A [polar bear](/source/polar_bear)'s paws.
File:DogDewClawTika1 wb.jpg|A [dog](/source/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](/source/wolf)'s paws
File:Panthera tigris11.jpg|A [tiger](/source/tiger)'s paw, showing pads
File:Cat foot (10225182346).jpg|A [cat](/source/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](/source/rabbit's_foot).
File:Lepus brachyurus (hind legs).jpg|The hind paws of a [Japanese hare](/source/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](/source/yellow-throated_marten).
File:Meles meles-front paw.jpg|The forepaw of a [European badger](/source/European_badger).
File:Cricetus cricetus front foot.jpg|Front paw of [European hamster](/source/European_hamster)
</gallery>

== See also ==
{{commons category|Animal feet}}
* [Claw](/source/Claw)
* [Digitigrade](/source/Digitigrade)
* [Hupao Spring](/source/Hupao_Spring), named for a legend concerning tigers pawing it into existence

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080514180238/http://www.mcpi.org/ Maine Coon Polydactyl International]

Category:Mammal anatomy

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Paw](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paw) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paw?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.