A cat’s claws are one of the most interesting parts of a feline’s body. Here are some amazing facts about your pet’s claws you may not know yet:

• Cats walk on tiptoes instead of on the balls of the feet like people do. Thus, they are called ‘digitigrade walkers’.
• The anatomy of a cat’s foot is very much like that of humans. Their phalanges are equivalent to a person’s fingertips; their metacarpal bone is similar to the bone that extends from the heel of a person’s hand to the knuckle. Extraction and retraction of a cat’s claws are movements which are controlled by a cat’s tendons and ligaments.
• A cat’s claws are made up of the same material as your hair and fingernails, a substance known as keratin. This is the same substance found in hooves of animals. When cutting a cat’s nails, always be careful not to include the ‘quick’, which contains nerves and blood vessels.

Bring your cat to a Cicero veterinary hospital for regular check-ups. Click here for more pet care info.