You've probably never given much thought as to whether cats have a dominant or preferred paw, but surprisingly many do. Just like humans, cats can be born with one paw being implemented more for manipulating objects, or they may be ambidextrous, meaning both paws are used in an equal proportion. Being privy to this interesting little tidbit of information, my curiosity got the best of me, so I set out to determine if my own three cats indeed had a dominant paw.
Some basic research uncovered the fact that in the cat world about forty percent are considered to have a dominant left paw, due to a dominant right brain hemisphere. This is far greater than the ten percent of humans who are left handed. While ninety percent of the human population are right handed, a mere twenty percent of felines favor their right paw. This leaves about forty percent of cats who use both paws, with no tendency to use one more than the other. Another interesting thing I discovered was kittens generally use both paws. A dominant paw usually isn't evident until a cat reaches adulthood.
While my cats are extremely intelligent, none have the ability to write, pick up a cup or throw a baseball. Revealing a dominant paw would require some keen observation and investigative skills. Surprisingly, when specifically looking for it, a dominant paw is as obvious as the nose on your face. I don't know how I never noticed it before.
My study, not scientific by any means, but effective none the less, provided me with evidence that two of my three cats did have a dominant paw. Each of my tests to determine so were carried out numerous times with each cat, over a three day period.
When an object was placed slightly to the left or right of them, all three of my cats consistently reached for it with the paw on that side. In the case where the object was placed directly in front of them, all three showed different results. The female showed no signs of preference or a dominant paw, as both were used equally. The two males are brothers, almost identical in appearance, yet Larry reached for it with the left paw the majority of the time, while Chuck opted for the right.
Enticing them with a piece of moving yarn didn't really conclusively prove anything. All three preferred to just pounce on it with both feet. Occasionally one would grab at it with one paw, but for most part the two paw approach was taken.
Another thing I payed attention to, without their approval as they aren't fond of an audience, was their litter box habits. We all know cats are meticulous about burying their business when they're done in the litter box. Would my cats display a preference between paws in the box? The results were consistent with earlier findings. The female again showed no preference, while the Chuck proved to be a righty and Larry a south paw.
Although it makes no difference to me what paw my cats prefer to use, it was extremely interesting to find out if indeed they did have a dominant paw. I guess cats share more characteristics with us humans than we thought. Why not try to determine if your cat has a dominant paw? If nothing else, trying to determine so will provide you both with lots of fun and playtime.