Protractile Claw Revealing Paws

Glossary

Domestic Cat Claw Protractile Claw

Protractile Cat Claws

Claw

The pointed, slender and curved structure on the end of a digit (usually a toe).

Made from a hard protein, keratin.

Claw of Cat

Claw of Cat

Retractile Claw

Claw that can be retracted (drawn back) into its protective sheath.

Cat Claws

Cat Claws

Register

To imprint a track on the substrate.

Lion Registers Paw

Lion Registers Paw

Register

To imprint a track on the substrate (ground).

Lion Registering Paw

Lion Registering Paw

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Protractile Claw

Claw that can be protracted (extended) from its protective sheath.

Cats’ claws are protractile, but often (incorrectly) described as retractile. At rest, the claw is retracted; muscular action (contraction) protracts the claw out of, rather than retracts it into, its sheath.

When the muscles in the toe are relaxed, the claw is sheathed. When the muscles are contracted, the ligament attached to the claw forces it out of the sheath.

When claws are not protracted, they will usually not register.

Also known as protractible.

Cf. retractile claw