Revealing Paws

Limb pad located at the metacarpophalangeal joint or the metatarsophalangeal joint.

This is the largest of the pads on the palmar or plantar surface of the feet of dogs and cats.

Impression or indentation made on the substrate (ground) by a foot.

Relating to, or located towards, the centre of the main body.

In the case of an appendage, such as a limb, this is towards the point of attachment to the main body.

Distal edge of a track.

The distance from the one track of a foot to the next track of the same foot.

This is conventionally measured from the proximal edge of the first track to the proximal edge of the next track of the same foot, and parallel to the central line.

The width of a trail pattern.

This is conventionally measured from the most lateral point of a left track to the most lateral point of a right track, measured at right angles to the central line.

Therefore, this is the broadest possible measurement of width of a trail.

The series of traces made by, and left behind, by an organism.

This includes tracks and sign.

This should be contrasted with a track, which is an individual footprint.

The marks or traces left by an organism (e.g. footprints, tail drags and belly drags).

Member of the felidae family, the taxonomic family of cats, which is divided into:

1. Pantherinae (tigers, lions, jaguars and leopards).

2. Felinae (domestic cats, cougars, caracals, servals, lynxes, ocelots and cheetahs).

Cheetahs are sometimes classified separately as acinonychinae.