Cats are adorable in a million different ways, and I could write pages and pages celebrating each of their sweet little bits, parts, and features. Fluffy cat bellies are across-the-board adored by all cat worshippers, and many a silky kitty ear has been fondled by you, me, and every perfectly normal ailurophile on this great big planet. And cat feet — can we bask in the glory of cat feet? For just a moment? Or perhaps 128,980 moments? Ahhh.
Feline footsies are perfect in every way, and their paw pads are like snowflakes, each unique in their design — I love examining the bottoms of my three cats’ feet. I admire something different about each set of paw pads, and the bottoms of their feet, in general. Here are some of my astute observations and special names I’ve chosen for each cat’s pads.
Saffy’s “slippers”
Saffy is not lacking in the fluff department. Her gray fur is luxurious, and each human family member treasures opportunities to run his or her fingers through its splendor. Her massive floof doesn’t stop at the tops of her feet. No way. She stores extra fuzz between her brown paw pads.
It’s a lot of fuzz, friends. Tons-o-fuzz. This is why I call the area around her mocha-toned paw pads “slippers.” Her slippers come in handy during the winter — you know, they keep her pads nice and cozy. I wish I had built-in slippers, but only in the winter. That fuzz’d look pretty wild flying out of a pair of summer sandals.
Phoebe’s “spotty paws”
Little Phoebe has the tiniest and cutest feet in town, and I’m filled with “aww” when she fans her toes and flares those paw pads, or as I call them, “spotty paws.” The design goes perfectly with her patchy calico-tabby fur. Her coordination is spot on.
The pads are a combination of dark gray and pink, and neither color is dominant. They look like cow spots, and I can’t get enough of them. Sometimes I rub my finger between the pads so she’ll stretch and I can better admire each individual pad. I’ve been known to say (several times a day), “Hey there, Miss Spotty Paws!” And then she ignores me. Because cats.
Cosmo’s “coffee beans”
My man Cosmo sports some dark-roasted coffee beans on the bottoms of his feet. All of his paw pads are the same color, and I fancy the contrast between them and his bright-white toe fur. He’s an indoor cat, so his feet don’t get dirty. Plus, he’s kind of a gentleman and simply wouldn’t tolerate muddy paws.
I like to hold one of his feet and rub the bottom of the beans. He has ticklish feet, so I don’t get to do this for very long. It’s okay, though — if a few seconds is all I can grab, I’ll take them! I’ll even kiss the tops of his feet when he’ll allow me, which sometimes comes at a price. And by price, I mean a swift swat or rabbit kick to the face. Again, I’ll pay the price again and again. I love those coffee beans and I’m a repeat customer.
I do have to say, though, his little toesies doesn’t smell anything like the dark-roasted beans at Starbucks. They’re more in the neighborhood of “Frito-roast.” But still, I sniff.
What do you call your cats’ paw pads? Tell us in the comments!
Read more by Angie Bailey
- “Hello, My Name is Angie, and I’m a Cat-Huffer”
- Cats and Bags: 2 Very Important Scientific Experiments
- The Pros and Cons of My Cats as Health Care Providers
About the Author: Angie Bailey is an eternal optimist with an adoration of all things silly. Loves pre-adolescent boy humor, puns, making up parody songs, thinking about cats doing people things and The Smiths. Writes Catladyland, a cat humor blog, Texts from Mittens (originated right here on Catster) and authored whiskerslist: the kitty classifieds, a silly book about cats wheeling and dealing online. Partner in a production company and writes and acts in comedy web series that features sketches and mockumentaries. Mother to two humans and three cats, all of which want her to make them food.
