Why Do Cats Have Retractable Claws, but Dogs Don’t?

When you say a dog is walking on a laminate floor or tiles, you can immediately hear those delightful "click click click" sounds as their claws hit the ground. However, when a cat walks on the same floor, not even a tiny noise is heard. This is because cats have fully retractable claws and extra soft paw pads, making them excellent stealth predators.

Have you ever wondered why evolution granted cats the gift of retractable claws while leaving dogs without them? If so, here’s the answer.

The Function of Retractable Claws

It all comes down to how claws are used. Cats primarily use their claws to attack their prey. They employ their front paws to grab and hold the prey, while their back claws are used to tear into the prey’s belly. Both domestic cats and their wild relatives need to maintain sharp claws to secure their next meal. If their claws were always extended and scraping against the ground, they would dull quickly.

Since cats are solitary hunters, sharp, hidden claws allow them to successfully hunt alone. Sharp claws also help cats hold onto their prey or even overpower prey that is two to three times their size by ambushing it.

Dogs, on the other hand, are pack hunters. They work in groups to take down larger animals by wearing them out over long distances. With multiple predators working together, it’s less critical for dogs to grab and hold onto prey, so they don’t need to keep their claws as sharp. Their sheer numbers give them the advantage they need.

But don’t think that a dog’s claws are useless! They play a critical role in maintaining traction and agility while running. Dogs and other canids use their claws to grip the ground, allowing for quick directional changes. This is an essential adaptation for long-distance pursuits.

The Exception in the Feline World

Most felines manage well without using their claws while running, but cheetahs are an exception. These incredibly fast animals can reach speeds of up to 112 km/h. For comparison, Usain Bolt, the fastest human in history, reached a top speed of 44.72 km/h (27.8 mph) during his world-record 100-meter sprint in 2009. To maintain traction at such high speeds, cheetahs have claws that are more similar to those of dogs—only partially retractable.

Anthony Russell, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Calgary in Canada, explains, “It’s worth noting that all carnivores can pull back their claws to some extent. Cats’ claws are “hyper-retractile” — they fold all the way back against their finger bones when not in use, and cats don’t need to expend effort to keep them there. But while most other carnivores don’t have retractable claws in the colloquial sense, all carnivores can lift their claws at least a little by flexing their fingers or toes. Imagine flexing your hand to point your fingernails just a bit backward.”