Background information
Why cats have a secret ear pocket
by Darina Schweizer
Why do cats actually have thumbs?
4.2.2026
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
Pictures: Darina Schweizer
Cats have thumbs? Yep, really. They’re hidden, slightly elevated on the front legs – and offer some amazing benefits.
I like examining my cats for every detail. I recently discovered a mysterious pocket on Joy’s ear, which I investigated.
And now, I’ve noticed small lumps on the sides of Jasper’s front legs. What are they? Toes? Claws? Thumbs?
Hooks to hold on…
To be exact, it’s the fifth front claw, just offset upwards (linked article in German). Like our thumbs, they stick out to the side. It’s why they’re called thumb claws. Dogs have so-called wolf or dewclaws, just on their hind legs.
Unlike the other eight front and eight hind claws, cats can’t retract their thumb claws. This isn’t needed anyway for a cat to stalk silently: after all, their thumbs hover in the air. When a cat grabs its prey, the other claws spring out and the thumb claws fixate laterally. No escape. But that’s not all.
... and for climbing
When cats climb, they use their thumb claws like a hook (linked article in German). They use them to cling to trees and pull themselves upwards in a controlled manner. Their hind legs serve as propulsion and support.
I immediately think of Jasper, climbing his scratching post like a little Captain Hook. Or, in the heat of a zoomie battle, pulling himself up the back of a chair with his tail puffed out. There’s an advantage to owning lots of old Ikea furniture.
A solo trip for thumb pads
But wait, where are the corresponding pads for these thumb claws? I find them a little further up in the middle. Again, there’s a reason for this: only in this position do they serve as a non-slip contact surface and shock absorber. They’d have no lateral traction on the side. And if the claws were in the middle, they’d get in the way and restrict the flexibility of the paws. Hence the separation.
A big «thumbs up!», I’d say. Cats are perfectly designed masterpieces. I wonder what mysterious feline feature I’ll come across next?
What fascinates you most about cats? Let me know in the comments.
Darina Schweizer
Senior Editor
Darina.Schweizer@digitecgalaxus.chI love everything with four legs or roots – especially my rescue cats Jasper and Joy and my collection of succulents. I’m happiest following the scent of stories about police dogs and cat groomers – or cultivating thoughtful tales in garden flea markets and Japanese gardens.
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