Pet Please #122: Holding Paws with Animals

pawThere is no logical explanation for why this is such a pleasant, satisfying thing…but it is.

Sometimes when Biddy is napping on the desk next to me, he’ll flex his little paws and I’ll stick my finger in the middle of the webbing, which he then holds onto while he sleeps. This is the best.

I think it might be so great because Biddy will NOT allow his paws to be touched when he’s awake.

The closest comparison to this is holding my niece’s hand when she crosses the street or wants to show me something. It’s a gesture that says, “I trust you, I need you.”

Of course, Biddy is saying no such thing when he’s sleeping. It’s more like a tiny baby reflexively clasping your finger when you place it in their fist. But I’m okay with that–it’s still great, intended or not.

Do your pets let you hold their paws?

9 thoughts on “Pet Please #122: Holding Paws with Animals”

  1. I do this with my cats Jamey! They like to sleep next to us on the sofa and occasionally their legs twitch in their sleep (dreaming of running/chasing?), doing this tends to calm them a bit.

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  2. 2/3 of my pets allow paw holding, and if I’m sitting down holding a book or typing on my laptop, Jasper usually picks that time to initiate paw-hand holding. I think it’s adorable when this happens, even though his nails can be a little scratchy–I prefer paw holding with Hodor (or Gwen if she’d allow it) since the cats have smaller, softer paws and no sharp nails to accidentally scratch my hand.

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  3. Long time no comment! I have always loved animals paws. I have also become very good at clipping nails on animals that do not like their feet touched.

    When I got my most recent dog, I tried to clip his nails for the first time, and the sound scared him so much, that he now does his own. He’ll manicure his own nails, and it is absolutely hilarious. Even the vet thinks it is cool, and said that some dogs will just take that over themselves. I have to have a helping hand hold my cats when I clip their nails, but they handle it well.

    I am a big fan of sticking my finger into the little nook of my cat’s paws. They can be awake. One will actually start purring when I do this and then do the flexing motion around my finger. I am finding many things that I think are weirdly enjoyable with my cats to be completely normal things other owners do. Sticking your finger on your cat’s tongue when it yawns?

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