People are always going on and on about the itsie-bitsie cutesy-wootsy toe beans that cats have. I don’t get it — those are the ends of the limbs a predator uses to kill its prey, and they aren’t particularly interesting structurally.
Far better are the complex sticky hairs spiders use to climb. Not only are they cute, but they’ve been written up in a mechanical engineering journal. Point: spiders.
Don’t believe me? Look at these adorable little tootsies!
Enhance!
See? Cute!
Do opiliones have similar “feet”?
Cool! I knew geckos had them, but didn’t know about the spiders.
Still with the cat bashing ? That spider in my shed is on shaky ground .
I’ll click the bait. (Long-time cat’s pet here.) Clearly PZ has never experienced the joy of ‘playing’ (for want of a better word) with a relaxed purring cat‘s claw. Even to the point it will claw its nails in your hand, just not hurting you.
It’s better than the lucky charm of a rabbit’s foot, that was a fad among youngsters — when I was one.
Those appear to be a touch more durable than the gecko’s system. Makes sense, as the only maintenance possible for the spider is molting.
Ectopically @myself in #4 for Birger, who I fully expect to be a cats’ person: See what I did there? Separating my paragraphs without the need to squeeze in a rather funny full stop? Just enter shift-return shift-return in between your paragraphs. Cheerio!
Whoa whoa whoa!! It’s not really about the relative cuteness, is it?
René @ 6
A good thing about feline toe beans is, when you are asleep and your pet walks across your face, it tends to soften the impact.
Unless you get a foot in your mouth, shedding a lot of fur in the process. By the time you have spat out the hair, you will be fully awake.
@8 I never had to spit out out fur. You are into long-haired misbred? My cat heaven was sleeping with my neutered Cyper (european short-hair) under the duvet. He died in the early eighties. I can still feel my toes on his warm furry belly.
Another thing ,the cat’s paw is a normal photo ,while them spiders are X plus .
How about a magnified cat’s paw ,or maybe a cat’s tongue .
Point of order – cats use their limbs to hold the prey in place – the mouth is used for the killing.
cartomancer @11: Watch this cute kitten. What she’s doing with her back legs is used by larger cats to disembowel prey.
Lions kill their prey by breaking the neck or suffocation.
https://www.krugerpark.co.za/Kruger_National_Park_Wildlife-travel/kruger-park-wildlife-lions.html
Tigers are similar
http://www.tigersofindia.com/hunting-methods-of-tigers.php
chigau: Right, but it’s not the only way a big cat can kill.
Also;
I can’t find a link, but a BC woman was killed in this manner by a cougar some years ago.
These are vegetarian spiders?
What is with castigating felines for being obligate carnivores, but the spiders are given a free pass because they don’t eat cute little birds(*) or something? Why not pick on omnivores like wild boars or humans? They at least deserve some bad press.
(*) Don’t look at this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g3cbIR_vuA
(not real spider)
Capybaras are cute and deserve more attention. There is lots of capybara content on Youtube (posted in Japanese, but it is the footage that is important). Fun fact; capybaras are so gregarious they get along with other species. If you have a traumatised dog or cat, a capybara is great company.
@17: Capybaras can’t crawl across your ceilings, though. Just sayin’
I like how everyone’s just ignoring comment #7 as though we haven’t just fallen through a portal into the MCU.
My cat only eats dry cat food, cheese and moths. There isn’t a lot of disembowelling needed for those.
I saw something about a Chinese trapdoor spider ,it’s rear end that it use to block the entrance to it’s burrow ,looks
like one of those disgusting Oreo biscuits you Americans are so fond of .
@20 You should really make sure it is getting enough to drink .
Silentbob @ 19
I am thinking about the possibilities for a reboot of the terminator franchise, with cyberdyne systems machines climbing walls.
.
GM: Capybaras that climb walls! Cows grazing on rooftop gardens and pooping on the streets below.
Big effing cats.
There is a Russian couple who adopted a sick puma from a zoo, and nursed it back to health. Youtube has the video “Messi the puma is a big ol’ house cat”. It even listens to commands, which is unexpected.