Toe tufts are commonly found on cat

Cat

The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...

s with medium to long coats. Clumps of fur that stick out at least 1-2cm beyond the paw pad can be considered tufts. In addition to soft paw

Paw

A paw is the soft foot of a mammal, generally a quadruped, that has claws or nails. A hard foot is called a hoof. Paws are used to pad feet for walking and increase friction.- Common characteristics :...

 pads, toe tufts help a cat to silently stalk its prey by muffling excess noise. However, outdoor cats tend to lose their toe tufts due to excessive abrasion on the rougher outdoor surfaces. This is in stark contrast to indoor cats who spend most of their time walking on carpet or smooth floors.

Although toe tufts do not cause additional hairball

Hairball

A hairball is a small collection of hair or fur formed in the stomach of animals that is occasionally vomited up when it becomes too big. Hairballs are primarily a tight elongated cylinder of packed fur, but may include bits of other elements such as swallowed food. Cats are especially prone to...

s in cats, it does make some aspects of hygiene a bit more difficult. For example, cat litter, dirt and other particulates may stick to toe tufts and cause the cat some discomfort. Therefore, a cat with extra long toe tufts should be checked regularly for tangles and taken in for grooming

Personal grooming

Personal grooming is the art of cleaning, grooming, and maintaining parts of the body. It is a species-typical behavior that is controlled by neural circuits in the brain.- In humans :...

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