A Cat's Nose Pad

I learned a couple of new things today.  First, that a cat's nose pad is called a nose pad.  Second, that "the nose pad of a cat is ridged in a pattern that is unique, just like the fingerprint of a human" (quote copied from here).

I read this surprising fact today on the page-a-day cat calendar that one of my work colleagues gave me for Christmas.  I had to come right home and check my furbabies to see if this is true.  Although I'm not entirely sure how one can be certain of this fact, it's like saying no two snowflakes are the same but really, how do you test these theories? We certainly can't stick an inkpad on a cat's nose and then press it on a piece of paper like we do when taking fingerprints.  Can we? No, probably not.  Okay, no, definitely not.  For now, I shall simply have to accept this statement as "probably true", subject to any future evidence to the contrary.

Nevertheless, upon closer inspection (I must admit, I hadn't really paid a whole lot of attention prior to today), I can certainly see the difference in each of the nosepads of my four, as these photos will attest.

Katrina and Matisse both have all black nosepads, each of which are shaped differently than the other's.

Katrina

Matisse

Suzie has a cute little pink nose with just a touch of black at the bottom.

Maggie, given her mottled colouring, has a nose pad to match.

I have always known cat's noses were the cutest things but now that I know they are unique, I shall have to pay more attention to them going forward!