This is a follow up to the left-handed cat page. VG checked out her famous Maine Coon, Tootsie, to see if she was left-handed or right-handed. Perhaps she is in the middle: ambidextrous. Well, here is a collage of a series of photos by VG of her beloved Tootsie for people to decide:
I’ll tell you what I think, here and now. I think she is a left-handed cat with some ambidextrous qualities. If you wanted to ask, “is she left or right handed?”, I would say she was left-handed. A lot of cats, most cats perhaps, are ambidextrous to at least a certain extent and that seems to show with Tootsie but looking at these pictures I sense she is left-handed.
The picture that goes against this assessment is top row far right. This is a famous internet picture because Google finds it a lot when people searched for “polydactyl Maine Coon“. Even in this photo I sense she is using her stronger side to stabilise herself while using her right paw to pick up the string.
If I am right, perhaps, her mother was stressed before she was born?
Thanks Dan. I picked out the pictures way back when I saw the article about handedness in cats, and put a set on flickr. But, it is not a “scientific” sample. According to the scientific journal article, the preference is apparent only for especially challenging tasks. The most challenging task I could see from photos was “trying to capture the lizard”, for which she used her left paw. So, I would agree with your assessment.
What a beautiful cat Tootsie is. Wow. I love these photos of her in action. If she puts her hand out to touch water from a tap of food or something – which parm/paw comes out first?
VG, it is clear how much your kitty loves you! I had not noticed that left “thumb” [ist pic, 2nd row] until you pointed it out. “Toot Sweet!”
I love the pictures! I think she is left pawed with a bit of ambi in there, although I think all cats are a bit ambi.
Sorry, I meant thank you for letting me know. Straws are such a fun idea. You are making me long for an Eastern Seaboard Maine Coon! 😉
Sorry, I meant, thank you for letting me know. Straws are such a fun idea. What others are her faves that you ingeniously came up with? You are making me long for an Eastern Seaboard Maine Coon! 😉