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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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Cats Are Left or Right-Pawed

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(Newser) – Cats may appear ambidextrous when pawing a ball of string but actually lean lefty or righty when it comes to tough tasks, the New Scientist reports. It comes down to sex: girl kitties are mostly righties and boys lefties, say researchers at Queen's University Belfast in Northern Ireland. Hormone levels may account for the difference—earlier studies have linked prenatal testosterone to left-handedness.

A cat stretches its paw for food after being rescued by China Small Animal Protection Association from a Tianjin market that trade cats for meat and fur, in Beijing, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2007.
A cat stretches its paw for food after being rescued by China Small Animal Protection Association from a Tianjin market that trade cats for meat and fur, in Beijing, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2007.   (AP Photo/EyePress)
White cats appear ambidextrous, they are actually righties or lefties, a new study shows.
White cats appear ambidextrous, they are actually righties or lefties, a new study shows.   (Shutterstock)
Like humans, cats can use either paw%u2014but lean lefty or righty for difficult tasks.
Like humans, cats can use either paw%u2014but lean lefty or righty for difficult tasks.   (Shutterstock)
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13 comments
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armywife
Jul 24, 09 7:27 PM CDT
human beings really do research some dumb-ass stuff. Reply
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+1
Caps
Jul 24, 09 7:39 PM CDT
Yes, I would have to agree. Reply
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+1
Deebles
Jul 24, 09 8:04 PM CDT
But Robert Frost would have been enthralled. Reply
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+2
Timinator2K
Jul 24, 09 8:51 PM CDT
Cats can dupe silly humans with either paw! Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
Rocket448
Jul 24, 09 11:10 PM CDT
Catz can haz cheeseburgers wif bof hans.
Vote up! Vote down!
+2

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