Walking quietly is important to big cats who must hunt for food. Cats use their paws to clean their faces, too. On their feet, cats have sharp claws that they use to scratch, grip and tear things. Big cats like lions use their long, sharp claws for hunting and marking territory. All members of the cat family, except the cheetah, have retractable claws that they can stick out and pull back into their paws.
All cats have sensitive ears that can hear many sounds.
Cats hear better than people do. Cats move their ears to pick up more sounds and determine where the sounds are coming from. Being able to hear danger or food coming is important to cats. Not only can cats hear better than people, they can see better at night, too. Cats' eyes are designed for hunting and can adjust to light changes quickly.