DC may be in trouble in more ways than one.
A “moulage,” as used in forensic investigations, is a cast of an impression like a tire mark, footprint, etc., left at the scene of a crime. Investigators will make a plaster or silicone mold of the impression to preserve the evidence and to use it for later comparison. Could our neighbor use his moulage to compare the damaging tracks to DC’s toe beans? You bet!
But DC has another problem. Cats have fingerprints. Cats’ toe pads have skin similar to what the FBI’s Fingerprint Sourcebook calls “friction ridge skin” in humans, producing fingerprints of a sort. Many believe paw prints to be as unique as human fingerprints. So, even though the FBI’s Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) doesn’t catalog toe bean prints, I think DC may still be up the creek. (Maybe the scene in Disney’s That Darn Cat where Dean Jones wrecks Hayley Mills’s bathroom trying to get the original DC’s paw print may not have been that wacky after all.)
Finally, if I find traces of dried concrete on our favorite feline’s paws, I’m afraid I may have some driveway repairs in my future.
Ben Waggoner says:
It wouldn’t surprise me at all to learn that cats have distinct “fingerprints.” We are constantly finding that Creation is filled with much more complexity than people are willing to give the Creator credit for.
Donald Jay says:
Agreed.
Susan says:
That is crazy! I thought toe beans were shock absorbers for the cat and play toys for the humans. Bean prints….interesting. How about dogs?
Donald Jay says:
“Dogs don’t have fingerprints, but they do have nose prints that are unique to each dog and can be used to identify them. A dog’s nose print is made up of scales and grooves that create a pattern similar to human fingerprints, with ridges and dimples.” An AI response from Google.com.
Susan says:
That’s wild…never knew. Now I can’t help but stare at my pup’s nose.
Donald Jay says:
He has such a cute nose, too.
Dianna says:
Uh oh,DC! Watch out. Interesting fact about cat prints.
Donald Jay says:
Thanks, Dianna.