An order or group of mammals that walk on their toes or digits, such as cats and dogs, as opposed to flat-footed walkers.
From Latin 'digitus' (digit/toe) plus 'gradus' (step/gait), meaning those that walk on digits. Scientific taxonomy term combining foot-structure with locomotion.
Digitigrade animals—like your cat tiptoeing across a floor—are evolution's sprinters and sneakers, having evolved to walk on their toes for speed and stealth, which is why they're so different from flat-footed humans.
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