The specialized claw on an African lion’s front foot is called a dewclaw.
A dewclaw is an extra digit positioned higher on the limb than the main toes. In cats, the front-foot dewclaw does not normally touch the ground during ordinary walking. It can nevertheless help grip prey, particularly when a lion uses its forelimbs to hold an animal during an attack.
Lions have retractable claws on their main toes, allowing the claws to stay sharper when not in use. The dewclaw is also associated with a claw sheath and can be extended for gripping. This structure should not be confused with a paw pad, which is a soft weight-bearing surface rather than a claw.
The term “dewclaw” is used across several mammal groups, but its position and function vary. In domestic dogs, for example, dewclaws may occur on front or hind limbs and are not equivalent to the cat’s specialised gripping arrangement.