Can animals be right-handed or left-handed?

Gali, Givatayim Israel

• Certainly pet cats and dogs can be right or left pawed. In my experience there are equal quantities of right and left pawed cats and dogs, depending which was the first paw the animal used after birth. But others have claimed a preponderance of left pawed cats. I don't think any serious scientific study has ever been done.

  Susan Deal, Sheffield UK

• Japanese scientist noticed that when chimpanzees used rocks to break open nuts they would either always use their left or right hand. So chimps may also be left or right handed.

  Iain, Glasgow UK

• Yes they can - but in either case they have paw handwriting.

  Jeffrey C Vagg, UK

• Some species of crabs could be argued to be naturally left handed since the pincer on that side of their body is bigger and stronger than the one the right.

  Chris Owen, Leeds UK

• Simple answer is yes. Complicated answer is that animals often show a preference for using one paw than the other, but unlike humans this is evenly divided between the left and the right.

  Paul, Seattle US