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(The following text is a copypaste from currently latest snapshot of freepaws[dot]org website, which I decided to comment on out of boredom. My comments will be marked in // to separate them from original text. P.S. I never intended to offend anyone with the opinion presented, please don't kill me Unci)

Furries

Furries are non-human animals in art and literature, anthropomorphized or not, who have assumed some part of culture (as humans have it), such as speech, the use of tools and technology or living in houses and cities. Some furries are wearing clothes - from some basic covering sensitive zones or rain protection to full clothing covering all or most of their bodies, similar to what humans wear or different. Others consider them useless, or mostly so, as they are well enough protected by their fur. However, it is only a small minority among the furries who wear shoes - most furry characters that you can see in furry artwork, read about in stories or meet in MUCKs go barefoot (or bare-pawed, as a more appropriate term). Head, tail and four paws (handpaws/forepaws and footpaws/hindpaws) are the spots traditionally left exposed on most furries.

Why most furries go barepawed

Some hints for artists and those who play furries ....

• Many furries are digitigrade (i e walking on their toes, without the heels touching the ground). It would be difficult to make shoes that easily and comfortably fit on digitigrade paws. -- //This, however, doesn't stop artists' creativity, so you can encounter digitigrade creatures in quite convincingly designed protective footwear, from decorative sandals to closed shoes and boots. Sometimes a whole population of anthro creatures in given universe are seen wearing shoes, sometimes it's limited to those with higher social status like nobles or royalty (or, on other paw, only those of lowest social status are barefoot: the poor, who cannot afford footwear; slaves and prisoners, who may be forbidden from wearing any shoes in order to discourage them from escaping, but mostly to make their status obvious on first sight), which is very similar to historical standards in real life human culture.//

• Furry paws have tough pads that easily withstand sharp objects on the ground, good circulation prevents the paws from getting cold in the winter. So they don't really need the foot protection that many humans deem necessary. (As a side note, humans can develop similarly resistant soles too - despite the higher pressure on each foot due to bipedal stance.)

• Furries are sensual beings, and the tactile sense of the soles transmits important impressions of the environment. Shoes would prevent this sense from working.

• Furries are environment-conscious - and paws cause much less erosion than shoes. Furries just love to become one with their planet - which is much easier if you are in direct touch! -- //This reasoning just doesn't seem to fit with sentient beings, who would dare to dig themselves a burrow and disturb the small creatures living in the earth, much less cut down a tree to build themselves a house, or - by gods - build cities and industry necessary to sustain the species (regardless of how "green" such industry would be). And I'm saying that as someone who tries to be as "stealthy" as possible in life, up to often avoiding asking for things that would be included in service I paid for, or rejecting an invitation - just to reduce workload of others.//

• If you are walking the world bare-pawed, you're a lot less likely to dump your garbage on it - break glass, dump metal or toxic chemicals. You are nice to the world, so that the world is nice to you. -- //Words to live by!//

• Furries (at least the carnivores) are sneaky hunters - bare paws are more silent than any sort of shoes! -- //Sounds like a challenge! My domestic cat fursona, just like myself in real life, has developed a stealthy gait adjusted to footwear. On natural surfaces, where furry hunting would usually take place, the difference between bare paws and shod paws would be even smaller. Though I must admit that when dealing with those pesky crunchy leaves and dead branches, while they always require taking things slow and patiently, bare paws win: they make it possible to keep your sight on target. Unless you have a chance to use distractions or mask your own sounds with the environment, of course.//

• The fur would make it uncomfortable to put on shoes, and it would probably be too warm for most furries to wear shoes on top of fur at the usual temperatures. -- //The former depends on length and direction in which the fur grows, the latter would imply that no clothes would work for such creatures because of metabolism rate and thermal regulation of their bodies. In both cases, it seems relevant mainly to furry characters who never developed clothing in their civilization and would suddenly be offered to try some on.//

• Many furries have claws on their hindpaws, which they could not use (for climbing or better traction) if they were covered by shoes.

• Furry paws and their pawprints are just cute! -- //Yes <3//

• Furries use body language a lot. In addition to handpaw gestures, facial expressions, movable ears and tail, footpaws can express a lot of emotions when bare. -- //Yes <3//

• Furries enjoy having their paws in good tough natural shape rather than soft, weak and deformed by footwear. -- //Softness is not a sign of weakness! ;) Also any deformations are preceded by discomfort, which doesn't mean all shoes are bad - it only means that there are inherently bad designs, or bad manufacturing quality to avoid.//

• Furries are playful and enjoy being swift-footed rather than plodding around with a clunky shod walk. -- //*does a ballet twirl in his comfy sneakers, before appearing on top of a 4ft wall in a swift hop* 'Sup? =^.^= //

• Speaking from an artist's perspective, footpaws give a good additional indication of species and personality. In a clothed anthropomorphic furry, the bare footpaws give a good visual counterweight to the exposed bodyparts further up. In a furry world, bare paws go well with any sort of clothing, casual or formal, functional or decorative. The most elegant and intricate dresses and suits are most carefully tailored and chosen to go especially well with the colour and shape of the bare, well-kept paws. -- //This should be true in human world as well.//

• The furless pads on furry paws are a lot easier to clean than fur - so it's no problem even when paws get dirty from walking bare. -- //The former is definitely not true. The fur stops most of the dirt particles, oils etc. from contact with the skin, and the hairs itself absorb virtually nothing of it (unless we're talking about chemicals specifically crafted to dye the fur, which is obviously not the case here).//

• In a mixed species world, making fitting shoes for all different sorts of paws would be a very time-consuming task, so most individuals probably couldn't afford getting footwear custom-made. -- //It's not hard to imagine manufacturers catering to needs of particular species, unless the world depicted would be a literal Noah's Ark: isolated, and with each species represented by little more than a couple creatures.//

• Shoes are a human thing. A furry in full clothing and shoes often looks like a human with slightly changed head and attached tail. Bare paws give a much more furry expression, and are another hint towards the species (pattern and amount of fur, number and arrangement of toes and pads, presence and retractability of claws). -- //This is only true for plantigrade, bipedal creatures with body proportions recognizable by humans as human without second thought. As for digitigrade creatures, their posture is nearly always too distinct for the clothing and footwear to alter it towards completely human look.//

Taking furry lifestyle into reality

Many furry fans have `personal furry' characters, which represent their personality, and try to take some of their furry lifestyle into reality. As you see above, going barefoot is a part of this furry lifestyle - so don't be surprised if you meet furries in reality, and notice that they wear nothing on their footpaws.

Why don't you try it yourself? You will see that human feet are just as good for many surroundings (especially natural ground, such as grass, forest floor or sand) as furry paws are - that shoes are not always necessary, and that you will feel your environment much better if you leave them away. Just pad around with direct ground connection as nature intended and imagine you were your furry character .... You will find it both enjoyable and healthy.

Easy starting

The easiest place to start is your own home. Just leave shoes and socks behind whenever you enter your door, forget about slippers, pad around barepawed year-round, it's easy! If you tend to get cold feet on stone or tile floor, put a rug on the floor where you normally sit or stand. The ability to wiggle toes freely can actually keep your footpaws warmer than if you covered them. For furry indoors gatherings, bare paws are an obvious choice for quite a number of reasons. -- //Sadly, in most cases hotel rules at conventions explicitly prohibit walking barepawed, so it's limited either to furry gatherings in private homes, or specific venues that are barepaw friendly.//

Of course, don't stop there! Go out and explore how the surfaces there are to the touch underfoot. Start with short barepawed walks on comfortable ground such as grass or sand. Actually a beach holiday is a great chance for an easy start as the sand gives good muscle training. Gradually extend your range by trying new grounds and going on longer walks. Be safe by always watching the ground ahead and stepping softly, straight down, without shuffling your feet over the ground. Be cautious when you can't see the ground clearly due to darkness or obstacles such as tall grass, leaves or snow, so you don't accidentally step on something spiky.

Too cold? Too hot?

If you go barepawed outdoors regularly, you will increase circulation in your feet, so you won't get cold feet that easily anymore, even when the weather is cool. For you arctic furries, you may want to try padding around barepawed in snow for an especially refreshing experience, but be aware of your personal temperature limit so you don't freeze your toes! So come back indoors after making a few hundred pawprints before your toes go numb and enjoy warm paws the whole day long! If temperatures are above freezing, it's safe to go out - you may compensate for the loss of warmth through your paws by adding another layer of clothing. Many experienced barepawers will get a cold nose before they get cold toes!

Some furries live in very hot areas. There it's advisable to avoid dark asphalt which can become hot like a frying pan. Seek the shadows, go out in dusk and dawn, look for grassy strips to cool down. Or do it like those desert lizards and lift up your foot to cool it in the wind.

Taking care of your paws

Paws need little maintenance, small injuries heal remarkably fast, and best of all, they actually grow thicker skin when walking on rough ground long enough. However, many tend to have dry skin on their paws, which develops cracks when it grows (especially on the heels) - this can hurt if not treated right. To prevent this, use fine sandpaper or an emory board to keep the surface nicely smooth, and apply cream to keep the skin moist and flexible. If foreign objects such as thorns or bits of broken glass have entered the skin (it happens rarely), pull them out completely before they are pushed in further. For your longer trips, it's advisable to take tweezers and band-aids with you so that small injuries don't hold you up. -- //This is probably the most controversial part about barepaw lifestyle, and I think it boils down to individual preferences and expectations about own paws and paws of others. Hands seem to be the best analogy in this case: on average, people find hands that weren't doing hard labor, are soft and smooth more appealing than thick, hard and dry hands of a miner or lumberjack. When we give up footwear, we actually have to more than double efforts in paw care, unless we accept that our paws may no longer be anything worth particular attention of others (notice the previous paragraphs related to paw beauty and its role in attire) and become a work tool that only needs to stay functional and sturdy, with aesthetics being a secondary factor.//

In city and nature

Some furries live in the forests and savannahs, others in the cities. Be well prepared for obstacles you may encounter, but rest assured that your paws will conquer your surroundings with ease. In nature, you may find thorny bushes, thistles and such - keep to areas where you can see the ground easily to avoid these. Being a true furry means to be aware of your surroundings and reacting accordingly - even if it means to change your trail from what you originally intended.

The city mostly has hard, flat ground of varying roughness for you. Exhausting for long walks, but less so if you are bare-pawed. In dry weather, city dirt will turn your pads to a dusty gray or almost black. Some city furs even enjoy it when their pads stand out like this. It will wear off in grass and puddles, or can be cleaned with water, soap and a brush in the shower. Watch out for tiny bits of broken glass - even though a tough paw withstands most of them, better don't push your luck. Sometimes a grassy strip next to the sidewalk allows some variation - or try passing through a park and crossing the lawns for softer surfaces. But even the streets can be highly enjoyable, so that you may not need shoes at all when going to the city. -- //Hardened surfaces in cities of real world were never meant for bare paws and are anything but natural (unless compared to volcanic and rocky areas with almost no soft spots). Sure, anyone can try and adapt to walking barepawed on streets against all odds, but it can never be compared to the comfort of natural surfaces in rural area. The inherent dirtiness of artificial roads and pavement is also underestimated here, when it comes to paw cleaning. Those habitually shod almost never notice that as they kick off their footwear when entering their home, but the city is full of tar and soot particles that are literally and continuosly beaten into exposed skin of paws - something that cannot be scrubbed away in one attempt, and especially within the time required to make habitually covered paws shine. Anyone who got a grain of plain wooden soot just gently smeared over their hand knows how stubborn it is to rub away with aforementioned water and soap - and asphalt can be much, much worse. And again, this controversy is a matter of personal preference. Some like their coffee with milk and sugar, and cannot bear with thought of going into their bed with slightly darkened soles they failed to scrub completely clean after a barepaw day out in city; some like their coffee black just like their paw soles, in exchange for feeling of freedom and accomplishment.//

Barepawed furry fun! -- //I'm just gonna say that every bit of the following sounds lovely!//

Once you conditioned your paws for the various sorts of ground you may find, try exploring the nature nearby, alone or with other furries. Leave the trails to find your way through the underbrush of the forest - now you are a native animal too, behave like part of the local wildlife. As you can move more silently than those wearing shoes, you can get closer to wild animals to watch them.

Climb on trees or rocks, which is much easier if your toes can grab the surface. Some barepawed furries can climb vertical poles without any footholds! Just make sure you can safely climb down again without falling.

Splash through puddles and mud in rainy weather - paws are waterproof!

Lawns and meadows are a pleasure for all paws. They make walking easy, for hours and hours without wearing you out - if you find such a long grassy trail! But watch out for thistles in dry meadows, and avoid flowering clover in the sun as bee stings can be painful.

Leave pawprints on soft ground such as sand, mud or snow, or with wet paws on dry streets. Try walking digitigrade for a while, heels not touching the ground, leaving digitigrade pawprints.

Approach unassuming individuals silently on bare soles, without making a sound.

And of course, it goes without saying, all kind of cuddling, a definitely furry thing, is best done bare-pawed! Experience yourself that a footpaw can be just as gentle as a handpaw for stroking and scritching.

Barepawed fun in winter!

Even when it's cold and snowy, furries can have freepawed fun - and not just furries .... try it! For a few minutes, a barepawed snowball fight can both refresh and warm you up!