Today in my favorite comic strip, Get Fuzzy, they are giving some “cat facts.” One such states that cats’ jaws cannot move from side to side, and add, “Advantage: cows.” 
Anyhow, having nothing better to do, began to cogitate as to whether all carniverous animals have jaws that don’t move laterally and then, if herbivores all do.
Hmmm, zoologists, what’s the answer. Curious minds want to know. Well, one strange mind, anyway.
Humans (carnivores) can move their jaws side to side.
JFTR, humans are omnivores, and some of the nearby primates have a virtually vegetarian diet (though capable of digesting animal flesh).
I can’t find a cite and I might be wrong, but it seems like at least some of the members of family Mustelidae (weasels, otters, ferrets, badgers) can articulate their jaws laterally to some degree. Rodents might be able to as well, though it’s debatable whether any member of Rodentia can be considered a true carnivore.
Snakes can both flex their jaws and articulate them via several “joints” (they do not dislocate their jaws as is commonly thought), but since they don’t chew their food I don’t know that this is really comperable to the articulation of mammals.
Stranger
This site says that members of the order Carnivora cannot move their jaws side-to-side. Humans are not members of Carnivora (we’re in Primates).
Yes, this is correct. Members of the Order Carnivora have a very “tight,” closely fitted articulation between the jaw and the skull which permits very little side to side movement. The point of this is so that they can bring to bear (no pun intended) strong up-and-down shearing forces to cut flesh without the risk of the jaw slipping sideways and losing its hold. Herbivores, in contrast, have a very “loose” jaw articulation which permits a great deal of side-to-side movement so they can grind tough fibrous vegetation between the molars. Omnivores like humans have an intermediate condition.
What about Pit Bulls that apparently lock their jaws when attached to prey–or your leg–but also have the grinding capability as well.
I like this question.
Ah, Anne, I knew I could count on somebody from the Bay Area to come up with a great cite/site! 
While it told me a lot more than I needed to know, it was really interesting. Thanks.
Not a true carnivore, since they aren’t in the Carnivora, but grasshopper mice are pretty darn carnivorous ( and of course some carnivora are pretty far over to the vegetarian side of omnivory ).
“and the extinct family Amphicyonidae (bear-dogs).”
well damnit I always wanted a Bear-Dog.
yeah like they are saying we arent carnivores but we are predators, not quite the same thing but might be confusing the issue