Cat anatomy

[3] A cat's sense of smell and taste work closely together, having a vomeronasal organ that allows them to use their tongue as scent tasters,[4] while its longitudinal, transverse, and vertical intrinsic muscles aid in movement.

When angry or frightened, a cat will lay back its ears to accompany the growling or hissing sounds it makes.

In addition to soft paw pads, toe tufts help a cat to silently stalk its prey by muffling excess noise.

[10] Cats are also able to jump from greater heights without serious injury, due to the efficient performance of their limbs and ability to control impact forces.

This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows the silent stalking of prey.

They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing, "kneading", or for extra traction on soft surfaces (bedspreads, thick rugs, skin, etc.).

[20] In fact, the lives of cats with chronic kidney disease can sometimes be extended for years by the regular injection of large volumes of fluid subcutaneously.

[21][22] The particularly loose skin at the back of the neck is known as the scruff, and is the area by which a mother cat grips her kittens to carry them.

This behavior also extends into adulthood, when a male will grab the female by the scruff to immobilize her while he mounts, and to prevent her from running away as the mating process takes place.

In wild cats, the ancestors of domesticated felines, this pouch appears to be present to provide extra room in case the animal has the opportunity to eat a large meal and the stomach needs to expand.

The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's enhanced spinal mobility and flexibility, compared to humans.

[25] This contributes to the cat's elasticity and ability to elongate and contract their back by curving it upwards or oscillating it along their vertebral line.

[26] Unlike human arms, a cat's forelimbs are attached to the shoulders by free-floating clavicle bones, which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their heads.

[28]: 35  Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth, adapted to their preferred prey of small rodents.

The masseter is a powerful, thick muscle covered by a tough, shining fascia lying ventral to the zygomatic arch, which is its origin.

The platysma covers the neck and allows the cat to stretch the skin over the pectoralis major and deltoid muscles.

The digestion system of cats begins with their sharp teeth and abrasive tongue papillae, which help them tear meat, which is most, if not all, of their diet.

The stomach is not only a muscular structure, it also serves a chemical function by releasing hydrochloric acid and other digestive enzymes to break down food.

As food moves through the duodenum, it mixes with bile, a fluid that neutralizes stomach acid and emulsifies fat.

The pancreas releases enzymes that aid in digestion so that nutrients can be broken down and pass through the intestinal mucosa into the blood and travel to the rest of the body.

[31] Since the cat digests low amounts of glucose, the pancreas uses amino acids to trigger insulin release instead.

Cats are not adapted to synthesize niacin from tryptophan and, because they are carnivores, cannot convert carotene to vitamin A, so eating plants while not harmful does not provide them nutrients.

[dubious – discuss] Together with the vulva, the vagina of the cat is involved in mating and provides a channel for newborns during parturition, or birth.

[45] Mature adult cats become dehydrated when they don't consume 60ml/kg a day, which could lead to health issues involving the bladder and kidneys.

Cortisol is a stress hormone that impacts physiological aspects of the cats, for example loud sounds and tight spaces, subjection to other animals, unfamiliar people and places.

High stress response in the body raises blood pressure and causes health issues in cats, such as cardiovascular functioning.

[citation needed] Feral cats live off of a natural diet of prey, such as rodents and birds, rather than store-bought foods.

[50] This study[49] showed that feral cats get most of their daily energy from protein (52%) and fat (46%), with only a tiny bit from non-fiber carbohydrates (2%).

The types of food animals eat play a big role in keeping their stomach's microbial population balanced.

These things can boost gut health, help certain good bacteria grow, and support the immune system.

Skeleton of a domestic cat
Sharp spines or papillae found in a cat's tongue. 5 types of papillae can be found in the dorsal aspect of the tongue: filiform, fungiform, foliate, vallate, and conical.
A cat's ear, which has special fur for sensing and protection
A cat's nose is highly adapted.
A cat's skeletal leg anatomy in a digitigrade stance
A cat's skeletal leg anatomy in its digitigrade stance
General locomotor patterns of a cat by Eadweard Muybridge , 1887
A cat's claw
Two cats curled up together
Two cats sharing body heat
A pronounced primordial pouch in a male tabby mix
Diagram of the skeleton of a cat
  1. Cervical or neck bones (7 in number).
  2. Dorsal or thoracic bones (13 in number, each bearing a rib).
  3. Lumbar bones (7 in number).
  4. Sacral bones (3 in number).
  5. Caudal or tail bones (19 to 21 in number).
  1. Cranium, or skull.
  2. Mandible, or lower jaw.
  3. Scapula, or shoulder-blade.
  4. Sternum, or breast-bone.
  5. Humerus.
  6. Radius.
  7. Phalanges of the toes.
  8. Metacarpal bones.
  9. Carpal or wrist-bones.
  10. Ulna.
  11. Ribs.
  12. Patella, or knee-cap.
  13. Tibia.
  14. Metatarsal bones.
  15. Tarsal bones.
  16. Fibula.
  17. Femur, or thigh-bone.
  18. Pelvis, or hip-bone.
Cat skeleton
Labelled diagram of the muscular system of a cat
Diagram of the muscular system of a cat
Diagram of the digestive system of a cat
Thermograph of various body parts of a cat