What is the skeleton of cats

Graceful and flexible, magnificent hunters, gentle pets - all these are cats, the very perfection created by nature. Their physical abilities are amazing - cats have no equal in jumping, in the ability to balance and the ability to climb through narrow holes. This mobility is explained by the structure of the cat's body, its anatomical features. The skeleton of cats has 40 bones more than the human. Most of the cat's bones are connected to each other with cartilage, which ensures their mobility.

Structure of the skeleton of a cat

Cats have a very flexible and flexible spine. The skeleton of cats consists of 7 cervical vertebrae, 13 thoracic, 7 lumbar, 3 sacral and caudal vertebrae, the number of which varies depending on the breed. Cervical vertebrae have a specific structure, allowing the cat to turn its head 180 degrees. Nine pairs of ribs connect to the breast bone with cartilage, and four pairs of ribs are free. The front legs of cats do not have a strong connection with the skeleton, since their collarbones are very small bones, unable to carry the load. The connective tissue and muscles that cover the bones of the forelegs take this function on themselves. Due to this structure of the forelimbs, cats are able to squeeze the body to climb into a narrow hole. It also helps to group the body during the landing from a great height, as if to "spring" the front paws and not injure the bones of the limbs.

Since the skeleton of cats has a narrow thorax, when walking, cats are paws practically along one line. This gives them a huge advantage - few animals can be rope walkers, and cats easily walk on narrow surfaces. Pelvic bones of the cat are more developed than the pectoral bones, since they have more load. This explains the ability to jump high and get explosive speed. After all, a cat can jump to a height that is more than 5 times its height. On the hind legs they have 4 fingers, on the fore - 5 fingers. Animals have the ability to draw claws, which none of the mammals can do.

The skeleton of cats is different from the skeletons of other animals by the shape of the skull. It has an equally developed facial and brain parts. The facial is not as elongated as in dogs. And the main difference is the huge eye sockets. Large eyes indicate that cats are night hunters, they can see perfectly in the dark.

Cat joints

Understand the nature of their flexibility and mobility can be by studying the skeleton of a cat. Photo of the spine allows you to see its elasticity and flexibility, achieved due to the peculiarities of the structure of the joints, which serve to connect one bone with another. The ends of the bones entering the joint are covered to reduce the friction of the cartilage. If the joint is simple, the bones in it move in the same plane, and if it is multi-axis, spherical, the bones move in a circle. They are held together by ligaments and tendons. When the ligaments break, the bones move apart and a dislocation of the joint is formed.