Cats are one of the most popular pet species in the world. Since the days of the Ancient World, they have enjoyed special respect among people and are surrounded by a real halo of mystery. Proof of this is the fact that scientists have discovered evidence of their special relationship with humans. On the island of Cyprus, a burial site dating from the eighth century BC was discovered. In this grave, next to human remains was a cat’s skeleton.
But few people know what lies behind these beautiful fluffy faces. To better understand what allows this creature to have such phenomenal abilities, you need to consider the structure of his body. Such extraordinary maneuverability and grace provides the skeleton of a cat. In their physical abilities, cats are superior to most animals. In their arsenal there are many complex tricks. They can climb trees, jump high, crawl noiselessly, balance well, have high sprint speed and lightning speed.
The skeleton of a cat includes 230 bones, which is 24 units more than a person has. This beast has the shortest skull of all kinds of pets. The mammalian spine includes 7 cervical and 13 thoracic vertebrae. Thirteen pairs of ribs are attached to this ridge. They form the chest. The cat has 7 lumbar, 3 sacral and approximately 26 caudal vertebrae. The number of the latter may vary, depending on the length of the tail.
The central nervous system of the animal has reliable protection, due to the fact that the cat has a very flexible skeleton of the spine. A feature of the sternum is that it is connected only with the first nine pairs of ribs. Four more pairs forming an arc are free.
Unlike all other pets, the cat’s skeleton does not have collarbones, therefore the chest of this animal is connected to the bones of the forelimbs with the help of muscles and special tissue. Such a feature of the body allows them to squeeze into the narrowest passages into which only the head is able to crawl. This also explains the soft cushioned landing of the beast when jumping.
The structure of the belt of the forelimbs includes the scapula, ulna, humerus and radius, plus the bones of the paws and wrists. In the pelvic girdle are the pelvis, thighs, lower leg, patella, heel bones and metatarsals with phalanges of the fingers. Elements of the pelvic limb are more developed than parts of the chest. This determines the characteristic “jumping" movement of the animal. These animals conquer a height 5 times their own height.
Joints in cats are divided into three groups: stitches, cartilage and synovial. The first are formed between the fused bones of the skull. Solid fibers form them, and they are motionless. The second is composed of solid cartilage. Thanks to them, the cat has its extraordinary flexibility. The third type connects the bones. The mobility of the animal depends on them.
So that you can see the cat’s skeleton, the pictures are presented in the article.