Page 14 - The Complete Cat Breed Book (DK)

12 INTR ODUC TION T O C A T S

Cat anatomy CAT’S WHISKERS
The feline body-plan is that of a predator. The skeleton, which Whiskers are hairs that
have been modified into
evolved for speed and agility, has slender limbs, a flexible spine,
touch sensors. They help
and a narrow ribcage to protect the heart and lungs, both of which cats to navigate in the
are adapted for short bursts of speed. The shoulder blades are not dark and also to detect
attached to the rest of the skeleton but held in place by muscles objects that are very
close by.
and ligaments, allowing the cat to extend its stride when running.
A domestic cat’s brain is about 25 percent smaller than that of
a wildcat. This is because the areas of a wildcat’s brain involved in
mapping a large territory are no longer needed by domestic cats,

EYES IN THE DARK
The large, wide-set eyes Ears can rotate
face forward for judging independently to
locate sources
distances when hunting.
of sounds
Night vision is enhanced
by the tapetum lucidum,
a reflective layer behind
the retina that bounces
any light entering the eye
back through the retina.
Beneath the coat,
the skin is usually
the same color
as the cat’s fur

A typical cat coat
CARNIVORE TEETH has an underlayer of
soft, short hairs and
An adult cat has 30 mid-length insulating
teeth. The incisors are awn, overlaid by
used for grasping and long, protective
grooming, the canines guard hairs
for stabbing and gripping
prey, and the carnassials
(modified molars) at the
side for cutting flesh.

Front legs have
greater range of
TOES AND CLAWS movement than the
Cats are digitigrade, hindlegs, allowing a
which means that they cat to clean its head
with its front paws
walk on their toes. The
toes have curved claws
for scratching (which also
sharpens them), fighting, Paws have fleshy,
and gripping. The claws hairless pads on
are retractable: they can their underside to
be slid back into sheaths provide support
for stealthy movement.