The digitigrade posture enables the quick, quiet movement that defines stealthy predators.įinally, the supple, flexible spine compresses and extends, allowing long strides for running and leaping. Cats are digitigrade that is, they walk on their toes and the ball of the foot. Feline toes have sharp, curved claws for gripping, climbing, protection, and balance. Front paws have five toes each and back paws four toes each, for a total of 18. They are longer and more angular than the front legs, propelling the cat forward and up and over objects.Īt the base of each leg are the paws: fleshy, hairless, sensitive pads that support the body. The less flexible hind legs move forward and backward.
Front legs carry approximately 60 percent of body weight and are designed to catch the body weight that the hind legs propel forward. The front legs are more flexible in rotation, with elbows that are hinged backward and slightly bent, shorter and straighter than the hind legs, and attached to the body by ligament and muscle. This design narrows the chest, allowing legs and feet to stay close together, permitting speed, long strides, flexibility, and efficient impact absorption. It isn’t fused to the skeleton but attached to the chest by muscle. The collarbone, or clavicle, is small, or in some cats completely absent. Let’s start at the front and move to the back. Feline anatomy is built to order with front and hind legs having different structure and functional roles. The carnivore lifestyle requires speed, flexibility, and agility to manipulate prey as well as for self-defense. Form Defines FunctionĪs beautiful as the fluid movement is to watch, make no mistake: it serves a predatory purpose. Recognizing your cat’s movements is one of the keys to understanding his emotions and behaviors.
Cats have a variety of movements and gaits and can instantly switch from a slow, sensual walk to a slinky strut to a full-on burst of speed. Feline movement could be described as grace on paws.
0 kommentar(er)
