|
|
|
The Skeleton Index
Some figures:
| Horse |
683 bones |
| Dog |
321 bones |
| Cat |
240 bones |
| Human |
202 bones |
A cat has about 240 bones, depending, how many bones it has in the
tail.
Body planes
 |
| sagittal plane |
is a vertical plane
along the longitudinal body axis, it parts the body into a left
and a right half |
| transversal plane |
is a vertical plane
vertically to the body axis (90°), it parts the body into a
cranial and a caudal half |
| frontal plane |
is a horizontal plane
through the body axis and parts the body into a dorsal and a
ventral half |
| dorsal |
referring to the back,
into the direction of the back, located in the half of the back |
| referring to the upper
side of the foot |
| ventral |
referring to the belly,
into the direction of the belly, located in the half of the belly |
| cranial |
referring to the head
(cranium), into the direction of the head, located in the half,
where the head is |
| caudal |
referring to the tail
(or tail-like structure), into the direction of the tail, located
in the half, where the tail is |
| lateral |
referring to the side of
the body, located at the side of the body |
| proximal |
near the middle, near
the center, near the midline |
| distal |
apart from the middle,
apart from the center, apart from the midline |
| plantar |
referring to the back
side of the foot |
Goto Top
Skeleton
 |
| |
|
| Atlas |
1st vertebra of the neck, carries
the head |
| Axis |
2nd vertebra of the neck, is the
axis, where the atlas turns around |
| Orbit |
bony hollow, where the eye is
read more about eyes at the
Siamese and
Persian |
| |
|
| Teeth |
formula for the teeth in the cat:
1st teeth: 26 teeth
upper jaw: 3 premolars, 1 canine, 3 incissors
lower jaw: 2 premolars, 1 canine, 3 incissors
Bite of an adult cat: 30 teeth
upper jaw: 1 molar, 3 premolars, 1 canine, 3 incissors
lower jaw: 1 molar, 2 premolars, 1 canine, 3
incissors
The change of the 1st teeth is about the 6th month, around the
24th week. |
| Mandible |
bone of the lower jaw, the bone is
moveable, it is connected to the upper jaw with a hinge joint |
| Deformities |
Brachycephaly (too
short heads)
brachy ... Greek: short
cephalus ... Latin: head
Short-headed breeds (like Persian, Exotic) have a
predisposition for problems in the upper respiratory tract, which
are commonly called as brachycephal syndrome.
Brachycephaly is accompanied by narrowed nostrils, an elongated
and thickened soft palate, and disproportionate enlarged and
protruding eyes. Often the lacrimal canaliculi are crushed or even
missing.
Please read:
Problems with the eye lids (enrolled eye lid), problems in the
nasolacrimal system |
Prognathism
Overshot - Undershot
This is mostly noticed in short-headed breeds (Persian, Exotic) or
in very long-headed breeds (Siamese) with narrow jaws.
The mandible is either protruded and the lower teeth row protrudes
over the upper teeth row (prognathism), or the mandible is
shortened and the upper teeth row protrudes over the lower teeth
row (retrognatism). |
| |
|
| Hyoid |
bone, which takes part in swallowing
and speaking
From the history of development this bone is a residual bone from
the 1st branchial arch (visceral arch).
In big cats the hyoid is cartilaginous and flexible, which enables
those cats to roar, but only to a one-way-purring at expiration.
In cats the hyoid is bony, which enables cats to a two-way-purring
at expiration and inspiration, but does not enable them to roar,
only just to meow. |
| Scapula |
shoulder blade
The shoulder blade is not fixed connected to the spine (it is not
connected via the clavicles!), it is connected with firm muscles
and ligaments. Therefore the shoulder blades are very flexible,
and a cat fits into the narrowest hollow. |
 |
acromion |
points into the direction of the
belly; an important connection point for muscles |
| metacromion |
points into the direction of the
tail; an important connection point for muscles |
| glenoid cavity (or fossa) |
a hollow, where the head of the
humerus articulates |
| Clavicle |
This bone is degenerated
in cats and is not connected with the spine, it is embedded into a
muscle. |
Goto Top
Legs, claws
Front leg
Forelimb |
 |
caput |
head of the humerus |
| humerus |
the upper bone of the
forelimbs |
| The lower part of the
forelimbs (shank) consists of 2 bones, which are connected via an
articulation, thus the paws can be turned around. |
| radius |
one of the 2 bones of
the lower leg |
| ulna |
the second bone of the 2 bones of
the lower leg |
| radial notch |
a hollow in the ulna,
where the head of the ulna is connected to the radius |
| trochlear notch |
a hollow, where the
humerus is connected with the radius |
| styloid (process) |
These processes build
the margins of the wrist. |
| Claws
The
cat is able to extend and retract its claws.
The cat scratches and sharpens only the front claws, where also
glands are located to mark its territory. The claws of the hind paws
are sharpened with the teeth.
The claws are not bony, the are made of keratin. |
phalanges |
the bones of the fingers
and toes |
| carpal, carpals |
7 bones of the root of
the foot making the paws very flexible |
| metacarpal, metacarpals |
5 bones of the middle
part of the foot |
| digit |
5 toes, where the 5th toe at the
inner side of the leg is located higher than the other toes |
Hind leg
Hind limb |
 |
cauda |
the tail |
| acetabulum |
a cup-like hollow in the hip
bone, where the femur articulates |
| caput |
head of the femur |
| trochanter, greater and lesser |
These are connection
points for important muscles. |
| The shank consists
of 2 bones, the tibia and fibula. |
| medial malleolus |
forms the medial margin
of the ankle |
| lateral malleolus |
forms the lateral margin
of the ankle |
| calcaneus |
hock |
| calcaneal tuber |
a bony hip of the hock,
where the Achilles tendon is connected |
| phalanges |
the bones of the fingers
and toe |
| tarsus, tarsals |
3 rows bones of the root
of the foot |
| metatarsus, metatarsals |
bones of the middle part
of the foot |
| digit |
4 toes |
| Deformations |
Patella luxation
See hip joint, knee joint |
Polydactyly
Too many toes, mostly on the front paws.
There are different types of polydactyly, where the cats are not
handicapped, only one type might be harmful.
Read at:
Messybeast Polydactyl Cats
Well known are the
Hemingway cats. |
Twisty cats -
cangaroo cats
These are cats with too short forelimbs.
Read at:
Messybeast Twisty cats |
Syndactyly -
Hypodactyly
Split foot, the cats have mostly two large toes on the front paws,
where the outer toe is significantly broader.
Read at:
Messybeast Feline medical curiosities |
| Munchkin |
A specific breed with shortened legs, forelimbs and hind limbs are
shortened, is the Munchkin.
Currently there is no literature, which lists and describes
problems or genetic defects in this breed. |
The thighs are shorter than the shanks, as common in fast running
animals. The bones become more elongated downwards to the toes.
Goto Top
Pelvis, hips
| Pelvis, pelvic girdle |
Pelvis
viewed from the top |
Hip bones |
innominate bones
The pelvis consists of 2 symmetrically places bones, the hip
bones.
The hip bone is the result of 3 bones melted together, the ischium,
the pubic bone and the ilium. |
| Pelvic girdle |
It consists of the hip bones, the
sacrum and the coccyx. It is the junction between the vertebra and
the legs. |
| ischial tuberosity |
hips of the ischium,
where important muscles are connected |
| ischial foramen |
divided into the greater
and lesser foramen |
| acetabulum |
a cup-like hollow in the hip
bone, where the femur articulates |
| pubic symphysis |
the joint, which
connects both pubic bones |
| pubic bone |
forms the medial part of
the acetabulum |
| ilium |
forms the upper part of
acetabulum |
| iliac crest |
important muscles, like
the muscles of the belly, are connected here |
Hip joint, knee joint
 |
The two
muscles mentioned here have two functions working antagonistic. |
| rectus femoris |
The muscle is mounted at
the ilium, extends via a tendon over the patella and ends at
tibia. It flexes the thigh moving the humerus anterior and
extends the shank. |
| semimembranosus |
The muscles is mounted
at the ischial tuberosity and ends at the medial part of the thigh
and the corresponding opposite part of the tibia. It extends
the thigh moving the humerus posterior and flexes the
shank. |
|
Deformations |
Hip dysplasia (HD)
inherited and congenital deformation of the acetabulum (too flat),
incorrectly developed head of the humerus. |
Patella luxation =
patellar dislocation
Dislocation of the patella (skips mostly to the side). |
Goto Top
To be continued!
© katzenzeitung 4/2008 |
|
|
