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All cats have similar skeletons with compact, rounded skulls, long back bones, and (usually) a long tail. The skeleton is fairly generalized, allowing for both speed and power. Specific differences in body proportions reflect adaptations to different environments.
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| The cheetah probably differs the most from the basic cat blueprint - its limbs are very long and its skeleton is almost dog-like. Select this text to see the entire skeleton of the cheetah. |
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The cat's flexibility is due to its supple spine which allows it to curl into a ball as well as stretch into a shallow "u" as seen in this ocelot.
Cats and humans have about the same number of bones in their bodies; however, compared with cats, our limbs are long, our backbone is short and rigid, and we have lost our tail! Compare the skeletons of the cat and the human. Can you indentify those bones that are homologous? (the bones that are the same between both species) |
domestic cat skeleton
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Produced by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. © Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Foundation This page was made possible by a grant from Friskies PetCare Company and the National Science Foundation. All photographic images contained within these web pages ARE COPYRIGHTED and may not be reproduced, or utilized in any manner, without the express written consent the owner. Photograph of cat skeletons by Dick Meier, modified by Jim Angus © Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Foundation Photograph of ocelot from SunSITE Japan Multimedia Collection. Page design by Jim Angus |