I am in absolute awe of the suppleness of cats body. It can twist itself so it can wash almost every part of its body. It can arch its back to make itself look menacing. It can lie flat on the ground so it can wriggle through the smallest opening. It can leap onto the smallest ledge effortlessly.
This, plus the speed of IN hunting, is due to the skeleton that allows for a controlled stalk with a fine all burst of speed.
Cats walk on their toes which enables them to run fast from a standing start. The foot and ankle bones are arranged so that the cat only walks on what, in our foot, is the section of the foot in front of the ball. Because of the need of rapid acceleration and high-speed, the cats need ankle and foot cannot move sideways. Because only a small area of your cats foot touches the ground when it’s running, the leg could be brought up quickly into the next stride. Where you are aware that your cat can increase the length of its stride by flexing and extending its spine? At full speed, cats move in a series of long half balance. The back legs propel the cat forward with some more strength and balance coming from the front legs.
Cats don’t have a collarbone which means that the shoulder joints and the front limbs can extend even further. I would love to be able to move my body the way my cat does. They can curl up very tightly when they are sleeping or they can stretch themselves right out when running and hunting. They can also do turn quickly, almost in midair, and if they are fighting. Spine of the cat can rotate the four section through 180° relative to the high end section. You can see this when a cat is able to right itself when it is falling so that it will land on its feet. When the cat is falling, angled its body to act as a parachute to slow its for down.
Cats can jump in many different ways. You will see this when they are climbing and reaching very high vantage point is as well is in that final lbs when catching their prey. Did you know they could John more than five times their own height? We can do this through a vertical spring backwards or forwards sleep when making a fast escape from the threat. They can also perform a semi-verticals semi-forward hunting hounds that gives their prey little time to escape. The power of these leaps comes from the flexible spine and the muscular tension in the strong we are makes which launched the cat into the air.
You see your cats climbing a tree, have a good look at how he does it. It is a combination of upwards thrust from the back legs and the use of the clause in the front paws being used like crampons. There will usually be a initial leap into the tree to get a good start and build up momentum.
Cats, no matter what they are doing, a fascinating animals. It’s no wonder we love them the way we do.
Continue reading about How Your Cat Is Able To Move The Way It Does
Sometimes when your cat is ‘talking’ to you, you can get a whiff of some really bad breath. This is especially so if your cat hisses at you for any reason. And bad breath in cats is the same as bad breath in humans, horrible. We can go clean our teeth or use a mouth wash but what about our cats.
Bad breath is caused by the bacteria in the mouth which breaks down the proteins. This breakdown causes sulphur compounds to be released and expelled. In our cats, it is the bacteria found in the build up of tartar on the teeth that creates that awful smell. You can sometimes see it on the teeth; it is a build up of food, saliva and bacteria and is hard and yellow. Bad breath can also be caused through tooth decay.
This tartar needs to be removed to eliminate the bad breath your cat has. Now this is easier said than done. If you have been cleaning your cat’s teeth since it was a kitten, you should have no problems. However, this is not something most of us think of when we get our new kitten.
You will need to inspect your cat’s teeth to see what condition they are in. To do this, you need to have your cat sitting on your lap and relaxed. Stroke it gently if it is not relaxed. Casually place your hand on top of your cat’s head, placing the thumb and middle finger right at the corners of your cat’s mouth. Hook these fingers into the mouth slightly, making sure your fingers are close to the molars. Tilt your cat’s head back a little so the nose is pointing up. This will make your cat’s mouth open so you can inspect the teeth. Keep talking gently to your cat while this is happening and holding him gently but firmly. If your cat objects too much, stop immediately and try again another time. It might take a while but your cat will get used to you doing this.
Once you are able to get your cat’s mouth open, look for build up of food, loose, decayed, discoloured or chipped teeth, anything that looks inflamed or is bleeding. Make sure the gums look pink and healthy. This will need to be a quick examination as your cat is not going to enjoy this. And you will need to be very careful as you could be bitten severely if your fingers are in the wrong position.
Cats fed only moist or tinned type foods will need their teeth checked and cleaned more often as these foods lodge in the teeth just as some foods do with us. Feeding your cat dry foods will help prevent the build up of tartar.
If you cat will tolerate you cleaning its teeth, or if you are getting a new kitten, make sure you purchase a soft brush and a cat toothpaste. Never use your own toothpaste for your cat.
Of course if you notice any obvious problems, contact your vet. Be aware that your cat will need a general anaesthetic for any dental work and this cannot be done if you cat is unwell for any reason. You should also contact your vet if your cat has bad breath and you cannot see any obvious dental problems. The bad breath could be due to a medical problem such as liver or kidney disease.
Why not make sure your vet checks your cat’s teeth as part of the routine yearly check up.
Cat bad breath can be a problem but by checking your cat’s teeth on a regular basis, you can help you cat stay healthy.
