Biological and economically valuable characteristics of cats. Lecture - biological characteristics of cats. Digestive and excretory systems

It is advisable to begin the description of the structural features of a cat with the skeleton, the structure of which is in many ways reminiscent of the structure of the skeleton of all mammals, differing in the shape and arrangement of some bones, which is explained by the horizontal position of the cat’s spine and the fact that the work of the organ systems of this animal is adapted to its lifestyle.

The cat's skull has a round shape. Moreover, it is significantly shorter than that of many other predatory animals. The size of the skull of an adult varies depending on gender, breed, and individual hereditary characteristics.

The bones of the skull are much larger than the bones of the facial part of the skull. This feature makes the cat’s appearance different from other animals.

A cat's spine is flexible and mobile. It consists of 27 vertebrae: 7 cervical, 13 thoracic and 7 lumbar. Below the lumbar region there are 3 fused vertebrae that form the sacrum. Next come the caudal vertebrae, the number of which varies among representatives of different breeds.

On average, a cat's tail consists of 20–23 vertebrae. But there are also short-tailed and tailless cats, in which the number of vertebrae is much smaller. For example, Maine cats.

Thanks to the elastic and movable tail, cats can maintain balance while jumping and in the event of a fall from a height. Also, experienced owners of these animals can easily determine what mood they are in by the position and movements of their pet’s tail.

Anatomical structure of the cat skeleton: 1 – facial part of the skull;

2 – lower jaw; 3 – brain part of the skull; 4 – first cervical vertebra;

5 – cervical vertebrae; 6 – shoulder blade; 7 – thoracic vertebrae; 8 – ribs;

9 – lumbar vertebrae; 10 – sacrum; 11 – pelvis; 12 – caudal vertebrae;

13 – femur; 14 – tibia and fibula; 15 – metatarsus;

16 – fingers (paw); 17 – metacarpus; 18 – radius and ulna;

19 – humerus; 20 – sternum

The cat is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful animals. Her body is long, flexible, graceful.

The special grace of movement is achieved due to the fact that the bones of this animal are particularly dense and at the same time plastic, which increase due to the free connection with the muscles through strong and mobile tendons.

The body proportions of all members of the cat family are generally similar, with the exception of minor deviations (mutations) in some breeds. For example, the short tail of Maine cats or the large ears of Sphynx cats.

Most cats have strong, medium-length limbs with well-developed muscles. Thanks to this, the cat is able to quietly and unnoticed sneak up on prey while hunting and make a swift jump.

THE CAT IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND GRACEFUL ANIMALS

This animal moves extremely carefully and silently, since its paws have pads on which sweat glands and sensitive nerve endings are located.

In addition, a cat's limbs are extremely flexible, allowing them to move quickly while hunting. Cats have 5 toes on their front paws and 4 toes on their hind paws, with sharp sickle-shaped claws. It is well known that cats can regulate their position: if the animal is in a calm state, the claws are usually hidden in leathery pouches and therefore do not become dull, and when danger arises, the cat spreads its fingers and extends its claws out.

This ability is explained by the fact that they are located on the phalanges of the fingers, where there are tendons and muscles that control the extension and retraction of the claws into the leathery pouches.

Nature endowed cats with this feature in order to protect the main natural means of attack and defense from being worn down when walking.

A cat's teeth are not only a formidable weapon, but also an important component of the digestive system. The animal bites off and grinds food with its teeth, with their help it participates in fights with relatives and defends itself in cases where it senses the approaching danger for itself or its kittens.

An adult cat has 30 teeth, which are arranged according to the following pattern:

Lower jaw: 6 front incisors, on both sides of which there are 1 canine and 3 molars (4 premolars and 2 molars);

Upper jaw: 6 front incisors, on both sides of which there are 1 canine and 4 molars (3 premolars and 2 molars).

Incisors are small teeth with jagged edges. With their help, the animal grabs small pieces of food and gnaws bones.

The main tool of a cat when catching prey and defending against enemies are long and sharp fangs with deep roots.

Kittens are born toothless. Their milk teeth grow during the 1st month of life. When the kitten reaches the age of 6 months, the baby teeth are completely replaced with permanent ones.

Cats' gums are not particularly sensitive because they have few nerve endings. Externally, they are a mucous membrane that covers the edges of the jaws on all sides and forms the sockets of the teeth and dental necks. There are many blood vessels running through the gums.

The tongue plays an important role in digestion. In cats it is elongated, mobile and flat. The entire surface of its mucous membrane is completely covered with a large number of coarsened papillae, due to which it is rough to the touch. The papillae are involved in the process of lapping: these peculiar movable funnels retain water or liquid food, which facilitates its entry into the oral cavity. In addition, the lingual papillae act as a brush when the animal washes itself and cleans its fur.

Also on the cat's tongue there are sensitive papillae, which are responsible for the animal's sense of touch.

The function of touch is also performed by an organ that is often called the mustache. The scientific name for these long, stiff hairs located on either side of the nose and above the eyes is “vibrissae.” They are also called tactile or tactile hairs. The follicles from which they grow have a large number of nerve endings. The skin between them also has increased sensitivity, which helps the animal navigate not only in the light, but also in the dark.

If you carefully observe a cat, you can determine the animal's intentions by the movements of its whiskers: concentrating before jumping, trying to determine the source of an attractive smell and the distance to it, etc.

Nipples are located on the stomach and chest, in the area of ​​the mammary glands. In females, they serve to feed the offspring. Different pairs of nipples produce different amounts of milk. For example, the groin nipples contain the largest amount of milk; in the nipples located in the upper part of the body, it decreases.

Currently, there are cats with a wide variety of colors, length and thickness of coat, depending on the breed to which the animal belongs. Some breeds have short and velvety hair (British Shorthair), others have long and wavy hair (Li-Perm), and there are also breeds that have no hair at all (Sphynx).

Regardless of the length, a cat's fur consists of 2 layers: a thin inner coat (undercoat) and a coarser outer coat (protective). The main function of the coat is thermoregulation and protection of the body from the harmful effects of the environment. In the hot season, the cat gets rid of its undercoat, thanks to which its coat becomes light and fluffy animals (for example, Persian cats) tolerate high air temperatures relatively calmly.

CAT HAIR HAS A THERMOREGULATING FUNCTION

Thermoregulation is also provided by the pores on the cat’s skin, in which the outlets of the sweat glands, blood vessels and nerve endings are located. Along with hair, these pores prevent excessive fluid secretion and protect the body from the entry of harmful microorganisms and bacteria.

The skin of a cat is unusually mobile, which allows it to lead an active lifestyle typical of these animals.

This contributes to the fact that wounds received in fights with dogs or other cats, in most cases, turn out to be superficial and not life-threatening.

The skin contains sebaceous glands that secrete fatty lubricants necessary for the proper functioning of the animal’s body.

Thanks to this, the cat's fur is protected from harmful environmental influences and is silky and beautifully shiny.

Sweat glands are also located on your cat's toes and paw pads.

Vitamin D, contained in fatty grease, enters the cat's digestive tract during the washing process and promotes normal metabolism.

In terms of the location and functioning of the internal organs, the internal structure of a cat is in many ways similar to the structure of other mammals. But there are also differences that are unique to this species of animal.

The main organ of the circulatory system is the heart - a hollow muscular organ that is located inside the chest, behind the median sternum. The weight of a cat's heart is directly proportional to the animal's body weight. In each specific case, this is approximately 0.6% of body weight. A cat's heart consists of 2 atria and 2 ventricles.

A cat has 2 circles of blood circulation, like all mammals. Blood circulation is carried out through arteries leading from the heart to capillaries, which penetrate all internal tissues and organs. Metabolism occurs there, then blood, saturated with carbon dioxide and containing waste products of the body, enters the veins leading to the heart. The veins form the second, or pulmonary circulation. Venous blood enters the right ventricle of the heart, then through the pulmonary arteries into the lungs.

In the lungs, gas exchange occurs between the blood and air, which results in the removal of carbon dioxide from the body and its enrichment with oxygen.

The organs of a cat's respiratory system are designed in such a way that they can function well in various environmental conditions.

The task of these organs is to ensure gas exchange and deliver oxygen to the body tissues. They also serve to some extent as excretory organs, since through them excess moisture and harmful gases are removed from the body, and they participate in heat exchange because they remove excess heat from tissues.

The respiratory system of a cat consists of the nose, nasopharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs. The lungs are the main organ of the respiratory system. This is a paired organ consisting of 2 lobes (right and left), which occupy most of the chest, as in all warm-blooded animals. They consist of alveoli - pulmonary vesicles, tightly intertwined with a network of capillaries, which serve as conductors for gas exchange.

The respiratory organs are covered by a mucous membrane, which serves as their protection.

In the process of breathing, air enters the larynx through the nose, and from there into the bronchi and lungs. The normal functioning of the circulatory system is associated with this. Breathing also helps normalize heat exchange and remove excess fluid from the body.

THE CAT HAS A PARTICULARLY DEVELOPED SENSE OF SMELL

The cat's digestive system consists of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines. Also in the process of digesting food, the pancreas, gall bladder and duodenum perform an important function.

From the oral cavity, the food chewed by the animal enters the esophagus, which is a muscular tube that can increase in diameter when it becomes necessary to push food into the stomach. The inside of the esophagus is lined with mucous membrane.

Under the influence of saliva, food begins to break down and partially digest in the oral cavity. The digestion process continues in the stomach, located in the front of the peritoneum. The cat has a single-chamber stomach, lined from the inside with a mucous membrane that produces gastric juice, which is necessary for the subsequent processing of food.

From the cavity of the cat’s stomach, 2 holes open, shaped like cones. One of them connects the stomach with the esophagus, the other with the duodenum. From the stomach, food enters the small intestine, where final processing of food occurs. The small intestine is a long thin tube twisted into several loops. The length of the small intestine is often 4 times the length of the cat. Inside the intestines, food is exposed to a pancreatic enzyme.

The mucous membrane of the small intestine of an animal is lined with villi, which ensure the absorption of nutrients. This is where food that enters the intestines is disinfected. This function is performed by numerous lymph nodes.

The continuation of the small intestine is the large intestine, which receives unprocessed solid food debris. They are enveloped in mucus secreted by the walls of the large intestine.

It consists of three elements: the cecum, or appendix, colon and rectum. The rectum serves to remove compressed feces from the body. The anal glands are located on the sides of the cat's anus. They secrete a secretion with a pungent odor. In addition to the excretory function, the rectum also maintains bacteriological balance in the body, because the conditions necessary for the proliferation of beneficial bacteria are maintained inside it.

The organs of the urinary system are responsible for removing excess fluid from the animal’s body. The cat's urinary system consists of the kidneys, bladder and urinary tract - ureters. In these organs, urine is formed and accumulated and is subsequently removed from the body along with harmful substances dissolved in it.

Urine is formed in the kidneys, more precisely, in the renal pelvis, from which it enters the bladder through the ureters, where there is a closing muscle that prevents spontaneous urination. The cat’s urethra has a distinctive physiological feature: stenoses are special narrowings that serve to facilitate faster passage of sediment present in the urine.

The urinary system ensures salt and water balance in the cat’s body. During the breeding season, the animal’s urine emits a particularly pungent, very persistent odor, which is how cats mark their territory.

The reproductive system of cats consists of testicles and vas deferens, which

open into the urethra. Through this channel, sperm enters the reproductive organ. The testicles, the sex glands of cats, are located in the scrotum, which is formed by a fold of skin at the base of the penis.

Male reproductive cells - sperm - are formed in the testicles.

The internal reproductive organs of a cat are the ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus. The ovaries produce female reproductive cells - eggs. A cat's external genitalia are the vagina and vulva, which are located next to the anus.

The endocrine glands are of great importance for the life of the animal: the hypothalamus, adrenal glands and the thyroid gland. They regulate many vital processes occurring in the cat’s body and protect it from diseases.

Cats have a uniquely organized nervous system that is highly sensitive and a more developed sensory system than humans.

The work of the nervous system is carried out by transmitting nerve impulses to the brain, which contain information about the state of the organs and the processes occurring in them. The role of impulse transmitters is performed by neurons, special nerve cells.

No other animal's senses are as developed as those of a cat. So it is advisable to consider this feature of the cat in more detail.

If you compare a cat with other domestic animals, you will notice that it has the largest eyes relative to its body size. Scientists have long noticed a unique feature of cats - binocular (stereoscopic) vision. This property is determined by the unusual location of the eyes: they are located in front, on either side of the nose, and the animal has the ability to view objects of interest at an angle of 205° in the same direction while simultaneously crossing the field of vision at a central point. This property allows the cat to accurately determine the distance to a particular object. In addition, with this arrangement of the eyes, the animal gets the opportunity to see what is located not only directly in front of it, but also on both sides.

Cats can only distinguish a limited number of shades of colors. They see moving objects much better than those that are at rest.

The iris surrounding the pupil of a cat's eye has mobility, like that of all representatives of the class of mammals. It is driven by muscles connected to the eyeball. Due to this property of the iris, in bright natural or artificial light, the pupil of a cat's eye is elongated vertically and takes on an elliptical shape. This protects the animal's eye from penetrating more light than is necessary to perceive the surrounding world.

DUE TO THEIR VISION, CATS CAN ACCURATELY DETERMINE THE DISTANCE FROM ONE OBJECT TO ANOTHER

Thanks to the structure of their eyes, cats can see in the dark. It is a misconception that cats can see perfectly in the dark because their eyes can glow. The reason cat eyes glow in the dark is that they have the ability to accumulate reflected light rays. With the help of perfectly developed vision, the cat catches the reflection from objects of even the weakest ray of light penetrating into the room where it is located, and thanks to this it orients itself in space. But in absolute darkness, the animal, of course, cannot see.

When a lot of light enters a cat's eyes, the pupils narrow and become completely round. If your cat's pupil remains dilated when exposed to light, this may be due to excitement, medication, or a symptom of a medical condition.

Representatives of the cat family have another feature of the structure of the eyes - the so-called third eyelid, or nictitating membrane, the function of which is that it protects the cornea of ​​the eye from foreign bodies, such as dust, entering it. This becomes possible because the third eyelid can stretch and cover the entire surface of the eye. Despite the fact that the third eyelid has a protective function, it is subject to inflammation and is very sensitive to infections. The cat owner should be aware of this and not neglect the rules of hygiene when caring for the eyes of their animal, since some diseases cause prolapse of the third eyelid.

A cat's eye color can vary from light golden to blue. This depends on the degree of content of the coloring substance - pigment - in the iris. Like other animals, there are also albinos among cats, whose fur has no pigment. Their eyes are most often red.

The sense of smell in cats is much better developed than in other representatives of the mammalian class. It helps to establish relationships between related individuals, as well as between animals and humans. This can largely be explained by the fact that felines were originally nocturnal. It was at this time of day that they went out hunting and were active. They needed to navigate in space in conditions of poor visibility and, even in low light, find prey during the hunt. In relationships with representatives of the opposite sex, cats' sense of smell also helps, since cats use marks to determine the boundaries of their territory.

In young kittens, the sense of smell develops before hearing and sight and helps them find their mother by smell.

Cats' sense of smell is selective; they are able to sense only those odors that have one or another meaning for them, and this is an important feature of their sense of smell. Extraneous, insignificant odors seem to be blocked, the brain does not react to them, so the animal is not distracted by them and does not lose track.

The sense of smell performs a specific function when mating season begins in cats, since a female who is ready for fertilization emits a special smell that allows the male to detect her even if she does not make characteristic sounds.

Cats have much less developed taste organs than dogs. The papillae located on the surface of the tongue of cats allow them to distinguish only contrasting tastes: bitter, sour, sweet, salty. Therefore, food preferences can be explained more by a keen sense of smell than by taste.

Cats quickly get used to their environment, which is why they stop reacting sharply to odors that are unpleasant to them. For example, a domestic cat can easily perceive household odors of air freshener, washing powder, and deodorant.

Not a single cat will remain indifferent to valerian, which has an effect on them similar to a narcotic. At the same time, as experts noted, animals of different sexes react to valerian differently. Females, as a rule, become excited by the smell of valerian, but quickly calm down and become lazy and lethargic. Cat owners use this property of valerian in cases where the animal is very excited and needs to be calmed.

Valerian can have the exact opposite effect on males. Even one drop of valerian tincture, accidentally falling on the floor, can cause a real attack of rage in a cat: it will begin to lick the floor, roll around, rub against the place where the drop hit, howl in a hoarse guttural voice, hiss, scratch, and show aggressiveness when the owner tries to erase valerian from the floor or take away the found bottle of tincture from him.

Often a cat is the initiator of the owner picking it up, caressing and stroking it, while the animal squints, purrs and looks very happy. True, this only happens in cases where the owner strokes the cat in the direction of hair growth, and not vice versa. If you stroke a cat against the grain, it will most likely get angry and scratch you. This behavior is explained by the fact that the cat’s senses of touch are not located on the skin, but on the surface of special tactile hairs, which are highly sensitive on the head and front paws.

Cats have a well-developed sense of touch. Through the corresponding organs, the cat receives most of the information about the world around it. In addition to the tactile hairs located on the head and paws, this animal can touch the surrounding space with the entire surface of the body. Cats' paw pads have a special structure. Because of this, cats really do not like to step on a dirty or wet surface, after which they always shake their paws, which is explained not only by the well-known cleanliness of these animals, but also by the extreme sensitivity of their paw pads.

A cat’s organs of touch and balance work harmoniously, thereby ensuring the smooth operation of internal systems, so even small kittens usually have good health and good immunity.

Unlike dogs, who become familiar with an object of interest through their sense of smell, a characteristic feature of all representatives of the cat family is that they first touch an unfamiliar object with their paw and only then smell it.

The external hearing organs of a cat are erect, movable ears, in the auditory canals of which there is a huge number of nerve endings.

Thanks to the unique ability of the hearing organs to distinguish sounds in the ultrasonic range, cats can communicate with their kittens. This property also helps cats successfully hunt rats, mice and other rodents.

PERCEIVING ANY SOUND, A CAT CAN DETERMINE ITS FREQUENCY, PITCH AND STRENGTH WITH MAXIMUM ACCURACY

The ability of these animals to distinguish more than 100 different sounds is unique, especially considering that the human ear does not perceive even half of these sounds.

A cat's sense of balance is directly related to its sense of touch. This animal is capable of maintaining balance in the most seemingly unimaginable conditions (sharp tops of a picket fence, thin tree branches, a completely smooth surface of a window cornice, etc.), so its sense of balance deserves special consideration.

The sense of balance is activated by an organ located in the inner ear and closely connected with the auditory and visual systems. From this we can conclude: the normal functioning of a cat’s sense of balance is possible only if all other systems of the body are functioning smoothly.

Often cats calmly and without fear walk along high fences, cornices, roofs, and tree branches. Animals achieve this thanks to their sense of balance, although they also sometimes fall, often from quite a great height. But here, too, the cat’s sense of balance helps out, helping it land on its paws. This does not mean that the cat is invulnerable. Falling from a great height can cause serious injury and even death, as well as shock.

Cats also have a well-developed sense of time, the rhythm of day and night. Cats follow a certain regime and extremely do not like to deviate from it. If you call your pet home and feed it after arrival, then after a few days the animal will return home from the street at the same time.

The optimal body temperature in cats is 38–39.5 °C, and in kittens it is slightly higher than in adult animals.

Normal cat blood counts are as follows:

Hemoglobin (in 100 ml of blood) – 9–12 g;

Red blood cells – 6–9 million/µl;

Lymphocytes – 30%;

Leukocytes – 8–25 thousand/µl;

Neutrophil erythrocytes – 60%;

Reserve alkalinity – 40–50%;

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate – 7–9 mm/h;

Blood clotting speed is 2–3 mm/min.

Both scientists and amateurs have repeatedly noted that representatives of the large cat family differ significantly from other animals in many ways.

Cats have a sedentary character. They quickly get used to one particular home and do not like change. It is no coincidence that the people have a saying that a dog gets used to its owner, and a cat gets used to the house. This saying is true, although not fully justified. For example, the habit of a certain environment in the house helps the cat to navigate in space, and any significant rearrangement of furniture for some time deprives the cat of a feeling of comfort. After all, in their familiar territory, where everything is already familiar and has long been studied, cats, and especially male cats, feel like real masters.

This is due to the fact that cats have a pronounced reflex of tameness, attachment to a person and permanent place of residence. Kittens cope with change more easily. Adult cats, as a rule, get used to a new owner or place of residence much more slowly and painfully.

In the relationship between cats and other representatives of the animal world, two important aspects can be distinguished. On the one hand, cats show aggressiveness towards rodents, on the other hand, they show hostility towards dogs. As for the relationship between cats and rodents, everything is clear - this is the relationship between predator and game. But the history of mutual hostility between dogs and cats is difficult to trace; one can only make assumptions. Among others, there is a hypothesis of the famous English writer R. Kipling about the competition of domestic animals for a place at the hearth in the cave of primitive man. Despite this, we can give examples of quite frequent peaceful coexistence of cats and dogs that grew up and were raised in the same house.

This chapter provides information about the external and internal body structure and physiological characteristics of representatives of the cat family.

Representatives of the cat family are distinguished by extraordinary elegance and grace, mobility and energy, which largely determines the structure of the animal.

It is advisable to begin the description of the structural features of a cat with the skeleton, the structure of which is in many ways reminiscent of the structure of the skeleton of all mammals, differing in the shape and arrangement of some bones, which is explained by the horizontal position of the cat’s spine and the fact that the work of the organ systems of this animal is adapted to its lifestyle.

The cat's skull has a round shape. Moreover, it is significantly shorter than that of many other predatory animals. The size of the skull of an adult varies depending on gender, breed, and individual hereditary characteristics.

The bones of the skull are much larger than the bones of the facial part of the skull. This feature makes the cat’s appearance different from other animals.

A cat's spine is flexible and mobile. It consists of 27 vertebrae: 7 cervical, 13 thoracic and 7 lumbar. Below the lumbar region there are 3 fused vertebrae that form the sacrum. Next come the caudal vertebrae, the number of which varies among representatives of different breeds.

On average, a cat's tail consists of 20–23 vertebrae. But there are also short-tailed and tailless cats, in which the number of vertebrae is much smaller. For example, Maine cats.

Thanks to the elastic and movable tail, cats can maintain balance while jumping and in the event of a fall from a height. Also, experienced owners of these animals can easily determine what mood they are in by the position and movements of their pet’s tail.

Anatomical structure of the cat skeleton: 1 – facial part of the skull;

2 – lower jaw; 3 – brain part of the skull; 4 – first cervical vertebra;

5 – cervical vertebrae; 6 – shoulder blade; 7 – thoracic vertebrae; 8 – ribs;

9 – lumbar vertebrae; 10 – sacrum; 11 – pelvis; 12 – caudal vertebrae;

13 – femur; 14 – tibia and fibula; 15 – metatarsus;

16 – fingers (paw); 17 – metacarpus; 18 – radius and ulna;

19 – humerus; 20 – sternum

The cat is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful animals. Her body is long, flexible, graceful.

The special grace of movement is achieved due to the fact that the bones of this animal are particularly dense and at the same time plastic, which increase due to the free connection with the muscles through strong and mobile tendons.

The body proportions of all members of the cat family are generally similar, with the exception of minor deviations (mutations) in some breeds. For example, the short tail of Maine cats or the large ears of Sphynx cats.

Most cats have strong, medium-length limbs with well-developed muscles. Thanks to this, the cat is able to quietly and unnoticed sneak up on prey while hunting and make a swift jump.

THE CAT IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND GRACEFUL ANIMALS

This animal moves extremely carefully and silently, since its paws have pads on which sweat glands and sensitive nerve endings are located.

In addition, a cat's limbs are extremely flexible, allowing them to move quickly while hunting. Cats have 5 toes on their front paws and 4 toes on their hind paws, with sharp sickle-shaped claws. It is well known that cats can regulate their position: if the animal is in a calm state, the claws are usually hidden in leathery pouches and therefore do not become dull, and when danger arises, the cat spreads its fingers and extends its claws out.

This ability is explained by the fact that they are located on the phalanges of the fingers, where there are tendons and muscles that control the extension and retraction of the claws into the leathery pouches.

Nature endowed cats with this feature in order to protect the main natural means of attack and defense from being worn down when walking.

A cat's teeth are not only a formidable weapon, but also an important component of the digestive system. The animal bites off and grinds food with its teeth, with their help it participates in fights with relatives and defends itself in cases where it senses the approaching danger for itself or its kittens.

An adult cat has 30 teeth, which are arranged according to the following pattern:

Lower jaw: 6 front incisors, on both sides of which there are 1 canine and 3 molars (4 premolars and 2 molars);

Upper jaw: 6 front incisors, on both sides of which there are 1 canine and 4 molars (3 premolars and 2 molars).

Incisors are small teeth with jagged edges. With their help, the animal grabs small pieces of food and gnaws bones.

The main tool of a cat when catching prey and defending against enemies are long and sharp fangs with deep roots.

Kittens are born toothless. Their milk teeth grow during the 1st month of life. When the kitten reaches the age of 6 months, the baby teeth are completely replaced with permanent ones.

Cats' gums are not particularly sensitive because they have few nerve endings. Externally, they are a mucous membrane that covers the edges of the jaws on all sides and forms the sockets of the teeth and dental necks. There are many blood vessels running through the gums.

The tongue plays an important role in digestion. In cats it is elongated, mobile and flat. The entire surface of its mucous membrane is completely covered with a large number of coarsened papillae, due to which it is rough to the touch. The papillae are involved in the process of lapping: these peculiar movable funnels retain water or liquid food, which facilitates its entry into the oral cavity. In addition, the lingual papillae act as a brush when the animal washes itself and cleans its fur.

Also on the cat's tongue there are sensitive papillae, which are responsible for the animal's sense of touch.

The function of touch is also performed by an organ that is often called the mustache. The scientific name for these long, stiff hairs located on either side of the nose and above the eyes is “vibrissae.” They are also called tactile or tactile hairs. The follicles from which they grow have a large number of nerve endings. The skin between them also has increased sensitivity, which helps the animal navigate not only in the light, but also in the dark.

If you carefully observe a cat, you can determine the animal's intentions by the movements of its whiskers: concentrating before jumping, trying to determine the source of an attractive smell and the distance to it, etc.

Nipples are located on the stomach and chest, in the area of ​​the mammary glands. In females, they serve to feed the offspring. Different pairs of nipples produce different amounts of milk. For example, the groin nipples contain the largest amount of milk; in the nipples located in the upper part of the body, it decreases.

Currently, there are cats with a wide variety of colors, length and thickness of coat, depending on the breed to which the animal belongs. Some breeds have short and velvety hair (British Shorthair), others have long and wavy hair (Li-Perm), and there are also breeds that have no hair at all (Sphynx).

Regardless of the length, a cat's fur consists of 2 layers: a thin inner coat (undercoat) and a coarser outer coat (protective). The main function of the coat is thermoregulation and protection of the body from the harmful effects of the environment. In the hot season, the cat gets rid of its undercoat, thanks to which its coat becomes light and fluffy animals (for example, Persian cats) tolerate high air temperatures relatively calmly.

CAT HAIR HAS A THERMOREGULATING FUNCTION

Thermoregulation is also provided by the pores on the cat’s skin, in which the outlets of the sweat glands, blood vessels and nerve endings are located. Along with hair, these pores prevent excessive fluid secretion and protect the body from the entry of harmful microorganisms and bacteria.

The skin of a cat is unusually mobile, which allows it to lead an active lifestyle typical of these animals.

This contributes to the fact that wounds received in fights with dogs or other cats, in most cases, turn out to be superficial and not life-threatening.

The skin contains sebaceous glands that secrete fatty lubricants necessary for the proper functioning of the animal’s body.

Thanks to this, the cat's fur is protected from harmful environmental influences and is silky and beautifully shiny.

Sweat glands are also located on your cat's toes and paw pads.

Vitamin D, contained in fatty grease, enters the cat's digestive tract during the washing process and promotes normal metabolism.

In terms of the location and functioning of the internal organs, the internal structure of a cat is in many ways similar to the structure of other mammals. But there are also differences that are unique to this species of animal.

The main organ of the circulatory system is the heart - a hollow muscular organ that is located inside the chest, behind the median sternum. The weight of a cat's heart is directly proportional to the animal's body weight. In each specific case, this is approximately 0.6% of body weight. A cat's heart consists of 2 atria and 2 ventricles.

A cat has 2 circles of blood circulation, like all mammals. Blood circulation is carried out through arteries leading from the heart to capillaries, which penetrate all internal tissues and organs. Metabolism occurs there, then blood, saturated with carbon dioxide and containing waste products of the body, enters the veins leading to the heart. The veins form the second, or pulmonary circulation. Venous blood enters the right ventricle of the heart, then through the pulmonary arteries into the lungs.

In the lungs, gas exchange occurs between the blood and air, which results in the removal of carbon dioxide from the body and its enrichment with oxygen.

The organs of a cat's respiratory system are designed in such a way that they can function well in various environmental conditions.

The task of these organs is to ensure gas exchange and deliver oxygen to the body tissues. They also serve to some extent as excretory organs, since through them excess moisture and harmful gases are removed from the body, and they participate in heat exchange because they remove excess heat from tissues.

The respiratory system of a cat consists of the nose, nasopharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs. The lungs are the main organ of the respiratory system. This is a paired organ consisting of 2 lobes (right and left), which occupy most of the chest, as in all warm-blooded animals. They consist of alveoli - pulmonary vesicles, tightly intertwined with a network of capillaries, which serve as conductors for gas exchange.

The respiratory organs are covered by a mucous membrane, which serves as their protection.

In the process of breathing, air enters the larynx through the nose, and from there into the bronchi and lungs. The normal functioning of the circulatory system is associated with this. Breathing also helps normalize heat exchange and remove excess fluid from the body.

THE CAT HAS A PARTICULARLY DEVELOPED SENSE OF SMELL

The cat's digestive system consists of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines. Also in the process of digesting food, the pancreas, gall bladder and duodenum perform an important function.

From the oral cavity, the food chewed by the animal enters the esophagus, which is a muscular tube that can increase in diameter when it becomes necessary to push food into the stomach. The inside of the esophagus is lined with mucous membrane.

Under the influence of saliva, food begins to break down and partially digest in the oral cavity. The digestion process continues in the stomach, located in the front of the peritoneum. The cat has a single-chamber stomach, lined from the inside with a mucous membrane that produces gastric juice, which is necessary for the subsequent processing of food.

From the cavity of the cat’s stomach, 2 holes open, shaped like cones. One of them connects the stomach with the esophagus, the other with the duodenum. From the stomach, food enters the small intestine, where final processing of food occurs. The small intestine is a long thin tube twisted into several loops. The length of the small intestine is often 4 times the length of the cat. Inside the intestines, food is exposed to a pancreatic enzyme.

The mucous membrane of the small intestine of an animal is lined with villi, which ensure the absorption of nutrients. This is where food that enters the intestines is disinfected. This function is performed by numerous lymph nodes.

The continuation of the small intestine is the large intestine, which receives unprocessed solid food debris. They are enveloped in mucus secreted by the walls of the large intestine.

It consists of three elements: the cecum, or appendix, colon and rectum. The rectum serves to remove compressed feces from the body. The anal glands are located on the sides of the cat's anus. They secrete a secretion with a pungent odor. In addition to the excretory function, the rectum also maintains bacteriological balance in the body, because the conditions necessary for the proliferation of beneficial bacteria are maintained inside it.

The organs of the urinary system are responsible for removing excess fluid from the animal’s body. The cat's urinary system consists of the kidneys, bladder and urinary tract - ureters. In these organs, urine is formed and accumulated and is subsequently removed from the body along with harmful substances dissolved in it.

Urine is formed in the kidneys, more precisely, in the renal pelvis, from which it enters the bladder through the ureters, where there is a closing muscle that prevents spontaneous urination. The cat’s urethra has a distinctive physiological feature: stenoses are special narrowings that serve to facilitate faster passage of sediment present in the urine.

The urinary system ensures salt and water balance in the cat’s body. During the breeding season, the animal’s urine emits a particularly pungent, very persistent odor, which is how cats mark their territory.

The reproductive system of cats consists of testicles and vas deferens, which

open into the urethra. Through this channel, sperm enters the reproductive organ. The testicles, the sex glands of cats, are located in the scrotum, which is formed by a fold of skin at the base of the penis.

Male reproductive cells - sperm - are formed in the testicles.

The internal reproductive organs of a cat are the ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus. The ovaries produce female reproductive cells - eggs. A cat's external genitalia are the vagina and vulva, which are located next to the anus.

The endocrine glands are of great importance for the life of the animal: the hypothalamus, adrenal glands and the thyroid gland. They regulate many vital processes occurring in the cat’s body and protect it from diseases.

Cats have a uniquely organized nervous system that is highly sensitive and a more developed sensory system than humans.

The work of the nervous system is carried out by transmitting nerve impulses to the brain, which contain information about the state of the organs and the processes occurring in them. The role of impulse transmitters is performed by neurons, special nerve cells.

No other animal's senses are as developed as those of a cat. So it is advisable to consider this feature of the cat in more detail.

If you compare a cat with other domestic animals, you will notice that it has the largest eyes relative to its body size. Scientists have long noticed a unique feature of cats - binocular (stereoscopic) vision. This property is determined by the unusual location of the eyes: they are located in front, on either side of the nose, and the animal has the ability to view objects of interest at an angle of 205° in the same direction while simultaneously crossing the field of vision at a central point. This property allows the cat to accurately determine the distance to a particular object. In addition, with this arrangement of the eyes, the animal gets the opportunity to see what is located not only directly in front of it, but also on both sides.

Cats can only distinguish a limited number of shades of colors. They see moving objects much better than those that are at rest.

The iris surrounding the pupil of a cat's eye has mobility, like that of all representatives of the class of mammals. It is driven by muscles connected to the eyeball. Due to this property of the iris, in bright natural or artificial light, the pupil of a cat's eye is elongated vertically and takes on an elliptical shape. This protects the animal's eye from penetrating more light than is necessary to perceive the surrounding world.

DUE TO THEIR VISION, CATS CAN ACCURATELY DETERMINE THE DISTANCE FROM ONE OBJECT TO ANOTHER

Thanks to the structure of their eyes, cats can see in the dark. It is a misconception that cats can see perfectly in the dark because their eyes can glow. The reason cat eyes glow in the dark is that they have the ability to accumulate reflected light rays. With the help of perfectly developed vision, the cat catches the reflection from objects of even the weakest ray of light penetrating into the room where it is located, and thanks to this it orients itself in space. But in absolute darkness, the animal, of course, cannot see.

When a lot of light enters a cat's eyes, the pupils narrow and become completely round. If your cat's pupil remains dilated when exposed to light, this may be due to excitement, medication, or a symptom of a medical condition.

Representatives of the cat family have another feature of the structure of the eyes - the so-called third eyelid, or nictitating membrane, the function of which is that it protects the cornea of ​​the eye from foreign bodies, such as dust, entering it. This becomes possible because the third eyelid can stretch and cover the entire surface of the eye. Despite the fact that the third eyelid has a protective function, it is subject to inflammation and is very sensitive to infections. The cat owner should be aware of this and not neglect the rules of hygiene when caring for the eyes of their animal, since some diseases cause prolapse of the third eyelid.

A cat's eye color can vary from light golden to blue. This depends on the degree of content of the coloring substance - pigment - in the iris. Like other animals, there are also albinos among cats, whose fur has no pigment. Their eyes are most often red.

The sense of smell in cats is much better developed than in other representatives of the mammalian class. It helps to establish relationships between related individuals, as well as between animals and humans. This can largely be explained by the fact that felines were originally nocturnal. It was at this time of day that they went out hunting and were active. They needed to navigate in space in conditions of poor visibility and, even in low light, find prey during the hunt. In relationships with representatives of the opposite sex, cats' sense of smell also helps, since cats use marks to determine the boundaries of their territory.

In young kittens, the sense of smell develops before hearing and sight and helps them find their mother by smell.

Cats' sense of smell is selective; they are able to sense only those odors that have one or another meaning for them, and this is an important feature of their sense of smell. Extraneous, insignificant odors seem to be blocked, the brain does not react to them, so the animal is not distracted by them and does not lose track.

The sense of smell performs a specific function when mating season begins in cats, since a female who is ready for fertilization emits a special smell that allows the male to detect her even if she does not make characteristic sounds.

Cats have much less developed taste organs than dogs. The papillae located on the surface of the tongue of cats allow them to distinguish only contrasting tastes: bitter, sour, sweet, salty. Therefore, food preferences can be explained more by a keen sense of smell than by taste.

Cats quickly get used to their environment, which is why they stop reacting sharply to odors that are unpleasant to them. For example, a domestic cat can easily perceive household odors of air freshener, washing powder, and deodorant.

Not a single cat will remain indifferent to valerian, which has an effect on them similar to a narcotic. At the same time, as experts noted, animals of different sexes react to valerian differently. Females, as a rule, become excited by the smell of valerian, but quickly calm down and become lazy and lethargic. Cat owners use this property of valerian in cases where the animal is very excited and needs to be calmed.

Valerian can have the exact opposite effect on males. Even one drop of valerian tincture, accidentally falling on the floor, can cause a real attack of rage in a cat: it will begin to lick the floor, roll around, rub against the place where the drop hit, howl in a hoarse guttural voice, hiss, scratch, and show aggressiveness when the owner tries to erase valerian from the floor or take away the found bottle of tincture from him.

Often a cat is the initiator of the owner picking it up, caressing and stroking it, while the animal squints, purrs and looks very happy. True, this only happens in cases where the owner strokes the cat in the direction of hair growth, and not vice versa. If you stroke a cat against the grain, it will most likely get angry and scratch you. This behavior is explained by the fact that the cat’s senses of touch are not located on the skin, but on the surface of special tactile hairs, which are highly sensitive on the head and front paws.

Cats have a well-developed sense of touch. Through the corresponding organs, the cat receives most of the information about the world around it. In addition to the tactile hairs located on the head and paws, this animal can touch the surrounding space with the entire surface of the body. Cats' paw pads have a special structure. Because of this, cats really do not like to step on a dirty or wet surface, after which they always shake their paws, which is explained not only by the well-known cleanliness of these animals, but also by the extreme sensitivity of their paw pads.

A cat’s organs of touch and balance work harmoniously, thereby ensuring the smooth operation of internal systems, so even small kittens usually have good health and good immunity.

Unlike dogs, who become familiar with an object of interest through their sense of smell, a characteristic feature of all representatives of the cat family is that they first touch an unfamiliar object with their paw and only then smell it.

The external hearing organs of a cat are erect, movable ears, in the auditory canals of which there is a huge number of nerve endings.

Thanks to the unique ability of the hearing organs to distinguish sounds in the ultrasonic range, cats can communicate with their kittens. This property also helps cats successfully hunt rats, mice and other rodents.

PERCEIVING ANY SOUND, A CAT CAN DETERMINE ITS FREQUENCY, PITCH AND STRENGTH WITH MAXIMUM ACCURACY

The ability of these animals to distinguish more than 100 different sounds is unique, especially considering that the human ear does not perceive even half of these sounds.

A cat's sense of balance is directly related to its sense of touch. This animal is capable of maintaining balance in the most seemingly unimaginable conditions (sharp tops of a picket fence, thin tree branches, a completely smooth surface of a window cornice, etc.), so its sense of balance deserves special consideration.

The sense of balance is activated by an organ located in the inner ear and closely connected with the auditory and visual systems. From this we can conclude: the normal functioning of a cat’s sense of balance is possible only if all other systems of the body are functioning smoothly.

Often cats calmly and without fear walk along high fences, cornices, roofs, and tree branches. Animals achieve this thanks to their sense of balance, although they also sometimes fall, often from quite a great height. But here, too, the cat’s sense of balance helps out, helping it land on its paws. This does not mean that the cat is invulnerable. Falling from a great height can cause serious injury and even death, as well as shock.

Cats also have a well-developed sense of time, the rhythm of day and night. Cats follow a certain regime and extremely do not like to deviate from it. If you call your pet home and feed it after arrival, then after a few days the animal will return home from the street at the same time.

The optimal body temperature in cats is 38–39.5 °C, and in kittens it is slightly higher than in adult animals.

Normal cat blood counts are as follows:

Hemoglobin (in 100 ml of blood) – 9–12 g;

Red blood cells – 6–9 million/µl;

Lymphocytes – 30%;

Leukocytes – 8–25 thousand/µl;

Neutrophil erythrocytes – 60%;

Reserve alkalinity – 40–50%;

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate – 7–9 mm/h;

Blood clotting speed is 2–3 mm/min.

Both scientists and amateurs have repeatedly noted that representatives of the large cat family differ significantly from other animals in many ways.

Cats have a sedentary character. They quickly get used to one particular home and do not like change. It is no coincidence that the people have a saying that a dog gets used to its owner, and a cat gets used to the house. This saying is true, although not fully justified. For example, the habit of a certain environment in the house helps the cat to navigate in space, and any significant rearrangement of furniture for some time deprives the cat of a feeling of comfort. After all, in their familiar territory, where everything is already familiar and has long been studied, cats, and especially male cats, feel like real masters.

This is due to the fact that cats have a pronounced reflex of tameness, attachment to a person and permanent place of residence. Kittens cope with change more easily. Adult cats, as a rule, get used to a new owner or place of residence much more slowly and painfully.

In the relationship between cats and other representatives of the animal world, two important aspects can be distinguished. On the one hand, cats show aggressiveness towards rodents, on the other hand, they show hostility towards dogs. As for the relationship between cats and rodents, everything is clear - this is the relationship between predator and game. But the history of mutual hostility between dogs and cats is difficult to trace; one can only make assumptions. Among others, there is a hypothesis of the famous English writer R. Kipling about the competition of domestic animals for a place at the hearth in the cave of primitive man. Despite this, we can give examples of quite frequent peaceful coexistence of cats and dogs that grew up and were raised in the same house.

The structure of a cat

Representatives of the cat family are the most graceful animals in the world. High jumps, amazing balance, lightning-fast movements, silent movements - this is not a complete list of the capabilities that cats have. This is primarily due to the peculiarities of the cat’s structure. The internal organs in their location and functions are similar to the structure of other mammals, however, they have a number of special differences.

The cat's body has more than 500 muscles of varying sizes, which allows it to perform all these different physical activities that sometimes amaze spectators. The cat’s brain is also very developed, it reacts quickly, coordinates the actions of the animal, using the structure of the body along with all its advantages. It is precisely because of the speed of reaction that they probably say that “a cat has 9 lives,” because it can group itself in an instant and thereby save its life.

External structure of a cat

The anatomical structure of a cat is incredibly organic and cannot but please the eye. Small size, cute face, soft paws, long flexible tail, fluffy fur - all this distinguishes cats from other animals. All parts of the body of these animals have their own charm and practical purpose, but at the same time they can hide certain secrets. For example, paws at first glance are completely harmless, but they hide the main weapon - the ability to release claws. Just like the cat itself, a seemingly affectionate pet, but at the same time a real predator.

Cat head

Eyes

The structure of a cat’s eye differs little from that of a human and a cat sees according to the same principle as we do – it reacts to light. The pupil tends to increase or decrease with the help of a special muscle, and its size depends on the amount of light. In the dark, a cat sees with the help of a special layer of the choroid - tapetum. It serves as a mirror that reflects the light received by the eyes, and due to this, vision is sharpened. The tapetum is also the reason why a cat's eyes glow in the dark.

Ears

The structure of a cat's ear allows it to detect more than 100 sounds, including ultrasonic sounds, with the help of which cats communicate with kittens. The auditory canals also contain an incredible number of nerve endings and more than 10 muscles. This is why cats can change the position of their ears on their heads - press them down, bend them, turn them towards the sound, etc.

Language

The structure of a cat's tongue is of some interest, primarily due to the fact that the animal manages to drink only with its help. The tongue is long, very flexible and, unlike, for example, a dog’s, very rough. The “sandpaper” effect occurs due to the keratinized papillae, which help retain food and also act as a kind of brush for cleaning the fur. In addition, the tongue performs a function that is familiar to us - recognizing the tastes of food. A cat can taste salty, bitter, sweet and sour.

Jaws and teeth

The structure of teeth in cats is of great importance, since teeth are one of the most important tools for hunting or, conversely, protection. An adult cat has 30 teeth, which are symmetrically located on the upper and lower jaw. The main tool for catching prey is 4 fangs - these are the longest and sharpest teeth of a cat, 2 on each jaw on the sides of the incisors. With the help of incisors, cats tear off pieces of food, but cats' jaws are not adapted for chewing, so food begins to break down already in the oral cavity under the influence of saliva.

cat body

According to their build, cats are divided into three types: heavy, light and medium. The severe type is characterized by the presence of a large cat's head on a short neck, a wide chest and rather short legs and tail. Lightweight - with a slender body, a long neck and a narrow head, as well as a long tail and paws. The medium type is somewhere between heavy and light, and most cats, especially non-pedigree cats, are of the medium type. But the appearance, weight and size of a cat does not depend on its build; there are both representatives of the heavy type, but small in size, and large slender cats.

Paws and claws

The structure of a cat's paw is especially curious because the claws can extend or retract. Cats have 5 toes on their front paws, but one is shortened and does not reach the ground. There are only 4 toes on the hind legs, the big one is missing. It is also noteworthy that the cat walks only on its toes, which, of course, contributes to noiseless movement. A cat's paws concentrate all the sweat glands and many nerve endings, so the cat can also receive information by touching an object with its paw.

The structure of the claw is unique; most breeds have crescent-shaped claws, with the exception of Persian cats with claws that are more reminiscent of hooks, which pose a particular danger when scratching, as they get under the skin.

Tail

Internal structure of a cat

The organs of a cat are basically the same in location and function as the organs of other mammals. A cat has skin, skeleton, heart, respiratory, circulatory, digestive and reproductive systems. A cat's skin is very elastic and mobile, it has many muscles and blood vessels, as well as sebaceous glands that secrete fluid, which the cat distributes throughout the coat when licking, providing it with smoothness. The structure of internal organs is largely determined by the evolution and characteristics of the species.

Skeleton

There are more than 240 different bones in the skeleton of a cat, and, as you can see in the photo of the cat’s skeleton: at one end of the spine there is a head, at the other there is a tail, like all vertebrates. A cat's bones have many functions: they form the basis of its body and also protect its internal organs from damage. For example, the structure of the skull is such that its bones protect the brain and organs of vision, and the ribs protect the heart and lungs. The bones of the cat's inner ear perform the function of transmitting sound, due to which the cat has hearing. Kittens are born with all bones, and by the end of the first year of life they usually reach their maximum size.

Internal organs

The structure of the organs of cats is basically the same as that of all mammals. The main organ is the heart, located inside the chest, behind the ribs and consists of 2 atria and 2 ventricles. The weight of the heart is usually approximately 0.6% of body weight. A cat's respiratory system is designed to function in a wide variety of environmental conditions. The photo of the structure of the organs perfectly reflects the digestive system of a cat, which has several features: saliva begins to break down food in the oral cavity, and this process continues in the stomach, and then in the small intestine (its length is 4 times the length of the cat). A cat's kidneys are located in the abdominal area and perform the functions of removing toxins and maintaining water balance.

Differences in the structure of cats

The internal structure of a cat differs from the structure of a cat in its reproductive system. Outwardly, this manifests itself in the fact that in cats, the scrotum is located just below the anus, while in cats, in this place there is a slit-like vagina (vulva), which can be seen in the photo.

Reproductive system

The cat's genital organs are the gonads, the testes in the scrotum, the penis and the spermatic cords, which connect to the urethra. The components of a cat's reproductive organs are the vulva, vagina, uterus and uterine tubes. Cats reach puberty at the age of 6-8 months, but this does not mean that by this moment they stop growing, just that the genitals have already formed and can be used to reproduce offspring. The endocrine glands also play an important role: the adrenal glands, the thyroid gland and the hypothalamus; they regulate many processes in the cat’s body and protect against many diseases.

Irbis, or Snow Leopard, or snow leopard(lat. Uncia uncia, according to another classification - Panthera uncia listen)) is a large predatory mammal from the cat family that lives in the mountains of Central Asia. The snow leopard is distinguished by a thin, long, flexible body, relatively short legs, a small head and a very long tail. Reaching a length of 200-230 cm together with the tail, it weighs up to 55 kg. The fur color is light smoky gray with ring-shaped and solid dark spots. Due to the inaccessibility of the habitat and the low density of the species, many aspects of its biology still remain poorly studied. Currently, the number of snow leopards is catastrophically small; in the 20th century it was included in the IUCN Red Book, the Red Book of Russia, as well as in the protection documents of other countries. As of 2014, hunting snow leopards is prohibited.

Systematics and phylogeny

Previously, the snow leopard was included in the Panther genus ( Panthera) along with other big cats, but later it was moved to a separate genus Snow leopards (Uncia). The structure of the skull of the snow leopard differs from any species of the genus Panthera more than all of them in any combination. At the same time, the snow leopard has a combination of a number of morphological and ethological characteristics of both representatives of the Panther genus and small cats ( Felinae). For example, its skull in terms of the structure of the brain is very similar to the skull of large species of the genus Felis, but has hyoid bone, typical for representatives of the genus Panthera .

Due to its external similarity, the snow leopard was long considered a relative of the leopard, but genetic studies revealed its close relationship with the tiger, after which there were attempts to return it to the Panther genus ( Panthera) . And although the systematic position of the snow leopard remains unclear, the vast majority of sources still consider it as part of a separate genus Uncia .

Despite the vast and highly dissected range, the vast majority of researchers do not distinguish subspecies of the snow leopard. However, some taxonomists have proposed to distinguish several subspecies living in different geographical regions. For example, U.u. uncia, found in northwest central Asia, Mongolia and Russia, and U.u. uncioides from western China and the Himalayas. However, these subtypes are generally not recognized and are considered invalid.

Appearance

Large ring-shaped spots in the shape of rosettes and a long fluffy tail are clearly visible

Relatively large cat. In general appearance it resembles a leopard, but is smaller, more squat, with a long tail and is distinguished by very long hair with an unclear pattern in the form of large dark spots and rosettes. The body is very elongated and squat, slightly raised in the sacrum area. The length of the body with the head is 103-130 cm, the length of the tail itself is 90-105 cm. Shoulder height is about 60 cm. Males are slightly larger than females. The body weight of males reaches 45-55 kg, females - 22-40 kg. Hind foot length 22-26 cm.

The coat is tall, very thick and soft, its length on the back reaches 55 mm - it provides protection from cold, harsh environmental conditions. In terms of the thickness of its fur, the snow leopard differs from all big cats and is more similar to small ones.

The general background color of the fur is brownish-gray without any admixtures of yellow and red (a yellowish tint of fur was noted in some individuals that died in captivity and may be an artifact).

The main color of the coat on the back and upper parts of the sides is light gray or grayish, almost white, with a smoky coating. The sides below, the belly and the inner parts of the limbs are lighter than the back. Scattered across the general light gray background are rare large ring-shaped spots in the shape of rosettes, inside of which there may be an even smaller spot, as well as small solid spots of black or dark gray. The spotted pattern is relatively pale, formed by vague spots, the diameter of the largest of which reaches from 5 cm to 7-8 cm. Solid spots of varying sizes are located on the head (the smallest of them), neck and legs (larger ones, turning into small ones at the bottom), where there are no ring spots. In the back of the back, the spots sometimes merge with each other, forming short longitudinal stripes. Between the annular spots there are a few small solid ones. Large solid spots on the terminal half of the tail often cover the tail in the transverse direction with an incomplete ring. The very end of the tail is usually black on top. The dark spots are black but appear dark gray.

The general color of the main background of winter fur is very light, grayish, almost white, with a smoky coating, more noticeable along the back and along the top of the sides, while a slight light yellowish tint may be developed. This coloring perfectly camouflages the animal in its natural habitat - among dark rocks, stones, white snow and ice.

The general background of summer fur is characterized by a lighter, almost white color and sharp outlines of dark spots. The smoky coating of fur is less pronounced in summer than in winter. There is information that requires further confirmation that with age the spotted pattern on the skin fades, becoming even more vague and unclear. In young individuals, the spotted pattern is more pronounced, and the color of the spots is more intense than in adult individuals.

Snow leopard skull

The head, relative to the size of the body, is small and round in shape. The ears are short, bluntly rounded, without tufts at the ends, and are almost hidden in the fur in winter. The mane and sideburns are not developed. Vibrissae are white and black, up to 10.5 cm long. The eyes are large, with a round pupil.

An adult snow leopard, like most other felines, has 30 teeth. There are 6 incisors and 2 canines on the upper and lower jaws; on the upper jaw - 3 premolars and 1 molar; on the lower jaw - 2 premolars and 1 molar. Dental formula: . The long and mobile tongue is equipped on the sides with special tubercles, which are covered with keratinized epithelium and allow the meat to be separated from the skeleton of the victim. These bumps also help with "washing".

The tail is very long, exceeding three-quarters of the body length, covered with long hair and therefore appears very thick (visually its thickness is almost equal to the thickness of the snow leopard’s forearm). Serves as a balancer when jumping. The limbs are relatively short. The snow leopard's paws are wide and massive. The claws on the paws are retractable. The marks are large, round, without claw marks.

The snow leopard, unlike other big cats, cannot roar, despite incomplete ossification of the hyoid bone, which was thought to allow big cats to roar. New research suggests that the ability to growl in felids is determined by different morphological features of the larynx that are absent in the snow leopard. Despite the structure of the hyoid apparatus like that of big cats ( Panthera), there is no inviting “roar-growling”. “Purring" occurs both when inhaling and exhaling - like in small cats ( Felis). The methods of tearing apart prey are similar to those of big cats, and the position when eating is similar to that of small cats.

Spreading

The snow leopard is an exclusively Asian species. The snow leopard's range in central and southern Asia covers approximately 1,230,000 km² of mountainous regions and extends across the following countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The geographic distribution extends from the Hindu Kush in eastern Afghanistan and the Syr Darya through the Pamir, Tien Shan, Karakoram, Kashmir, Kunlun, and Himalaya mountains, to Southern Siberia, where the range covers the Altai, Sayan, and Tannu-Ola mountains. In Mongolia, it has been found in the Mongolian Altai and Gobi Altai and in the Khangai Mountains. In Tibet it is found as far north as Altun Shan.

On the territory of Russia there is a small part of the snow leopard's range, which is approximately 2-3% of the modern world range and represents its northwestern and northern outskirts. The total area of ​​probable snow leopard habitats in Russia is at least 60,000 km². It is found in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, Khakassia, Tuva and Altai, in the Eastern Sayan Mountains, in particular on the Tunkinskie Goltsy and Munku-Sardyk ridges. However, there is a gradual decrease and fragmentation of the snow leopard's range in Russia, although in some places an increase in numbers may be observed following an increase in mountain goat populations.

Habitat

On the Kungey Alatau ridge in summer, snow leopards are rarely found in the spruce forest belt (2100-2600 meters above sea level) and especially often in the alpine zone (altitudes up to 3300 m above sea level). In the Trans-Ili Alatau and Central Tien Shan, in summer the snow leopard rises to heights of up to 4000 meters or more, and in winter sometimes descends to heights of 1200 m above sea level. u. m. However, the snow leopard is not a high-mountain animal everywhere - in a number of places it lives year-round in the area of ​​low mountains and in the mountain steppe at altitudes of 600-1500 meters above sea level, staying, as in the highlands, near rocky gorges, cliffs and rock outcrops, in places where they live

Biological features of a cat

It has been noted more than once by both experts and simply cat lovers that these representatives of a large family of pets are significantly different from the rest due to some of their biological characteristics.

Cats have a sedentary character; as mentioned above, they get used to a certain home and do not like change. There is a fair saying that a dog gets used to its owner, and a cat gets used to the house. This saying is not fully justified, but it is still true. Thus, the habit of a certain environment in the house helps the cat to navigate in space, and any significant change deprives the cat of a sense of comfort for some time. And in their familiar territory, where everything is already familiar and studied, cats, and especially cats, feel like real masters.