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In-Depth Information
in a domestic environment or for herding sheep or hunting prey. There are
some color variations among domestic cats, but they are not as marked as
those among domestic dogs.
The length of the legs of predatory quadrupeds that depend on stealth,
surprise attack, and short periods of chase are generally shorter than those
of predators that depend on more sustained chases, such as dogs. Hunters
that lie in wait for their prey, such as lions, tigers, and the humble domestic
cat, differ from those that pursue their prey. Cats have proportionately shorter
legs than those of dogs and a far less upright stance. The shorter legs are far
more substantial, with larger bones and more muscle. The forearms of a cat
need great strength to bring down another animal—often an animal larger
than itself.
FIG 4.15
Cat skeletal structure.
FIG 4.16
Cat musculature.
