Is the _neck_ long or short? Animals that have long fore legs usually
have what kind of a neck? Those with short legs? Why? How many _toes_
on a fore foot? Hind foot? Why is this arrangement better than the
reverse? Some mammals are sole walkers (_plantigrade_), some are toe
walkers (_digitigrade_). To which kind does the cat belong? Does it
walk on the ends of the toes? Does it walk with all the joints of the
toes on the ground? Where is the _heel_ of the cat? (Fig. 334.) The
_wrist_? To make sure of the location of the wrist, begin above: find
the shoulder blade, the upper arm (one or two bones?), the lower arm
(one or two bones?), the wrist, the palm, and the fingers (Fig. 337).
Is the heel bone prominent or small?
[Illustration: FIG. 334.--OCELOT (_Felis pardalis_), of Texas and
Mexico, × ¹⁄₉.]
In what direction does the _knee_ of the cat point? The heel? The
elbow? The wrist? Compare the front and hind _leg_ in length;
straightness; heaviness; number and position of toes; sharpness of
the _claws_. What makes the _dog’s claws_ duller than a cat’s? What
differences in habit go with this? Judging from the toe that has become
useless on the fore foot of the cat, which toe is lacking in the hind
foot? Is it the cat’s thumb or little finger that does not touch the
ground? (Fig. 337.) Locate on your own hand the parts corresponding to
the pads on the forefoot of a cat. Of what use are soft pads on a cat’s
foot?
Some animals have short, soft =fur= and long, coarse over hair. Does
the cat have both? Is the cat’s fur soft or coarse? Does the fur have a
color near the skin different from that at the tip? Why is hair better
suited as a covering for the cat than feathers would be? Scales? Where
are long, stiff bristles found on the cat? Their length suggests that
they would be of what use to a cat in going through narrow places? Why
is it necessary for a cat to be noiseless in its movements?
[Illustration: FIG. 335.--LYNX (_Lynx rufus_). The “Bob-tailed cat”
(North America).]
Observe the =movements of the cat=.--Why cannot a cat come down a tall
tree head foremost? Did you ever see a cat catch a bird? How does a
cat approach its prey? Name a jumping insect that has long hind legs;
an amphibian; several mammals (Figs. 362, 374). Does a cat ever trot?
Gallop? Does a cat chase its prey? When does the cat move with its heel
on the ground? The claws of a cat are withdrawn by means of a tendon
(see Fig. 338). Does a cat seize its prey with its mouth or its feet?
How does a cat make the purring sound? (Do the lips move? The sides?)
How does a cat drink? Do a cat and dog drink exactly the same way? Is
the cat’s tongue rough or smooth? How is the tongue used in getting the
flesh off close to the bone? Can a cat clean a bone entirely of meat?
[Illustration: FIG. 336.--JAGUAR, of tropical America.]
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