The vertebra of the neck can turn more then with other mammals, but has also large attachment point for the muscles. Towards the end of the back the lumbar vertebra get longer and wider for the same purpose. The melted cross-legged vertebra stabilize the whole skeleton and give the body its firmness and balance.

A cat's build aims at freedom of movement, but with bones and joints are safely anchored. Nothing is superfluous: the collarbone for example is very small (or isn't there at all sometimes). This gives the shoulder more freedom of movement and the possibility to adjust to the movements of the front legs - the body becomes small and streamlined.

This construction makes it possible for a cat to run very fast. The long and high build cat owes this not only to her flexible spine but also to walking on the tip of her toes like all her family members; for that purpose the toes have big cushions. The part of the front legs that corresponds with the human thumb isn't used and now looks like and extra claw. The hind legs have only 4 toes. The sole cushions are not only important for the soft walk of the cat, but function as shock absorbers when a cat jumps or sprints. Sole cushions have, just like claws, a function when a cat is climbing; cats are 'callus and claw climbers'. The sticky effect of the sole cushions is sufficient to reach - with the right speed - the top of a two meter high slippery wall. Claws wouldn't help in this case and that is why the cat doesn't use them.

Body attitude: to a cat silhouette, tail, ears en eyes are instruments to show her attitude to friends and enemies. All her moods, even her next move one can read from her attitude. A well-balanced state of mind is evident when her tail is horizontal or slightly hanging; the tail follows the movements of the body but doesn't show excitement. The head is the highest point of the body, the coat lies down; the ears are pointed, the eyes are wide open.

This attitude doesn't change when she meets a familiar being that doesn't mean anything to her. If a friendly, well known creature comes near her, her tail is going up to greet this creature. She walks faster and searches for physical contact. She hesitates when she meets a stranger... her tail curls like a "S" and the tip trembles and this shows that she is a bit tense. Her pupils enlarge and her ears are pointed to the max towards the stranger. If she meats enemies or rivals she makes herself as big as necessary. For that she has more then one instrument: she can make a high back so that her silhouette appears to be higher. She can put up her back- and tail hairs to make her body bigger. By walking on the tip of her toes and by stretching all joints of her legs she can make herself about 3 centimeters bigger.

When a cat plans or expects an attack, she will close her eyes (first fixating the opponent) and lay her ear shelves flat to her head. A last warning for the opponent is that she lets herself fall to the side: her sharpest weapons, her claws, are free now and ready to strike. Sometimes cats feel threatened but notice in time that they made a mistake. The inner tension, the build stress, needs to be released through a substitute action. This can be done through a hysterical wash or something like a hunt for a invisible enemy.

Begging, asking, complaining, worrying is done by old and young cats through mewing or a variation on that. The way it sounds depends on the resounding space; soft or loud or something else. When cats jabber, murmur or coo they want to seduce a partner or reassure the kids when they smell danger. Towards humans cats purr to make people pet them.

Please note: the pictures and/or animations on this and other pages come from sites that offer a lot more animations and/or pictures, all free for use on your website. Links to these sites can be found on the tools page.