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The Cat's Body

Coat: Most cat coats incorporate three hair types: a topcoat composed of "guard hairs" and an undercoat of bristly "awn hairs" and softer "down hairs." Purebred varieties may lack one or more of these. For instance, the Persian has no or very few awn hairs, and the nearly coatless Sphynx carries only a small number of down hairs.

Output Port: Products from the cat's waste discharge system are extremely rich in nitrogen�so rich that they can "burn" vegetation just as an over-application of fertilizer can.

Genitals: Females reach sexual maturity at 7 to 12 months; males at 10 to 14 months. The head of the male cat's penis is covered with spines, which stimulate ovulation in the female during intercourse.

Paws: Cats walk on the tips of their "fingers." This design feature allows them to sprint as fast as 31 mph (50 km/h). Cats can have a "dominant" forepaw, just as humans have dominant hands. About 40 percent are left-pawed, 20 percent right-pawed, and 40 percent ambidextrous.

Claws: Each paw is equipped with a set of claws optimized for climbing, fighting, and grasping prey. They can be retracted when not in use. This design option is exclusive to felines.

Tail: Used as a mood-signaling device and as a balancing aid while climbing, the tail may contain anywhere from 14 to 28 vertebrae.

Nipples: Males and females are equipped with a set of these docking ports. They are nonfunctional in males.

Weight: An adult domestic cat usually weighs between 6 and 12 pounds (3-5.5 kg). (See Weighing a Cat.)

Height: Unlike domestic dogs, cats are fairly uniform in size. An average domestic cat stands about 12 inches (30 cm) tall at the shoulder.

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« The Cat's Head | Table of Contents | A Cat's Senses »

Quirk Books The Cat Owner�s Manual is a basic guide to cat care.
The book was written by a celebrated veterinarian and an acclaimed author. It provides cat owners with well-researched and helpful information presented in a lighthearted manner. The creators chose to write the book in a style similar to what you'd find in "operating instructions" for a car or computer, so it would be in a familiar language for someone learning how to do something for the first time. Of course they�and we�respect the fact that our beloved pets are not products or machines, and we hope you will read this guide and discover that it is as valuable as it is fun to read.

Introduction

Intro: Cat Owner's Manual

Cat Body Basics

Intelligence of Cats
A Cat's Life Span

Cat Owner's Manual › Introduction ›

The Cat's Body

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