#CAT TAIL SERIES#

Yes, they do! While the most famous examples of cartilage for most people are the nose and ear, cartilage is a very common type of connective tissue that’s found not only throughout our own body but also in our cats- including the tail! Even amongst Manx cats, there is a wide range of tail lengths with some having no tail and others having half the normal tail length- along with everything in between. The most notable example of cats with an unusual number of bones in their tails would have to be Manx cats which are famous for their short or completely non-existent tails. Most cats also have around 250 bones in their body (it can vary because of the bones in the tail) which means that almost 10% of a cat’s bones are in the tail alone! But most cats have between 19 and 21 bones in their tail. Not all cats have the same number of bones in their tails and the exact number can vary between breed and the individual feline. How Many Bones Do Cats Have In Their Tails? Because there are so many small bones, with small spaces between them, tails are very flexible which allows cats to move them in incredible ways. These bones are held together by ligaments and tendons with muscles further supporting the structure. These bones extend all the way to the end of the tail and get progressively smaller as they get close to the end of the tail.

#CAT TAIL SERIES#

What Is A Cat’s Tail Made Of?Ī cat’s tail is actually made of a series of small bones called vertebrae (the plural form of vertebra) which are the same type of bones that make up the spinal column. How the heck are cats able to pull off such a wide range of unique movements? What’s the anatomy behind a cat’s tail that makes this possible? Cats can bend their tail into an almost perfect question mark, point it straight up, flicker individual parts, and everything in between. Not only are cat behavior cues often more subtle when compared to canines but cats have a huge range of tail movements they can make. While the meaning and movements behind a dog’s tail are mostly straightforward, a cat’s tail can be a bit more confusing. For many cat parents, the feline tail can be pretty mysterious.

Cat tail