A cat's health can be judged not only by its usual mental state but also by its psychological and physiological condition. Many owners only know how to raise and care for their pet cats but are unaware of the cat's physiological system, thus neglecting many aspects of their cat's health. Below is an introduction to the cat's physiological system, which we hope will be helpful for your cat care.
I. Normal Physiological Indicators of Cats
Body temperature: 38-38.5℃
Breathing: 20-30 breaths per minute
Pulse: 120-140 beats per minute
First estrus: 180-240 days after birth
Duration of estrus: 3-10 days
mating season: once each in spring and autumn.
Breeding age: 1 year and above
Gestational age: 64+4 days
Number of pups: 3-5
Weaning time: 45 days after birth
Adult cat weight: 3-4 kg
Average lifespan: 14-21 years
II. Introduction to the Cat's Physiological System
The nervous system of a cat consists of two parts: the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.
The endocrine system of cats mainly refers to the ductless glands that secrete hormones in the body. These glands do not have ducts, and the hormones they secrete are released directly into the body fluids and blood. They mainly include the thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, adrenal glands, pancreas, pituitary gland, and gonads.
The cat's digestive system consists of two main parts: the digestive tract and the digestive glands. The digestive tract includes the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus. The mouth can be divided into the vestibule (cheeks) and the main oral cavity. Adult cats typically have 30 teeth: 16 in the upper jaw and 14 in the lower jaw, while kittens have 26 deciduous teeth. The esophagus is a relatively straight tube located dorsally to the trachea, composed of a muscular layer, submucosa, and mucosa. The cat has a monostomous stomach. The small intestine includes the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, with a total length three times the cat's body length. The large intestine includes the cecum, colon, and rectum; the cecum is underdeveloped. The cat's intestinal walls are relatively thick, a characteristic of carnivores. Digestive glands include five pairs of salivary glands (parietal glands, submandibular glands, sublingual glands, molar glands, and infraorbital glands), the liver, pancreas, intestinal glands, and gastric glands.
A cat's respiratory system includes the nasal cavity, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs. The nasal cavity is divided into two parts by the septum, and its inner surface is covered by a mucous membrane. The posterior part of the nose is covered by the olfactory mucosa, where the olfactory nerves are distributed. The larynx is composed of the thyroid cartilage, cricoid cartilage, and epiglottis, forming its framework, and is also the organ of speech. The trachea and bronchi are the passageways for breathing. A cat's lungs are divided into two lobes, with the right lung being larger than the left. The lungs weigh approximately 19 grams; the total surface area of the alveoli when expanded can reach 7.2 square meters. Healthy cats use thoracoabdominal breathing, meaning that the chest and abdomen rise and fall simultaneously during breathing, with a respiratory rate of 15-32 breaths per minute. The respiratory rate may physiologically increase after increased ambient temperature or activity.
The feline urinary system consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. The kidneys are bean-shaped, unlobed, and located on either side of the spine in the abdominal cavity, close to the dorsal wall, between the third and fifth lumbar vertebrae, with the right kidney slightly forward of the left; they weigh approximately 0.34% of the body weight. The renal capsule has abundant capsular veins, a unique characteristic of feline kidneys. The bladder is pear-shaped and located posterior to the rectum in the abdominal cavity. After formation in the kidneys, urine enters the renal pelvis from the tips of the renal papillae, descends through the ureters into the bladder, and is finally excreted through the urethra. A cat's 24-hour urine output is 100-200 ml, with a specific gravity of 1.055.
The male cat's reproductive organs include the testes, epididymis, vas deferens, prostate, urethra, scrotum, and penis, but lack seminal vesicles. Sperm is formed in the testes and stored in the epididymis. During mating and ejaculation, semen is transported through the vas deferens and urethra to the female's vagina. The female cat's reproductive organs include the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, and vagina. Eggs mature in the ovaries, travel through the fallopian tubes to the uterus, where they meet and combine with the male cat's sperm to form a fertilized egg, resulting in pregnancy. Female cats have five nipples on each side of their abdomen, two on their chest and three on their belly.
Understanding a cat's physiological system helps owners better understand their feline companions, leading to improved care conditions. Often, feeling helpless when faced with cat problems stems from a lack of understanding of cats. Therefore, learning more about cats is beneficial and harmless.
