Cats are famous for their incredible flexibility and ability to get into very narrow cracks and holes. This even prompted scientists to conduct a humorous study in 2014 – are cats liquids. But seriously, these animals really deserve attention, as their skeleton is specially designed, which allows them to be more flexible than many other animals, such as dogs. And this applies not only to the spine, but also to other parts, such as the shoulder girdle and collarbones, the connection of the head with the neck, etc. They developed their anatomical feature for hunting small prey, as well as to be able to hide from larger predators.
Cats can squeeze through incredibly narrow gaps. Photo source: dzen.ru
Why are cats so flexible
If you look closely at the structure of a cat, the first thing that catches your eye is their shoulder girdle. In humans, for example, the shoulder blades and collarbones are connected together, which provides rigid support for the arm muscles. That is, our shoulder blades are connected to the skeleton. By the way, there are very few bones in the human body that are not connected to the skeleton.
Cats do not have such a rigid connection, since the shoulder blades are not connected to the skeleton. They are attached to the body only by muscles. This is what gives these animals such a “soft” graceful gait. The same applies to the collarbones, and the ratio of their size to the cat's body is very small, much smaller than the ratio of the human collarbone to the human body.
Of course, cats have a very flexible spine, much more flexible than humans or dogs. This is due to the fact that they have very elastic intervertebral discs, and the vertebrae themselves are less tightly connected to each other. But that's not all – cats are constantly doing exercises. They arch their backs and stretch their spines, and use their core muscles. This allows them to maintain their flexibility throughout their lives.
Cats are very flexible due to the peculiarities of their skeletal structure. Photo source: vk.com
Another interesting feature that distinguishes cats from humans, dogs, or, for example, horses is the nuchal ligaments. They attach the head to the spine. The nuchal ligaments allow us to save energy, as they provide support for the head with almost no muscle involvement. But at the same time, they make the head less mobile.
How whiskers help cats get into narrow cracks and holes
What do cats' whiskers have to do with their ability to squeeze into cracks? Well, they do. They are the thickest hair on a cat's body — three times thicker than the “guard hairs,” the longest, coarsest hairs in a cat's coat. They are also three times deeper in the skin than the rest of the fur.
Whiskers help cats judge the width of cracks. Photo source: wikipedia.org
But the most important thing is that the base of each whisker is filled with nerve endings. As a result, they are a highly sensitive navigation system with which cats receive information about their surroundings. In particular, cats use their whiskers to estimate the size of the space through which they want to squeeze. Accordingly, if the gap is too narrow and the cat is at risk of getting stuck in it, then it simply will not try to squeeze through.
It should be said that in addition to humorous studies dedicated to cats, scientists have also conducted quite serious ones. For example, in 2024, researchers conducted an experiment aimed at understanding how cats estimate their body size. To do this, they were allowed to crawl through two types of holes – narrow and low.
The ability of cats to squeeze through narrow cracks amazes even scientists. Photo source: faktodrom.com
The experiment showed that cats easily passed through narrow but high openings. They did this even when the gap was narrower than the cat's chest, and they hardly slowed down. But when the cats had to squeeze through low openings, they stopped. Thus, scientists discovered that cats approach the passage of different types of obstacles differently. Perhaps this is due to the fact that cats use their whiskers to estimate the width, and rely only on their vision to estimate the height.
Why do cats like to climb into small spaces?
You may have noticed that your pet likes to climb into small spaces, such as under cabinets, beds, etc. But what is the reason for this? According to experts, cats hide in small spaces when they are stressed or afraid. Small spaces allow them to feel safer.
Sometimes they hide simply for privacy, to take a break from the environment. Therefore, if you see that your cat has hidden in some small space in your home, and nothing threatens it, then it is better not to touch it. Your pet just needs to be alone for a while.
Be sure to visit our Zen and Telegram channels, here you will find the most interesting news from the world of science and the latest discoveries!
There are also cases when cats climb under low furniture because they “mourn” their companions. This happens if a dog or another cat dies in the house. At the same time, as we have already said earlier, the animal’s behavior changes.