Anatomy & Physiology 101 LAB MUSCULAR SYSTEM
(PART 2): CAT - EXTERNAL ANATOMY, MUSCLES
NOTE: Students should work in groups of 3 per cat. Refer to “Intructions for Lab #9: Cat Dissection”
for Additional Information. (Attached)
EXTERNAL ANATOMY OF THE CAT
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Complete the following procedure which acquaints you with the cat’s external anatomy. (Use
your lab manual for reference.)
a. Obtain a cat for your group and lay it on its dorsal surface on the dissecting tray. There will be
one or two small incisions on the neck and/or belly where the blood has been drained and latex
injected into the blood vessels.
b. Note the external nares or nostrils, and the pinna or external ear flaps on the head.
c. Observe the nipples located on the ventral surface of the chest and abdomen. How many
pairs of nipples are noted? Do both male and female cats have nipples?
d. Locate the anal orifice just beneath the tail, and the single urogenital opening ventral to this in
the female cat. Locate the testes and urogenital opening in the male cat, which also lie ventral to
the anal orifice.
2. Answer related questions on the Questions Sheet.
MUSCLES OF THE CAT
INTRODUCTION:
Over the next few lab periods you will be studying selected muscles of the cat and making
comparisons to the muscles of humans. As you complete the indicated exercises, refer to your lab
manual as well as the actual photographs of the cat muscles.
The muscles being studied should be CLEANED AND SEPARATED OUT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FROM
SURROUNDING MUSCLES. When you're instructed to transect and reflect a muscle, be certain to cut
the muscle in its center (body/belly) rather than at its ends. (origin/insertion).
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. In this lab, we will locate and study selected muscles of the cat’s ventral thigh. Read about and
locate each muscle using your lab manual.
2. Superficial muscles of the ventral thigh to be located include the following:
-Gracilis
-Sartorius
3. Deep muscles of the ventral thigh to be located include the following:
-Iliopsoas
-Pectineus
-Adductor longus
-Adductor femoris
-Semimembranosus
-Semitendinosus
-Vastus lateralis
-Rectus femoris
-Vastus medialis
-Vastus intermedius
* NOTE: The iliopsoas muscle lies cranial to the pectineus and and passes in a superior-inferior
direction on the thigh.
4. Answer related questions on the Questions Sheet.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR LAB #9: CAT DISSECTION
1. Get a cat from the box.
2. Open both bags.
3. Pour most of the preservative in the labeled container (at the back of the lab). Leave a small
amount of preservative in the innermost bag. NOTE: ONLY PRESERVATIVE SHOULD BE PLACED INTO
THE CONTAINER – NEVER TISSUE OR ORGANS!!
4. Rinse the cat in the sink in the lab.
5. When your group is finished with the dissection:
a. replace the cat in both bags.
b. Label the outermost bag with the names of the students in your group.
c. Replace the cat in container.
d. Clean your work area with disinfectant and wash the dissecting board and dissecting
instruments with hot soapy water.
QUESTIONS SHEET: (Include in your lab report)
EXTERNAL ANATOMY
1. Compare the directional terms of the cat and human.
2. Do both male and female cats have nipples? How many pairs of nipples were observed on your
cat?
3. How can one externally determine the sex of a cat?
MUSCLES OF THE CAT
1. Classify the muscles studied in this lab in the following way:
a. Quadriceps Femoris Group
b. Adductor Group
c. Hamstring Group
2. Compare the muscles studied in this lab with the same muscles in the human. What differences
do you note between the cat and human?