Cat Dissection Guide - The Muscular System

Muscle Identification

1. Begin by examining the cat from the side, focusing on the head, shoulder, and foreleg.

2. Examine the foreleg more closely and identify these muscles.

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3. Moving back from the forelegs, identify each of the large muscles on the ventral surface, including the trapezius and deltoid groups.

4. Turn the cat over and examine the ventral surface muscles as well. These muscles can be difficult to differentiate, so look for changes in muscle fiber direction, or darker colorations where greater amounts of myoglobin are present.

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5. The separations of ventral muscles on this specimen have been marked with black thread.

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6. Find and examine the external oblique (caudal to the xipihumeralis). Note the diagonal (oblique) direction of the muscle fibers.

7. Cut out a one-inch square-shaped flap. This should expose the internal oblique below. Note the direction of the internal oblique fibers.

8. Continue the cut through the internal oblique. When this flap is reflected, the transversus abdominis should be visible. Note the lateral (transverse) direction of the muscle fibers.

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9. Finally, examine the hind legs of the cat. Dorsally, these muscles should be visible.

10. Ventrally, only the sartorius and gracilis muscles can be seen on the surface.

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