Digestive System:
- diaphragm - The
muscle which expands and contracts in order to allow the cat to breathe.
- gallbladder -
The gallbladder stores bile until it is needed by the small intestine in order
to digest fats. The gallbladder is not essential to the process of digestion.
It is possible for bile to be delivered directly from the liver to the small
intestine. Bile digests and absorbs fat and helps to dispose of waste from
the cat's body.
- liver - The liver
produces many enzymes in order to digest food. It manufactures bile, which
is then stored in the gall bladder. Bile contains acids as well as cholesterol.
The liver also stores and releases a compound called glycogen, which is a
carbohydrate that can be changed into sugar should the sugar level of the
cat fall.
- pancreas - The
pancreas secretes two compounds. The first compound is a digestive enzyme
that helps break down fats and proteins. The second compound is insulin, which
regulates the sugar level in the cat's body.
- peritoneum - The
peritoneum is the thin membrane that covers the abdominal digestive organs
of the cat.
- small intestine
- The small intestine carries out the final stages in digestion. It is lined
with small hairs and blood vessels inside the intestine carry away nutrients
to other parts of the cat's body. The small intestine has three sections:
the duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum. The duodenum is the section where
the process of absorption begins. The jejunum is the largest portion of the
small intestine and it is here where most of the absorption takes place. The
ileum is the final section of the intestine and it is where the absorption
process ends.
- spleen - The spleen
produces red blood cells and regulates the supply of red blood cells. It also
functions as a storage area for blood.
- stomach - The
stomach stores food while it goes through the initial phases of digestion.
Uro-genital System:
- uterine horn -.The
uterine horn is a coiled tube that leads from the ostium to the uterus.
- kidney - The kidneys
filter waste and excess sodium from the cat's body.
- ovary - The ovaries
in a female cat store eggs which are released into the fallopian tubes for
delivery into the uterus.
- urinary bladder
- The urinary bladder collects urine for removal from the body. It can expand
to accommodate large amounts of urine.
- urethra - In both
sexes, the urethra is a tube attached to the urinary bladder. The urethra
is the organ that transports urine from the bladder to the external environment.
- uterus - The uterus
is the organ in which fetuses form and develop. The uterus receives eggs from
the ovaries and contains the egg until it is reached by the sperm.
- - The vagina
serves as the passageway by which babies are delivered. The is a muscular
passageway that is also an important part of conception. During conception,
the male cat inserts his penis into the and releases sperm, which fertilizes
the egg and produces a fetus.
Respiratory System:
- pharynx
- The pharynx, also called the throat, is the place where air enters
the respiratory system after entering the nose or mouth.
- lungs -
The lungs provide oxygen to the blood and remove carbon dioxide from
the blood. The lungs are positioned on top of the diaphragm so that
the diaphragm can control the breathing of the cat by expanding and
contracting.
- bronchial tubes
- The bronchial tubes are a pair of tubes that connect the trachea to
the two lungs. The bronchial tubes branch out at the lungs into smaller
tubes called bronchi and then into much smaller tubes called bronchioles,
which contain small air sacs that function as the exchange points for
the two gases oxygen and carbon dioxide.
- trachea
- The trachea is the tube that transports oxygen into the bronchial
tubes for delivery into the lungs. The trachea is also referred to as
the windpipe.