[Principles of construction in the fore- and hindpaw of the domestic cat (Felis catus). 2. Articulations].

According to form and range of mobility the joints of the cat's paw (articulationes manus et pedis) are adjusted to two basic functions: as far as they are used for walking in the different gaits they show components in the sagittal plane that particularly correspond to the digitigrade dog. With regard to cat-specific behaviour, i.e. climbing and catching, specific characteristics of the joints for movements in the R-plane (rotation) and A-plane (abduction/adduction) can be distinguished. For this reason highly specialized types of articulations occur in cat's paw that are unique compared to other mammals and that mostly have not been described yet. In this context, like in the skeleton (see first communication), function-adapted divergences can also be found between the joints of the forepaw and hindpaw of the cat.