I believe that for a cat caregiver it is good to know a little bit about domestic cat blood as it is central to the function of our beloved companion animals. The beauty of an infographic is that it can provide information very quickly and should be understandable by anyone even those who perhaps incorrectly feel that they have a limited grasp of science.
The circulatory system of the cat is very similar to that of the human. In fact, there are many similarities in the anatomy of both species. Blood pressure is highest in the arteries as they are nearest to the heart where blood pressure is generated. Blood pressure is at its lowest in the veins in which blood is returned to the heart.
The elastic walls of the arteries expand and contract as the heart pushes blood through them. The arteries have a pulse whereas the veins don’t. The walls of the veins are thinner than those of the arteries and are more easily damaged. Veins have valves to ensure that the blood moves in one direction.
Although the brain is a relatively small part of a cat’s overall anatomy it takes 15-20 per cent of the cat’s blood. Resting muscles take about twice this (source: Dr Bruce Fogle DVM in THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE CAT).
During high energy activities the muscles receive up to 90% of the blood. The blood is diverted from the internal organs and even the brain under these circumstances.
Nerves and hormones control the amount of blood that the various parts of the body need. They dilate the arterioles (small blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart) which dramatically increases the blood supply to the desired region.
Below are some more articles on domestic cat blood.
First cat blood bank in the UK
Snow leopards eat a large quantity of vegetation
How much blood is in a cat’s body?
How much blood do cats have?
What blood type are cats?
