Correlation between long-bone dimensions and body mass in cats

Body mass significantly influences morphology in both humans and animals. The relations between the body mass and osteometric measurements of the skeleton can show adaptive changes in the animal skeleton due to body mass changes. This relationship had previously been analysed in dogs. The lack of such studies in cats encouraged us to investigate this topic. Radiogrammetric measurements were performed in live animals of both sexes (16 females and 20 males) in both dorsopalmar/dorsoplantar and mediolateral projections Morphometric measurements were performed for almost all long bones, e.g. the humerus, the tibia, and the fibula. Statistical analysis was performed with the SPSS 21.0 package. It showed that the body mass affected transverse rather than longitudinal dimensions of the selected long bones. Moreover, the sexual dimorphism identified (except for the pelvis) resulted from two sex-related factors (greatest length/body mass). Step regression analysis and estimation of determination coefficients (R2) proved that transverse dimensions, such as the smallest breadth of diaphysis in the humerus and the greatest breadth of the distal extremity in the femur, were the most suitable dimensions for body mass estimation. Body mass estimation and the calculations of height at withers, can offer a broader insight into the morphology of animals from past centuries and are important in both palaeontology and archaeozoology. Therefore, descriptions of archaeological cat species, also in terms of height at withers and body mass estimations, afford a more meaningful evaluation of their morphological structure across various historical periods.