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Monday, April 14, 2014

The feline vestibule and vagina.

Keywords: anatomy, cat, feline, vagina

It is sometimes stated that a swab can be used to stimulate the feline cervix  to cause LH release and ovulation. However, the cat has a vagina that is too narrow to accommodate the tip of a common rayon swab. Only the portion of the tract that is caudal to the external urethral orifice (Ex U.O. below) i.e. the vestibule, can accommodate a swab tip. Interestingly, the distance from the vulva lips to the cervix appears to be too long for a feline penis. Cranial to the Ex U.O. it also becomes too narrow to accommodate the penis. This anatomy suggests that the short, barbed feline penis only locks into the vestibule and that  a tom cat ejaculates some distance caudal to the cervix.

Legend: VL = Vulva lips, Cx = cervix.


Image size: 3072 x 2200 px