Anatomical structure and action of the tail muscles in the cat.

Anatomical structure and movements of tail muscles were studied in 12 adult cats. Tail muscles mainly consisted of the following 6 muscles on both sides, M. sacrocaudalis dorsalis medialis (SDM), M. sacrocaudalis dorsalis lateralis (SDL), M. coccygeus lateralis (CL), M. coccygeus medialis (CM), M. sacrocaudalis ventralis lateralis (SVL) and M. sacrocaudalis ventralis medialis (SVM). Experiments by electrical stimulation of muscles demonstrated that the tail is bent to the dorsal direction by actions of SDM and SDL, curved laterally by those of SDL, CL, CM and SVL, bent to the ventral direction by those of SVL and SVM, and rolled by those of CL and CM on both sides. Contraction of SDL and SVL produced rapid and strong tail movements by actions of their long tendons.