Research overview: proprioception and body awareness in cats

Beyond the vestibular system, cats rely on proprioception, the sense of the position and movement of their own limbs and body, to move with precision. This overview surveys feline proprioception, supported by sensory receptors in muscles, tendons, and joints that report on body configuration. Proprioceptive information allows cats to place their feet accurately, balance on narrow surfaces, and coordinate the agile movements for which they are known. The survey relates proprioception to the vestibular and visual senses, with which it integrates to produce coordinated movement and balance. It discusses how proprioception contributes to the cat's surefootedness and to behaviors like walking along thin ledges. Understanding proprioception complements the account of vestibular balance, showing that the cat's agility rests on a continuous internal sense of its own body as well as on inner-ear orientation. It frames body awareness as an essential, if less obvious, component of feline sensory-motor control.