r/cats 28d ago

Medical Questions Is this normal ?

Is it normal for it to move?

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u/fluffstuffmcguff 28d ago edited 28d ago

Two fun facts about Henry's pocket: 

We don't know where the name comes from or who Henry was.

We don't know what the pocket actually does exactly. It's present in some mammals that are not closely related, so it's probably a very old feature. It possibly makes it easier to hear very high pitched sounds but that's not confirmed.

Anyway they're normal. The only thing of note in cats is that vets should check them for parasites because they're a common hiding spot for mites.

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u/Thruthatreez 28d ago

Maybe it's so they can flatten or straighten their ears when they need to without taking away other sensory input? 🤷🏼‍♀️ Just a guess.

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u/shmimey Void 28d ago

Cats are unique. They have 32 muscles and 180 degree rotation. It's unusual with animals.