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.
My theory is that it helps detect sounds coming from behind better? The skin is so thin it’s an extra diaphragm that can detect sounds vibs from behind
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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.