Equipped with effective crampons and powerful boosting and balancing systems, cats can go where less acrobatic animals fear to tread. While almost all felines are accomplished climbers, the skills of cats in the wild vary greatly according to body type.
- Small cats typically are the most talented climbers; however, even the largest of cats can scale heights to some extent.
- The leopard climbs with ease, thanks to its particularly well-muscled, broad chest and flexible limbs. Like most felines, its shoulders can rotate so that it can grasp a tree trunk between its forepaws.
- The cheetah, however, is a poor climber. It has a narrow chest built for speed and shoulder joints that are more limited to the forward and backward movement necessary for running.
- Tigers and lions carry much of their bulk on the front part of their torsos and consequently they have difficulty pushing themselves upward. But even these disadvantaged climbers on occasion will scale a tree, especially when seeking shade from the scorching sun.
