GI morphology

Step 1

The mouth, Typically a cat swallows her food in chunks rather than chewing.

The tongue positions the food for shredding and tearing and mixes it with saliva to start the breakdown of carbohydrates.

Step 2

The esophagus, After the tongue pushes the food toward the throat, the muscles in this 12- to 15-inch-long tube move it down to the stomach.

Step 3

The stomach, Here, acid begins the serious breakdown of food, particularly proteins. A cat’s stomach acid is strong enough to dissolve bones. The contractions of the stomach mix and grind food with secretions, turning it into a liquid before it passes to the next stage of digestion.

Step 4

The duodenum,the liver and pancreas, Here, two things happen: the gall bladder releases bile and the pancreas releases several enzymes.

Bile, a chemical produced by the liver and stored in the gall bladder, breaks up large fat molecules into smaller ones that can be absorbed in the next stage of the digestive process

Step 5

The small intestine, The small intestine is the longest part of the cat’s digestive system. All nutrients are absorbed there: the small intestine is lined with tiny bodies called villi, which absorb proteins, enzymes, electrolytes and water.

Step 6

The large intestine, In the large intestine, also known as the colon, the last available water and electrolytes are absorbed from the food. Solid feces form and beneficial bacteria produce enzymes that break down material that is more difficult to digest.

Step 7

The rectum and anus, Here, the formed feces collect until they’re ready to be ejected into the litter box. The transit time from mouth to anus is about 20 hours.