Technical Journal

Lab: Skinning the Cat

Took cat out of the bag and placed it on tray with paper towels.
Spill occurred when removing the cat from the bag.
Spill soaked up with paper towels.
Removed the additionally waste from bag by pouring in the sink.
Determined the anatomical orientation of the specimen.
Identified the parts of the cat.
Pina, nostrils, forelimbs, ears, whiskers, high limbs, thoracic region, abdominal region, genitals,
anus and tail.
Determined the sex of the specimen.
Found that the cat was a male by the scrotum pocket.
Placed the animal in the tray with ventral side facing the dissector.
Cut in the hole already present in the chin.
Made the fits cut along the line in figure 10.5.
Used the scalpel to make first the cut.
Then used scissors to try and cut the remaining portion.
Jack thought that the scalpel was easier so the dissector went back to using the scalpel
The cut went from the neck to the genital area.
Midsagittal cut along the body.
Jack encountered problems cutting the skin; he did not want to cut the muscles.
Specimen had a thick layer of fat tissue (adipose tissue).
Caitlyn takes lead; begins cutting down midsagittal with scissors.
Jack makes incision right inferior to the thoracic cavity in order for Caitlyn to drag the scissors
down the body.
Jack holds sides of body apart as Caitlyn cuts capillaries and the skin attachments
Caitlyn continues to knick the muscles.
We got a rhythm going where Jack holds sides apart and Caitlyn finishes the mid-sagittal cut.
Skin on cat is getting stuck on adipose tissue.
Harder to grip as they retreat into genital region.
Two diagonal cuts off of the pubic region into the hind legs.
Dissectors got confused because the skin at the bottom is darker and fattier.
Lots of areolar tissue.
Caitlyn thought she cut into muscle.
Found out that it was just a lot of fat that had a pinkish color on the hind limbs.
Dissectors continue to advance down the hind limbs towards the paw.
Starting the transverse cut between the abdominal region and thoracic region.
Clean up procedures begin.
End of day one. March 9th, 2016.
Beginning of day two. March 10th, 2016.
Need a piece of dermis, areolar tissue, and adipose tissue (low and high power).
Took cat out of bag.
Used scalpel to scrape away the excess skin from the flaps away.
Cut a sample of adipose tissue for microscope work.
Placed in the petri dish.

Cut a sample of the dermis for microscope work.

Place in the petri dish.
Cut a sample of areolar tissue for microscope work.
Placed in the petri dish.
Returned to skinning the cat.
Dissectors cut superior to the genital region.
Was difficult to skin this region because of the amount of adipose tissue.
Dissector 3 (Kat) took over the skinning process.
Began making cuts along the forelimbs.
Started with the right and then moved to the left.
Saw liquid in the forelimbs.
Made cut along the left forelimbs.
Found a rib on the specimen.
Mrs. Gilbert said it was professional looking.
Started ripping the skin with hands off the side of the cat.
Jack made a cut in the muscle on the left side of the anterior side of the cat.
Continued skinning using the scalpel.
Made cut along the right forelimb.
Moving really slowly.
Dissectors started peeling skin off using thumbs.
Skin coming off more easily now.
Flipped specimen over to the posterior side.
Skinned remaining portion.
Flipped cat back over to anterior to make cuts around genital region.
Found an odd piece of tissue.
Flipped cat over to posterior side again.
Skin is starting to peel off in one piece.
Made cut on the posterior region of the neck using scalpel.
Started to make various cuts where the skin was still connected by the areolar tissue.
Recorded the final video.
Used the scalpel to skin the area by the tail.
Big chuck of skin came off.
Skinned the small remaining portion of the cat.
Placed the cat back into the first bag.
Placed the bagged cat into an additional bag.
Clean up.
End of day 2. Cat has been completed skinned (except for paws and the tail),