As Bad As Its Bite
Saber-toothed cats
Saber-toothed cats may have pinned their prey with strong forelimbs.
A saber-toothed cat's pounce may have been as bad as its bite. These extinct animals had exceptionally strong forelimbs that probably held a victim still while razorlike teeth ripped out its throat, a new study shows. Most carnivorous cats suffocate their victims with a long, crushing bite to the throat or nose. This wouldn't have worked for sabertooths because their formidable twin canines were surprisingly fragile. The teeth were oval-shaped when cross-sectioned like blades are rather than round like other cats'. That made saber-shaped teeth good for slicing through flesh, but easily snapped by writhing prey.
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