#saber tooth cat
Jowly smilodon is one of my favorite things.
Except they would drool endlessly. Like neopolitan mastiffs of the cat world.
The other, less extreme saber tooths had bone pockets to hide their fangs in. They would be covered by the lower lip.
Smilodon had no such bone pocket, and they tended to fracture their teeth a lot, so they probably had no protection.
![](https://64.media.tumblr.com/c7016995513acba6baccb4e3af631f6f/tumblr_inline_po4zz96LZf1sfp8wn_540.jpg)
![](https://64.media.tumblr.com/fcc6459a82dccc86cd6115b73eab439e/tumblr_inline_po4zzwAwj91sfp8wn_540.jpg)
![](https://64.media.tumblr.com/5c61207e8e8ece4aecb860a564c0454b/tumblr_inline_po5005fipv1sfp8wn_540.jpg)
(Here’s a believed Homotherium depicted from life, with a big meaty chin)
This is the most believable example of Smilodon tooth protection I’ve seen, but they would have had to have very close, dry lips, not constantly slobbery mastiff ones:
![](https://64.media.tumblr.com/02c827b619ecef2e54bcf53f382f7a66/tumblr_inline_po5044JPSm1sfp8wn_540.jpg)
“A Drink at Dawn” - Commission
One of the commission pieces from this batch, an anachronistic mash-up of prehistoric, turn of the century, and retro-futurist ideas, loosely inspired by James Gurney’s Dinotopia series. A friend had given me his book on color & light for realistic painting, so it was fun to get the chance to paint some dinos soon after.
Commissions are closed as 4/24/18 but I’ll be re-opening soon, so be sure to check back or follow along for more updates and art!
–Wings & Strings
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