I've always wanted to do something like this. I once read that the best way to understand a creature is to know it from inside first before the outside. Hopefully with this as an aid I won't make as many anatomy mistakes in the future.

I referenced various animal skeletons, including deer, big cats and owls- with a few liberties of course. They are a made up species after all.

A lot of people mistake these guys for gryphons, which is a bit frustrating because the term "gryphon" covers such a wide range of creatures now that anything with a bird face and four legs is now considered one. Gryphons have a bird front and a cat back half. And even then that's not truly correct unless the front is eagle and the back is lion. So please, tyvet are not gryphons!