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Why Do Cats Never Seem to Fall?
We all know that cats almost always land on their feet when they fall, but why is that? The truth is, they don’t have parachutes or balloons on their backs. It’s all due to their unique physiological structure that gives them this “superpower.”
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What’s the Superpower?
Cats have an innate ability called the “righting reflex.” This superpower helps them land on their feet when they fall. This ability starts to develop in kittens around 3-4 weeks of age and becomes fully refined by about 7 weeks. Even heavier cats exhibit this remarkable skill. Because cats don’t have a clavicle (collarbone), and their spine is more flexible than other animals, they can easily twist, bend, and contort their bodies—almost like they’re a towel being wrung out. Additionally, their highly developed “balance” sensory system works in unison to help them perform this complex maneuver.
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What Happens During a Cat’s Fall?
Cats have incredible coordination, balance, and a highly flexible musculoskeletal system. Typically, they can naturally adjust their position during a fall and land smoothly. Here’s what happens when a cat falls: First, they use their eyes or highly sensitive receptors to determine which way is up, then they rotate their head so that their face faces downward. The middle part of their body bends, while the front half rotates to align with the head, and the back half of the body also rotates. Their front legs pull in to reduce inertia in the front half of their body, while the back legs stretch out to increase inertia in the back half. This process allows the front half of their body to rotate more than the back half. By stretching the front legs, they increase the inertia in the front, and by retracting the back legs, they reduce inertia in the back, ensuring that the back half rotates more than the front. Once they’ve rotated 180 degrees, they land safely on their feet.
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Do Cats Really Have Unbreakable Bodies?
If you believe that, then you’re really—mistaken! Let’s not even talk about falling from a height of a thousand feet, even a fall from just one story could injure your kitty! In reality, cats don’t always land on their feet. Cats are born adventurers and aren’t afraid of heights. Sometimes, they may leap out of a window to chase a butterfly. In these cases, they may not adjust quickly enough, or their reflexes may be too slow, resulting in a hard fall and possible injury. However, studies have shown that when cats fall from heights greater than 7 stories, their chances of injury actually decrease with the height. This may be because the increased height allows for a certain level of air resistance, which slows the cat’s fall, leading to a stable descent. At this point, the cat can prepare for landing by relaxing their muscles and extending their body like a parachute, helping to cushion the impact.
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Safety First, Always!
Better safe than sorry. Nowadays, some cats tend to get distracted easily, so to protect their health, pet owners must remember to close windows and balconies on higher floors. Although cats have an incredible ability to land safely, there are times when their reflexes may not work as well… So, it’s always best to be cautious!
The Furball says…Honestly, you humans can’t even walk on flat ground properly. You’re all jealous of our advanced abilities, but you’ve got a long way to go. Hey, why hasn’t anyone liked this yet? Do you want to see me fall?
