The saying “Cats have nine lives” is something many people have heard before. It means that cats possess an extraordinary resilience, capable of surviving even the most dangerous situations—almost as if they could die nine times. Indeed, whenever we see cats facing danger, they often seem to escape unscathed, leaving us to wonder: Do cats really have nine lives?
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The answer is no
Whether human or animal, all living beings only have one life, and cats are no exception. The saying that cats have nine lives does not mean that cats can truly die nine times. It is an exaggerated form of praise for their remarkable resilience. In ancient Chinese texts, the number “nine” held deep symbolic meaning. The Shuowen Jiezi (a Chinese dictionary from the Han Dynasty) says, “Nine is the transformation of Yang, symbolizing the ultimate form of bending and reaching the limit.” Ancient Chinese people regarded the number “nine” as the most Yang number, representing infinity and extremity. When cats were introduced to China, they were seen as more than just ordinary pets. In folklore, they were viewed as mystical creatures with spiritual powers. For example, in the Tang Dynasty book Youyang Zazu, cats were described as having eyes that change with the time of day: “At dusk, their pupils are round, but by noon, they narrow like a thread,” suggesting that their pupils could understand the balance of Yin and Yang. Therefore, folklore combined this mystical belief with Taoist ideas, such as the “nine refinements to become an immortal,” giving birth to the story of the “nine-lived cat demon.” According to legend, cats grow a new tail every nine years. When they have nine tails, they have nine lives. Each time their life is in danger, they lose one tail to protect themselves. However, in reality, cats typically live for only about a decade, so it is impossible for them to grow nine tails, and therefore, this story could never happen. Interestingly, in Western culture, a similar belief exists about cats having nine lives. The phrase “A cat has nine lives” first appeared in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The English author William Baldwin, in his book Beware the Cat, described how a cat’s body could be possessed by a witch nine times. Even in the later animated series Tom and Jerry, there were moments where Tom was said to have nine lives.
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It seems that the idea of “cats having nine lives” is a cross-cultural belief that transcends regions
However, legends are ultimately not aligned with reality. From a scientific perspective, the reason cats seem to have “nine lives” is not due to some mystical power, but because of their unique survival advantages. First, cats have an incredibly strong balance system. Their inner ear’s vestibular apparatus is more sensitive than most animals’, allowing them to quickly sense changes in their body’s position. Even if they fall from a height of 3 to 4 stories, they can adjust their posture in just 0.1 seconds. They first lift their head, then tuck in their abdomen, and finally extend their limbs, ensuring that all four paws land first in a split second. Second, cats have an extremely resilient body structure. Their bones are lightweight and elastic, and the cartilage between their vertebrae acts like springs, absorbing shocks. Their clavicles are small and not connected to other bones, allowing their body to “absorb” impact when landing, significantly reducing the risk of fractures. Additionally, cats have a remarkable self-healing ability. Their metabolism is moderate, and their wounds heal faster than those of smaller mammals like rabbits and hamsters. The lysozyme in their saliva can even kill some bacteria, reducing the likelihood of infections in wounds.
At the same time, when cats are injured, they can emit purring sounds with frequencies ranging from 25 to 150 Hertz. These sound waves are believed to help heal bone fractures and organ damage. So, it’s not that cats have nine lives, nor are they immortal; rather, compared to humans, they have a much greater tolerance for risk.
