Do Cats Land on Their Feet?

Cats have a legendary ability to land on their feet after a fall.  But is it true that cats always land on their feet?  That depends, interestingly enough, on the height from which they fall. 

When cats fall, they rely on two organs to bring them down safely: their eyes, which help cats position themselves; and their vestibular apparatus, located in the inner ear, which controls balance and orientation.  An automatic  sequence of motions goes into play when a cat topples.  First, the cat rights her head.  Then he/she rotates the front half of their body 180 degrees.  Once the front legs are facing down, the cat rotates the rear half of her body and flattens out so as to help spread the area of impact.  The tail acts as a counterbalance. The tail acts as a counterbalance. As the cat hits the ground, she arches her back in an attempt to help cushion the impact. 

Why does the height from which a cat falls make a difference?  Falling from a great height allows more time for their sequence fall from high places?  Mainly, it’s because their dept perception isn’t very good.  Apparently, they don’t realize they’re about to jump eight stories instead of eight feet.

Just because a cat survives a long distance fall doesn’t mean he/she is not injured.  Broken legs are a common result of falls, so kids, don’t try this at home.  Your cat will thank you!

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