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Myth #7 - "Cats always land on their feet!"

That's almost true ...

When you see fast-motion studies of cats, they rotate their heads and find the ground and twist their body into position.

The one thing they do that is remarkable is that right before they reach terminal velocity, they spread out like a flying squirrel and relax right before impact so they don't hit rigidly, they hit with flexibility.

We actually had a cat who fell chasing a bird out of a 4 story window and only fractured a couple of teeth and her pelvis. We think a delivery truck broke her fall. She used up a couple of cat lives on that fall!

But not all of them land on their feet. Every once in a while, a kitty klutz comes along.

You'll see a pile of kittens out there playing and climbing up something and falling or jumping off. Several of them land on their feet and then one of them clunks down on its head.

Kids, don't test this at home!

paws paws paws

For more information please contact Lara O'Keefe at 972.838.9156 or visit Hunter's Creek.

Posted by Lara O'Keefe (Hunter's Creek, Melissa) on 03/29/2009 02:01 PM

Comments (13)

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13 Comments on Myth #7 - "Cats always land on their feet!"

MAR

Hi Lara,

Cute post and so true! Your post was put together well! Thank you for sharing! (love the paw prints and the diagram)

Rita

Lara: I've got a kitty klutz or two in my house. But if it's a short distance and they don't land right, they never seem to mind.

I have a friend that was just telling me when their cat broke its leg when it didn't "land on its feet." That is the first time I had ever heard that.

Rita - thank you for your compliments :-)

Chris Ann - the klutz's are funnier to watch!

Debra - I have not met anyone who's cat broke their leg that way.

Yea weird huh? I felt so bad for the kitty.

MAR

Dear Lara,

Interesting post! I have never seen a drawing of their acrobatics.

My cat is old. Ever once in a while she misses her jump and falls! She gets up and looks around as if to deny that she had actually fallen.

Barbara

Debra - I can't imagine the poor kitty hobbling around in a cast.

Barbara - cats are just proud that way!

MAR

I've read this before about cats always landing on their feet. I think it's very cool how they stretch out like a flying squirrel to soften the impact.

I wonder what the percentage rate of them always landing on their feet is though.

I'm going to test this out on my cat today!

But not before I finish my daily ritual of cat juggling!!!

I'll let you know the results!!!

Weeee!

Craig - that's hilarious! You might want to wear gloves for that!

Lara, I've heard they can only land on their feet if they fall from a high enough altitude! Thus probably the reason your cat survived that four story fall!

Great drawings - thanks for explaining how they land.

APR

Lara, How about the myth that if you cut a cat's wiskers they cannot wall?. Is that really true? Since you are the queen of trivia I thought I would leave this important question up to you. My kids always want to try it but I will not let them, being an animal lover and all.

Jane - that's so funny! I had always heard that was true but never tried it :-)

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