I’m sure everyone here has seen a cat run up a tree either chasing some smaller animal or running from a loud sound in the neighborhood but have you ever really thought about how they get down? See, if a human was to climb up a tree, it would take a lot of slow movements, planning and possibly a ladder to get down but cats just hop right out and land perfectly on their feet…… but how? Being that I have a cat that is always jumping off high objects such as trees and furniture, I  am constantly wondering how she always seems to perfectly stick the landing. The answer is held in the sphere of biology.

Cats have a unique body structure that allow themselves to correct their body position while falling. According to an article entitled “Why do cats land on their feet” featured on the official Animal Planet website, cats shift their body into balance when they feel themselves falling. The cat subconsciously determines which side should be up and which should be going down. From there, the feline’s body falls into place. The spine arches, the legs bend into position and the paws stay close to the face to bear the impact. The cat’s unique spine acts as sort of a parachute to break the fall. Animal planet also states that veterinarians treating cats with leg injuries often say that a cat that has fallen from a higher place is less likely to have injuries because their bodies have had more time to prepare and get into position for the fall as opposed to cats that have a shorter falling distance.

Next time you see the neighborhood cat running up a tree, fence, pole or even your house, don’t worry too much because thanks to their unique body structure, they will most likely land on their feet.

Sources:

http://www.animalplanet.com/pets/why-do-cats-land-on-their-feet.htm