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Writer's pictureAlfred Khan

Do cats always land on their feet?

Updated: Oct 21

It may come as a shock to some of you that the saying “cats always land on their feet” is not true.


But it’s not all myth either. Cats have an ability called the righting reflex. It is an inherent balancing system that allows them to flip themselves the right way around so that they can land safely on their feet. This is a safety mechanism for all the tree climbing and wall scaling cats do in the wild so they don’t sustain heavy damage if they do fall.


cat jumping

A sensory apparatus in the ear helps the cat figure out which way is up and then using their tail and incredibly flexible spine, they can twist their body around midair. Their powerful hind legs then act as shock absorbers, making sure that they take minimal damage when landing. Yet another feline superpower of theirs!


However, it is not all the time that cats can land on their feet. A huge determining factor is the height of the fall. The shorter the height, the less time the cats have to right themselves, which might result in an unsuccessful attempt.


The weight and age of the cat play an important part too. Older and heavier cats have a lower success rate of being able to turn midair in time.


So, fur-parents, don’t take anything for granted and make sure your house is fully catproofed and meshed up to prevent any accidents! Keeping your cat healthy with the right diet is also essential to maintain their sharp reflexes, and our Designer Cats Raw or Cooked Gourmet will do just that: https://www.designerbengalsingapore.com/designercatsfreshgourmet


Do you think your cat is secretly a superhero? If so, what’s their superpower? Comment below!


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