Why Do Cats Always Land on Their Feet?

💡 The Answer

• Cats have a remarkable ability called the righting reflex
• This reflex develops at 3 to 4 weeks of age and is perfected by 7 weeks
• Cats have an exceptionally flexible backbone with 30 vertebrae
• They have no functional collarbone allowing greater flexibility
• During a fall a cat rotates its upper body first then its lower body follows
• Their low body-to-weight ratio and large surface area reduce terminal velocity
• Cats can survive falls from significant heights - this is called high-rise syndrome
• Paradoxically cats may be injured less from very high falls than moderate ones because they have time to relax