CATS fall from any height with a remarkably high survival rate. How do they survive such falls? Scientists say that from the moment they are in the air to the moment they touch the ground, they tune themselves to survive. They have a relatively large surface area in proportion to their weight, thereby reducing the force when they hit the pavement. Cats have an instinct to detect which pathway is downward, analogous to the mechanism that humans use for balance. When a cat falls, they flip over to land on their feet, and in the process, they splay their legs slightly which expands their surface area of the body, and increases the drag resistance. This helps to better absorb the impact of the fall, but it may also lead to head and pelvic injuries if they fall far enough. When they land, cats’ long, springy muscular compliant legs act as shock absorbers. The same muscles that enable them to jump well divert energy by decelerating rather than breaking bones. Finally, cats may and often are wounded in a fall, but not permanently. If a cat receives immediate and appropriate medical attention, the survival rate is 90%.
