Question: Do cats always land on their feet?
Is it just a myth that cats always land on their feet? If it is true, how do they do it?
Answer: The answer to the first question is "usually." Interestingly enough, in New York City, veterinarians have coined the term "High Rise Syndrome" to describe the injuries cats receive from falling out windows in high rise apartments. Although cats can survive a long fall (the unofficial record in NY is 18 stories), it behooves us to watch out for open windows, as cats can incur severe injuries by landing on their feet. Strangely enough, some of the most serious injuries occur in a fall from 10 to 12 feet.
How do they do it? Cats, even very young kittens, have an amazing sense of balance. When falling, the fluid in the inner ear shifts and the cat rotates its head until it equalizes and the fluid is level. The body automatically shifts to follow the head, and the cat lands on its feet.
It also helps that the cat is extremely agile and his supple muscles and spine respond instantly. A cat has 30 vertebrae - 5 more than humans, which accounts in part for this amazing agility.
However in a fall from 10 to 12 feet, there often simply isn't enough time for even an agile cat to complete the full switch to "feet-side down." Older, less-agile cats could be seriously injured, especially when landing on a hard surface.
