Learn the Riveting Physics Behind the “Cat-Righting” Reflex

Cats are renowned for always landing on their feet. While that’s not entirely true, “cat physics” sounds like an oxymoron. Scientific laws don’t appear to apply to animals that can squeeze into seemingly impossible places and effortlessly navigate the most complicated obstacle courses. The British Shorthair shown in this post by animals.motions demonstrates cats’ impressive skills in obstacle avoidance. While the Corgi pup also has plenty of dexterity, canines can’t compete with cats when it comes to flexibility. Cats’ bodies are built for maneuverability, from their brains to their bones.

The Truth About Cats Landing on Their Feet

The cat’s ability to reorient its body mid-air to land on its feet is as baffling as it is beautiful. The precise mechanics have intrigued both cat lovers and physicists for hundreds of years. Early scientists found even when a cat begins falling upside down, it will still land on its feet. “Cat-turning,” or the “cat-righting reflex,” is a little different for every cat. Some cats leverage their paws or tails, but cats without tails can also turn themselves.

Although scientists still argue about how it’s done, the “bend-and twist” method is believed to include the most important movements in the process. When the cat bends at the waist, it can rotate the front and back halves of its body in opposite directions. This cancels the opposing angular momentum. So, when the cat unbends, its body is oriented in a different direction. However, the height of the fall and the cat’s overall health could prevent it from flipping in time. The impact could also cause the rest of its body to make contact with the ground, resulting in serious injuries. Most of the time, they are able to turn their bodies to land feet first, but it’s not a guarantee.

Feline Flexibility

One reason cats are able to execute such acrobatics is their long, flexible spines. Cats have 30 vertebrae to our 33, but their vertebrae are elongated and more articulated. There are cushioned discs between the bones that allow the vertebrae to expand and compress like a spring. This not only makes their spines more flexible, but it also helps absorb impact when running and jumping. Cats can twist their torsos 180°, but a human’s range of motion is only as much as 90°.

Cats have other adaptations that aid in their ability to maneuver. Their collarbones are attached to muscle, not bones like humans’ are. So if their head fits, they can shift their collarbones so their body can follow. Their shoulder blades are also attached to muscle, so they can adjust their shoulders to squeeze into tight places. With these bones only attached to muscle, cats can quickly change direction and lengthen their strides while running. Cats are digitigrade as well, meaning they walk primarily on their toes. This minimizes their footprints and aids in quick, stealthy movement.

Mind Over Matter

Researchers explain that cats depend on working memory to help them avoid obstacles. Once their forelegs have stepped over the obstacle, their working memory helps them position their hindlegs to avoid it, too. Scientists suggest that the motor commands used for the forelegs combine with their visual information about the size and location of the obstacle. This establishes a memory of the obstacle in relation to the cat’s body that they utilize while still in motion.

Cats are not only light on their feet, they are also clever. Another study on feline locomotion found that cats’ preferred strategy for avoiding small obstacles is to find a way around them. The direction of the cat’s stride may change, but the length and rhythm are not altered. As we see in the video above, the cat takes a detour instead of going all the way through the obstacle course.

Another strategy cats use is stepping over objects. Of course, this requires working memory, as described above. Researchers believe cats choose their strategy depending on the difficulty of the neuro-motor process necessary to reach the goal. Anyone who has ever owned a cat will not be surprised that they figured out a way to work smarter, not harder, and still look graceful while doing it.