See a Cat Jump Down 5 Floors Out of a Smoking Building and Calmly Walk Away

Ever hear the phrase “cats always land on their feet”? While it may seem like a trite statement, there’s definitely some truth behind it! In the below clip, we see a determined cat decide to save itself from a building fire. And, you guessed it, he manages to make true on the kitty claim to fame and make a ten-point landing!

Hold Your Breath and Wait for It

The odds were in favor of this brave survivor, seeing that the leap in question was from five floors up. According to research, it’s around seven or more stories up in a building that falls become dangerous for cats. However, even crazier heights have been recorded (don’t worry, that cat survived too!).

That said, let’s find out more about the amazing physical characteristics that our acrobatic companions boast, and certainly make sure to not try this at home!

Cats: Nature’s Stunt Performers

We’ve all seen the many, often hilarious, antics that cats are capable of. All of these zany feats are possible thanks to the nimble nature of cats. For example, they have a gracefully small size, considerably light skeletons, and just the right fur thickness. These factors, along with special features like an unconnected collarbone, grants felines the ability to hop and squeeze their way past most obstacles! Current studies indicate that many carnivores have evolved this kind of structure over time to provide more agility, particularly suited for hunting behaviors.

You see, among other natural adaptations, cats have a special reflex that kicks in while falling. Known as “cat righting”, it’s one of many tricks that allow them to act with gymnastic prowess. This inborn talent is mastered around the time they’re only nine weeks old – how’s that for getting a head start?

The Tingling Cat Sense

As felines, cats have inherited a wealth of traits from the impressive predators found in nature. For example, extremely focused vision gives cats amazing spatial awareness and the ability to see tiny movements even in dark conditions. This is thought to lend to their habit of perching in high up locations, in order to literally keep an eye on everything nearby. One downside they have to deal with is apparent shortsightedness, or in other words, they can’t see things as well far away.

Their other senses are incredibly honed, as well. Cat hearing is considered one of the broadest found in mammals, capable of picking up sounds even dogs can’t hear. Their sense of touch, enhanced by their extremely sensitive whiskers, is a critical part of scanning their environment.