• Question: Why do cats always land on their feet?

    Asked by euanenright to Paul, Lyn, Katy, PB, Ruth on 21 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Peter Balfe

      Peter Balfe answered on 21 Jun 2013:

      They’re incredibly flexible and have quick reaction times..

    • Photo: Ee Lyn Lim

      Ee Lyn Lim answered on 21 Jun 2013:

      Cats have a really good sense of balance (like how they can walk on top of a fence – their tail really helps), and lightning-fast reflexes, and a really flexible body (see how they stretch!). All these things combined means that they can very quickly twist around in mid-air while they are falling, so that they reach the ground feet-first. They do have to have some time to do it though (that’s to say they have to fall from high enough) – if you push them off the couch it won’t work!

      Humans can do it too – like divers, who can do somersaults in the air but always hit the water hands first. Cats just do it quicker and more naturally!

    • Photo: Katy Brown

      Katy Brown answered on 24 Jun 2013:

      When I was checking this out to answer the question I learned about the Buttered Cat Paradox! : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttered_cat_paradox

    • Photo: Paul Waines

      Paul Waines answered on 25 Jun 2013:

      cats do this because of their amazing backbone flexibility- a lot of it is to do with the fact that they have evolved to be amazing hunters, and require an equally amazing sense of balance to be successful at this.

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