How Do Cats Land On Their Feet – Physics Edition

Have you ever wondered why cats always land on their feet when they fall from a height?

It turns out that their ability to land on their feet is a result of a skill known as the cat righting reflex. It revolves around them having an unusually flexible back, no collar bone like a human does, along with precise timing with moving its front and back legs at a particular time.

A kitten begins developing this ability at about 4 weeks of age apparently and by 8 weeks of age it has it mastered. Our trusty feline friends can use their cat righting reflex to land on their feet from any height but it must be at least 30-40cm tall or it doesn’t allow them enough time to rotate in the air.