Why do cats always land on their feet?

Updated February 21, 2017 | Factmonster Staff

Why do cats always land on their feet?

Cats owe some of their nine lives to their unique skeletal structure. Cats don’t have a collarbone, and the bones in their spine are more flexible than other animals. This makes it easier from them to bend and rotate their bodies easier during a short fall. A fall of two or more floors, however, can seriously injure a cat. A cat's feet and legs usually can’t absorb the impact of a fall from that distance or higher.


Fact Monster/Information Please® Database, © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Sources +
 
See also: