Scientists Have Finally Figured Out How Cats Always Land on Their Feet

Even if you don’t have a kitty in your life, you’re probably aware of the fact that cats always land on all fours. This ability to reorient themselves in midair is called the “air-righting” reflex, and it helps protect them from serious injuries. While we've known this is their thing for quite some time, it wasn’t until last month that scientists figured out how cats are actually able to achieve those perfect landings.

In 1894, French physiologist Étienne-Jules Mare used video footage (yes, they had video back then!) to show that cats dropped from heights were always able to land on their feet. And now — over 130 years after the original study — a team of researchers from Yamaguchi University discovered the exact spinal composition that makes cats so nimble. They managed this by studying both cat cadavers and conducting drop experiments on live cats. They published their findings in scientific journal The Anatomical Record. 

First, the scientists separated the spines of five cat cadavers into the thoracic spine (the upper/middle back) and the lumbar spine (the lower back). They tested them under twisting forces, using mechanical claws to bend and contract the specific vertebrae, so that they could measure the spines’ flexibility, strength, and resistance to rotation. 

This process revealed that cats’ spines have different flexibility throughout. The upper and middle back is very flexible and can twist up to nearly 50 degrees; meanwhile, the lower back region is much more rigid, acting as a stabilizer. So when cats fall, they rotate the upper part of their body quickly. The lower half, fluffy tail and all, provides anchorage and lets the cat quickly turn without totally spiraling. 

After analyzing the cadavers, the scientists experimented on two live cats, dropping them from about three feet up. And don’t worry — the scientists took extra precautions to make sure the cats were safe. 

“To prevent injury, we placed a thick, soft cushion at the landing site,” lead author Dr. Yasuo Higurashi told the New York Times. “One of our undergraduate students did the dropping.”

The scientists placed markers on the cats’ shoulders and hips to track the specific body movements. Then, the cats were recorded and the videos were carefully analyzed frame by frame. They revealed that the flexible upper back also allows cats to face the ground, so that they can see it and correctly twist the rest of their bodies to match. 

“The thoracic spine of the cat can rotate like our neck,” said Dr. Higurashi. 

Another curious finding? Apparently cats tend to favor their right sides when twisting. One of the dropped cats turned to the right eight out of eight times, while the other turned to the right six out of eight. This is consistent with many other animals, though it’s uncertain as to why animals favor the right side.

The researchers say that in addition to uncovering feline mysteries, their findings could also help veterinarians treat spinal injuries and possibly even help engineers build more flexible and agile robots.