We Finally Know Why Cats Always Land on Their Feet

Cats are the ultimate animal acrobats. Known for their unparalleled agility, they always seem to land on their feet—no matter how they jump or fall. And now we know how they do it.

As cats fall, their spines twist mid-air, a maneuver known as the air-righting reflex, protecting them from serious injury.

Researchers from Yamaguchi University in Japan discovered that felines are able to do this because a cat's thoracic spine (or upper half) has a much wider range of motion than the lumbar spine, or lower half.

"In axial torsion, the thoracic spine had a larger [range of motion], larger neutral zone, and lower stiffness than the lumbar spine, suggesting greater flexibility," researchers said in a study recently published in The Anatomical Record. "Furthermore, maximum torque was lower in the thoracic spine than in the lumbar spine, suggesting that the thoracic spine is more fragile."

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To determine this, the researchers dissected spines from cat cadavers and tested the limitations of the thoracic and lumbar spines. They also analyzed movement in two live cats. The test subjects were recorded as they were dropped from a height of 3.3 feet onto a soft cushion. The scientists placed markers on their shoulders and hips to track the movement of their body parts.

The rotation of the thoracic spine, followed by the lumbar, may also be guided by vision and body mass. The front part of a cat, including its head, neck, and front limbs, has less body mass than the back half. Because the thoracic spine and the feline's front half are lighter and more flexible, they rotate more easily than the stiffer and heavier back end, which serves as an anchor.