Felis Catus, a domesticated, carnivorous mammal.
Why can cats turn over when they fall and humans can’t? Cats have an extremely flexible spine and no clavicle (collarbone). This is how the righting reflex in cats is possible. Man, on the other hand, has a collarbone and his spine is less flexible which prevents him from having the righting reflex. A cat’s righting reflex begins to appear at 3-4 weeks of age and is perfected by 6-9 weeks. The cat’s tail may help the righting reflex, but cats without tails still have the reflex and primarily use their legs while twisting their spine in a specific sequence to effect the turn.
DID YOU KNOW? Large cat species like lions and tigers have the righting reflex, but it doesn’t guarantee they will always land on their feet.
And this righting reflex isn’t exclusive to cats. Other small vertebrates—rabbits, rats, lizards—and certain invertebrates like Anthropoda (stick insects)—can also do it.
Here is how the righting reflex works:
- The cat visually determines down from up, although it can also use its vestibular apparatus (fancy words for the inner ear).
- It bends in the middle, allowing the front half of its body to rotate on a different axis from the rear half.
- It tucks its front legs, reducing the moment of inertia of the front half, and extends the rear legs, increasing the moment of inertia on the rear half of the body. The result is that the front half rotates in one direction as much as 90 degrees while the rear half rotates in the opposite direction as little as 10 degrees.
- Then, by extending its front legs and tucking its rear legs, the cat switches; rear legs rotate more in one direction, as the front legs rotate less in the opposite direction. This process may be repeated two or three times to complete a full 180-degree rotation, all before it reaches the ground.
Cats also use terminal velocity (the maximum speed attainable by an object as it falls). When falling, particularly from heights above five stories, a cat will horizontally extend out all of its limbs, and its small size, light bone structure, and thick fur will cause drag to increase until terminal velocity has been reached. In simple English, the cat uses its body to slow itself down. Cats can still be hurt depending on just how far they fall. Studies have found that falls from seven stories or higher would result in severe injury and death.
Unlike the cat and the myriad of creatures God made with unique abilities to protect and help themselves, we cannot rely on ourselves nor keep ourselves upright for one minute. Solomon wrote, “I do not know how to go out or come in.” 1 Kings 3:7, last part. We must rely solely and entirely upon our heavenly Father.
Sources: wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_righting_reflex