Cats are one of the best pets to own. Their acrobatic ways and bold personalities make for endless hours of entertainment. A feline’s physical power is no secret, yet the ways in which cats carry out such great physical feats is quite astonishing…
How Do They Do It?
From unbelievable balance to impressive jumps, cats are one of the most agile animals on the planet. Domestic cats have 240 bones in their bodies, whereas humans only have around 200, and it’s their extra vertebrae that make them exceptionally flexible. They also have extra joints in both of their shoulders and hips, which contribute to their physical prowess.
Felines are experts when it comes to squeezing through the narrowest of gaps. In fact, if you’re an owner, it’s likely that you’ve lost your cat at at some point, only to find them tucked away perfectly contented in a secret crevice!
However, these animals don’t just use their agility to slip through narrow gaps solely to hide. Their skills also come in handy to outrun trouble or to simply stay sheltered!
As we mentioned, cats shoulders are placed close together, meaning that their body width can be drastically reduced. This allows them to navigate through small gaps, with their extra bones allowing a huge amount of flexibility.
Walking The Walk…
The way a feline walks has a lot to do with their agility. They never put their weight onto their entire paws, instead walking on their toes and keeping their wrists and ankles way off the ground. Most incredibly, cats memorise their steps, meaning that they never need to look down at the floor when they walk.
Reaching Great Heights
It’s a well known fact that cats are great at reaching heights. They have even been known to survive falls from impossible heights – they really do have 9 lives. One feline from Boston fell from a 19 storey tall building and lived to tell the tale!
When climbing trees, cats spread their limbs and use their claws to jump up, balancing perfectly on branches in-between. More impressively, some cats can even scale and climb concrete walls in exactly the same manner.
What About Climbing Down?
While cats are experts at climbing, their descent to the ground can often be a little clumsy, and it’s difficult to keep an eye on their while they’re out and about.
Domestic cats can often become frightened when they realise just how high up they are, and there have been plenty of occasions whereby they have to be rescued to safety. If you suspect that a cat is stuck at a height, their meowing should generally be seen as a call for help.
Some however, do master the skill of an elegant descent and, unsurprisingly, it’s pretty similar to the way that they make their way up… only backwards.
How Do Cats Land On Their Feet?
You may have noticed that cats manage to land on their feet 99% of the time, and the reason for this is much more complex than you could imagine.
Inside cats’ brains there are five special fluid-filled organs, which help them to regain their balance quicker than we ever could, amazing, right?!
So, there you have it! Balancing, jumping and climbing are just a few of the incredible skills that cats have mastered, and who knows how much more they could manage…
If you’re looking for someone to care for your cat while you’re away, perhaps Tailster can help? We have a wide range of approved cat sitters across the UK who are available to offer their services whenever you require. For more information on our full service, click here.