Why do cats always land on their feet?

[DuckRacer]

It's something I've always been curious about.

 

[Josh]

They don't - much like toast doesn't always land buttered side down. Trust me. My fiance and her mom used to each have a cat, and neither landed on its feet 100% of the time.

I hate cats with a passion.

 

[Sage]

http://www.bestfriendspetcare.com/cat-behavior/catslanding2.cfm

 

[Philly]

They land on their feet to avoid the alternative. I'm sure a cat does not want to land on it's face.

 

[Josh]

7 stories? Christ!

 

[OZZYGT]

I think it has to do with felines having better reflexes than most animals. Their light weight, skeleton and agile quickness in everything, makes then turn around faster than, a dog let's say.

When an animal or a person is falling from a certain height, they tend to be in a state of shock or awe during a very short amount of time, specially if they're falling facing up. So felines can "wake up" out of that state and take action from it.

Lions are the felines who have less agility to land of their feet though.

 

[Wolfe]

As Josh pointed out first, you're operating under a false pretense. My best friend used to have a fat-ass cat named Pony that literally rolled down the stairs a few times.

 

[V1P3R]

Yeah, but how did it end up when it was finished "rolling"?

 

[Wolfe]

Laying at the bottom of the stairs, a bit dazed.

 

[Speedy Samurai]

If I recall correctly, it has to do with their ears. Their ears have more 'receivers' and fluid so they have a far better sense of balance. or something.

 

[HiQQory]

Yup, your right, they dont always land on their feet. My family has three(3) cats, and just yesterday one landed on its butt, and looked like one of those mongooses(?)
Just for kicks, my cat (Not the one that landed on its butt);

 

[skip0110]

Something I saw that is relevant:

Studies show that if a cat falls off the seventh floor of a building it has about thirty percent less chance of surviving than a cat that falls off the twentieth floor. It supposedly takes about eight floors for the cat to realize what is occurring, relax and correct itself.

True or not? I don't know.