Cats Won’t Always Land On Their Feet

The myth that cats will always land on their feet may have been originally created in response to the fact that cats have an amazing ability to judge distances accurately and land on their feet when jumping from surface to surface. This derives from their keen hunter instincts. And, in most cases, if a cat falls irregularly from a height that offers enough space for the cat to twist his body upright, he will do so and land on his feet.

BUT, if the height is not tall enough for the cat to right his body, he will not land on his feet—he will land on whatever body part hits the ground first, just as any human would in the same situation. Also, cats will not land on their feet if they fall from great distances—they are not invincible—they will become seriously injured or die. Even if they fall from a window that is not far off the ground, they can become seriously injured. It is not true that a cat will be fine if he falls off the second-story window ledge.

There has recently been a frightening increase in what animal welfare organizations dub the "high-rise syndrome"—cats falling from the upper windows of tall apartment buildings, particularly in larger cities. This is mostly due to people disregarding an open window or a loose screen as a danger to their pets.

Please, for the sake of all your pets (and your children!), make sure all your window screens are secure.