Why do cats land on their feet? Science Short

About this episode

This episode explores the science behind how cats land on their feet using the air-righting reflex and their flexible spine.

In this week’s Science Short, we explore how cats pull off this incredible trick without pushing off anything at all. It’s all thanks to something called the air-righting reflex, and a clever two-step twist that lets them rotate their bodies in mid-air. We’ll break down how their super-flexible spine helps them turn, why height plays an important role, and what happens when they reach terminal velocity. It’s not magic. It’s not luck. It’s physics… with a furry twist.

Topics covered

• cats
• science
• physics
• animal behavior
• air-righting reflex

Keywords

• cats
• air-righting reflex
• physics
• animal behavior
• terminal velocity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Squiz Media

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