When cats fall, they usually land on their feet. This uncanny ability to right themselves before hitting the ground has long puzzled scientists. Now, a team from Yamaguchi University in Japan has the answer, and it's all down to the thoracic spine being more flexible than the lumbar spine, as they detail in a study published in the journal The Anatomical Record.
The air-righting reflex is a complex maneuver that protects cats from serious injury if they fall. As they tumble, the spine twists, which seems to contradict the laws of physics. That's because an object in midair shouldn't be able to turn without something to push against.
To find out how they do it, the researchers first studied the spines of five cat cadavers. They separated the thoracic spine (upper/middle back) from the lumbar spine (lower back) and mechanically tested them under twisting forces to measure flexibility, strength and resistance to rotation. This revealed the capability of a cat's body.
The team also used high-speed cameras to film two healthy cats as they dropped onto a soft cushion. They placed markers on their shoulders and hips to track the movement of their body parts.
The team discovered that the cat's spine is not uniformly flexible. Different parts move in different ways to help the animal land safely. The thoracic spine is incredibly flexible and has a neutral zone, a range where it can twist almost freely for nearly 50 degrees with very little effort. Meanwhile, the lumbar spine is much stiffer and acts as a stabilizer.
During air-righting, the cat rotates its head and front legs toward the ground first because the thoracic spine is flexible and the front of the body is lighter. Then the back half follows. The stiff lumbar spine acts as a solid anchor, allowing the cat to whip its front around without spinning out of control.
"These results suggest that trunk rotation during air-righting in cats occurs sequentially, with the anterior trunk rotating first, followed by the posterior trunk, and that their flexible thoracic spine and rigid lumbar spine in axial torsion are suited for this behavior," commented the study authors in their paper.
The findings may do more than just explain a curious pet trick. The researchers suggest they could improve mathematical models of animal movement, help vets treat spinal injuries, and even lead to more agile robots.
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Yasuo Higurashi et al, Torsional flexibility of the thoracic spine is superior to that of the lumbar spine in cats: Implications for the falling cat problem, The Anatomical Record (2026). DOI: 10.1002/ar.70165
Citation: Japanese scientists discover how falling cats almost always make perfect landings (2026, March 10) retrieved 12 March 2026 from https://phys.org/news/2026-03-japanese-scientists-falling-cats.html
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