Do cats really always land on their feet

A.� No, not always and they can sustain nasty injuries falling from even relatively low heights, just in case you were thinking of testing the theory.

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However they do have an inbuilt sensory system that allows them to sometimes right themselves midfall so that they do indeed land feet first.

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Q.� How do they right themselves midair

A.� Cats are able to right themselves in midair due to inbuilt vestibular apparatus that goes into action as they fall. It tells them which way is up and which way is down, so that they move their body accordingly.

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A human in the same situation without this handy piece of equipment becomes disorientated and out of control.

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Q.� What's vestibular apparatus

A.� A collection of tiny chambers and canals lined with millions of sensitive hairs and filled with fluid and microscopic floating crystals. As a cat moves the fluid moves too and feeds back readings to the brain regarding where the body is. Pilots rely on an instrument, called the 'artificial horizon' that works on the same principal. This instrument tells the pilot the position of the plane's wings in relation to the horizon.

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Q.� What about a cat's landing technique

A.� Again cats are mere morals too and they certainly don't always walk away from even a small fall unharmed.

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However they do flex their feet in an attempt to absorb the shock and spread as much of the impact of landing as possible.

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Q.� Is a cat born with this reflex

A.� It first appears in kittens at around 4 weeks and is perfected by the time it gets to 8 weeks.

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Q.� They must have very agile bodies to be able to respond to this reflex

A.� Yes, cats have a unique skeleton that also helps them right themselves midair. A cat has a very flexible spine compared to many animals and no collarbone, allowing them to bring their front legs quickly back together.

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Do you have a question about an animal's survival technique Ask The AnswerBank.

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by Lisa Cardy