Topic: Cat who doesn't land on his 4 paws? (Read 3966 times)

blackcat · « **Reply #20 on:** January 11, 2008, 20:50:55 PM »

NO!!! We do not wish to encourage this behaviour ...

dolcetta46 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 11, 2008, 20:47:54 PM »

Shall we start an appreciation thread for "extreme sports" kitties?

blackcat · « **Reply #18 on:** January 11, 2008, 20:11:15 PM »

smidgen generally sticks to horizontal surfaces thank heavens, it is just that some of them are a long way apart (like the upstairs windowsill and the front garden ...

CurlyCatz · « **Reply #17 on:** January 11, 2008, 20:07:58 PM »

Cody's best efforts was only a couple of months ago when he had been running around doing a wall of death mad minute antics then he soared about 5 ft high through about 3/4 the length of my living room (which is around 7 metres long) hit the light switch knocking the lights out before pushing off against the wall and landing back in the middle of the room !!! quite spectacular and left me & my son open mouthed & speechless with him then asking if what he thought he just saw actually happened LOL

blackcat · « **Reply #16 on:** January 11, 2008, 19:52:44 PM »

When Smidgen took up flying earlier this year he landed on his bottom. He as most indignant and considered it a personal affront.

dolcetta46 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 11, 2008, 16:29:33 PM »

to Lexy

Now be a good girl and try not to worry your meowmy too much!!

Another

to Riley

Our boys are ever so entertaining, aren't they

Kittybabe (Ruth) · « **Reply #14 on:** January 11, 2008, 16:08:57 PM »

Yep, happened in 2006. Two surgeries later (she had to have both knees done as she dislocated the other trying to hold her weight off the injured leg!)

but she's ok now. However, she can't jump high or smoothly and no matter where she jumps I have to watch her in case she hurts herself again.

unseeliechylde · « **Reply #13 on:** January 11, 2008, 15:58:02 PM »

ah yes - Riley once did just that stretching from one sofa to the other, needless to say, the inevitable happened, and he also opted for the groom and walk off, followed by a cold, hard stare when we wouldn't stop laughing! Poor boy!

Ruth that is such a shame about poor Lexy - at least she is on the mend now, bless her

dolcetta46 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 11, 2008, 14:28:31 PM »

Ohh, poor Lexy!! Cats can do some unbelievable mad things and come out absolutely unscathed, but at the same time can be so vulnerable at times...

Another very unfeline thing Oliver did earlier today... he wanted to get onto the handle bar of my spin bike from the edge of a bookcase. He streeeetched out to the handlebar then realised too late the distance was too great, he was stretched out too much he could neither kick himself forward to the bike nor retreat back to the bookcase, he was just stuck hanging inbetween all loooooong, then his ample tummy started sagging, continued to sag until he just dropped down to the floor... And yes, of course he did that "clean and walk off" routine with a flair

Not exactly an exemplary cat behaviour, too bad I didn't have the camcorder ready!!

Kittybabe (Ruth) · « **Reply #11 on:** January 11, 2008, 14:11:59 PM »

Lexy didn't land on her paws, she landed on her side when she fell off a chair... that's what started the process of having to have her knee ligaments tighted as she dislocated her kneecap in the fall... the height of the chair meant she didn't have time to right herself when she fell.

dolcetta46 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 11, 2008, 13:44:32 PM »

Thanks Lynn and Nicola!! Lynn that's an interesting info from a veterinary view. I didn't know about their collar bone, that's not a good news even if they manage to survive, poor babies, smashed jaws... ouch!!

Nicola that's soooo funny, Ollie does that "cleaning and walk off" bits all the time right after he does something particularly goofy, as if to say "what are you laughing about you crazy thing. I didn't do absolutely naught!!"

Well I must say I had been slightly concerned there maybe something neurological, thanks peeps for putting my mind at rest, good to know he is not the only clutz!!

unseeliechylde · « **Reply #9 on:** January 11, 2008, 11:45:29 AM »

I remember reading about this in New Scientist years ago - they were covering the study that showed exactly what you describe, CC. And Licia, my two are just as bad - when playing or chasing each other the last thing on their minds is how they land, or how much the knock over in the process!

The one great thing about clumsy cats is the way they swiftly right themselves, have a groom, and saunter off in a "I meant to do that, honest!" or "You didn't see it, so it didn't happen.." kind of way

CurlyCatz · « **Reply #8 on:** January 11, 2008, 09:52:54 AM »

cats always landing on 4 paws is a myth, They can only actually correct themselves into the proper landing position if they have enough height to fall from to allow themselves enough time to do so which is why a cat falling from 1 storey building can often come off worse than if they had fallen from a greater height. I think I remember being told in college they normally receive greater amount of injurys per storey they fall from up to about 5-8 storeys then can often have more favorable outcomes with lesser injury higher than that.

Cats dont have collar bones the same as we do, they are nonfunctioning and not attached (some totally absent) If they did have them like we do though these would break on impact but would have supported their head better however instead because they splay themselves out when falling their heads normally hit the ground with great force which makes fractured jaws the most common injury but also their pelvis can suffer trauma and sometimes their chest hit the ground at the same time as their feet which may result in ruptured diaphragms(and other traumas obviously).

(ok useless info for the day over LOL)

Generally cats leaping around in a house isnt quite the same as falling or jumping off a proper height eg tree / window ledge etc but if you witness your cat crashing down on his side etc (yep happens often here with my boy) thats a perfect example of not being able to correctly position themself in the fall.

dolcetta46 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 10, 2008, 20:21:13 PM »

Awww finally a closeup look of Smidgen!!

His colours do look like those of Ollie, just a little more ginger sections, he is a darling, even if he is a bit behind on angular momentum

blackcat · « **Reply #6 on:** January 10, 2008, 19:40:30 PM »

Smidgen hasn't quite got the hang of it yet ...

dolcetta46 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 10, 2008, 19:31:17 PM »

Thanks Helen and Jo!! Good to know that Ollie is not the only goofball cat in this world

Jo that PPT presentation is interesting, though some of the mathematic, physic oriented explanations were a bit beyond me

He does try though, I often see him practising his controll of angular momentum in his sleep...

Wow, cats surviving a fall from 5th floor and up? Well we live on the 3rd floor, I know he is a daredevil but I do hope he shall never try anything like that!!

blackcat · « **Reply #4 on:** January 10, 2008, 18:39:34 PM »

oh, and another article - but it is apower point presentation, so not sure if this will work ...

It's a bit technical this one, but does have some interesting photos for you ...

www.hep.caltech.edu/~hitlin/Ph70/Videos_Ph70b07/russell30.ppt

blackcat · « **Reply #3 on:** January 10, 2008, 18:32:16 PM »

yes I have to agree with Helen, despite the myth about cats being graceful - sadly many of them are actually quite clumsy wee beasts. And the 'landing on the feet thing is also a myth. Mostly they do, but it depends on the height of the fall as to whether they have time to get themselves into position to do it. It is quite a complex move and when you see it broken down into a series of stills, it is quite amazing

http://www.livescience.com/bestimg/index.php?url=myths_cat_jump_03.jpg&cat=myths

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #2 on:** January 10, 2008, 18:26:04 PM »

Quote from: dolcetta46 on January 10, 2008, 18:03:45 PM

Is this normal for an otherwise athletic, healthy cat?

Lukey is not very good at landing either, when I play with da mouse he gets very excited leaping into the air but often thuds down in a very ungainly manner, not always landing on his feet. Yesterday he landed on his rump area and did a backwards roll

Lukey seems fine in every other way so I'm not worried, I think he's just clumsy

dolcetta46 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 10, 2008, 18:03:45 PM »

Well cats are famous for ALWAYS landing safely on 4 paws when they come down from whatever the height. I have been observing Oliver, and while he is playing and gets all excited leaping and flinging himself in the air, this doesn't happen quite often, he comes down off balanced and/or falls over immediately upon landing. Not that it bothers him in any way and he springs up immediately and get on with the play. He often takes off already off balanced, like he is too eager to jump up and not bothering to go through the proper preparation/positioning for jumping, and this can also be a cause for off balanced landing. Is this normal for an otherwise athletic, healthy cat? It must be noted that it can be slippery on our floor (covered with laminated slats) in many parts, and probably that is not helping either. As I have mentioned before, his tail is crooked and bent over sideways. Does it affect his sense of balance?

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