It is well known that when cats fall, most of the time they can land perfectly, maneuvering nimbly to right themselves before they hit the ground. Now scientists from Japan’s Yamaguchi University have deepened our understanding of this extraordinary ability by focusing on the mechanical properties of cat spines.
What they found, as detailed in a recent article test in the journal The Anatomical Record shows that these confident landings are due in part to the fact that a cat’s thoracic spine is much more adaptable than its lumbar spine.
Although a cat’s ability to rotate in the air without having to push again seems to defy the laws of physics, it is rather a complicated righting maneuver. To find out how they do it, scientists in the novel study first analyzed the spines of five deceased cats, separating the thoracic and lumbar regions and then subjecting them to mechanical tests to measure their flexibility, strength and resistance to rotation. In another experiment, researchers used high-speed cameras to film two cats falling onto a tender pillow.
From subsequent analyses, according to the daily Phys.orgthe team observed that what makes cats masters of falls are their spines, which are not uniformly adaptable. In particular, the chest area is very adaptable: with little effort it can rotate about 50 degrees. However, the lumbar section is much stiffer and acts as a stabilizer.
Therefore, when straightening in the air, cats first turn their head and front legs towards the ground because the thoracic spine is adaptable, and then the entire back of the body follows them. The stiffer lumbar area acts as a kind of anchor, allowing cats to turn their front without losing control.
The results of a novel study suggest that the complicated air-righting maneuver performed by cats follows a precise sequence. “When extending in the air, anterior trunk rotation ended earlier than posterior trunk rotation,” he says test reads. “These results suggest that trunk rotation during air extension 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 rotation are adapted to this behavior.”
The authors conclude that not only will they unlock the secret of cats’ ability to fall “upright,” but the discovery could facilitate veterinarians treat spinal injuries and even lead to the development of more agile robots.
This story originally appeared on WIRED Italy and was translated from Italian.