What affects us affects cats
This is a 2-page infographic which explains why the domestic cat is such an exceptional jumper; something that we as cat caregivers are accustomed to and expect. We don’t really see anything exceptional about it but the skill is exceptional and amazing; all thanks to an anatomy designed by nature over millions of years. …
Nugget, a domestic cat, was on a balcony attached to what looks like a first-floor apartment in a condo. I am guessing the height. Anyway, it looks too high for a cat to safely jump from especially as it is onto a pavement (sidewalk) and therefore a hard surface. But he is compelled to …
You might have noticed that when a domestic cat is (a) jumping precisely onto a platform of some description or (b) preparing to make their final pounce when attacking, they sometimes sway their heads rhythmically from side to side. This is a method employed by many predators who have binocular vision. You’ll see head …
This sweet black cat, aptly named Leapfrog, elegantly and athletically leaps over the same area of hard floor at a doorway every time she approaches it. She can’t walk on that area of the floor. Her owners used this peculiarity of feline behaviour to make a funny video as they placed obstacles in that …
This white domestic cat should not be blamed or mocked for her abject failure to make a successful jump. Her failure to hit the target landing site was not due to the cat’s poor jumping ability or a misjudgement of the distance. It was because she was on a shiny table top and her …
This cat decided to relocate to a lower level and took his bed with him. It was a very ambitious and self-confident jump which was luckily successful. I have not seen a cat jumping this sort of distance while carrying quite a large bed in their mouth. We are told that he wanted …
Relative to this kitten’s size (very young – several weeks old), this little fella makes an almighty leap from a sofa. If you magnified it up to an adult cat it would be a leap of impressive distance. And it took a lot of confidence.
The answer is simple. Domestic cats are supremely skilled at judging the distance to jump. They exercise precisely the amount of force needed to traverse the exact, measured distance. Therefore the landing on the target object is nearly always very light. In other words there is no downward pressure through the paw pads on …
