Why do cats fall down and fall on the ground? A cat falls from a high place and will instinctively rotate its body quickly, making its feet facing down, and then slowly adjust its posture to reduce damage.
The reason why a cat hits the ground with its feet is related to a congenital reflex called forward reflection. Specific aspects of the cat's medical anatomy are shown to make it easier for the feline to flip to the right upward position. There is a special structure inside cats' ears called vestibular organs, which helps them balance and position themselves. The vestibular device allows your cat to quickly identify which direction is up and which direction is down. Once the cats identify their position relative to the ground, they can turn their heads and bodies in the right direction for a perfect landing. Another reason why cats can land first when they fall is related to their unique skeletal structure. All cats have a flexible spinal structure—with 30 independent vertebrae, and cats’ skeletons do not have clavicles. This flexibility allows cats to quickly correct their body orientation when they fall. At the same time, because cats have lower body size and weight ratios, this helps to reduce their speed when they fall and makes it easier to rotate various parts of the body during the fall. When cats hit the ground, their tilted muscle legs also help reduce impact. When a cat starts to fall, they immediately start to correct themselves by arching the back and purging their heads in the right direction. The spine twists in the direction of the head, and the front paws move upward toward the face to protect the delicate head area.