Cat Agility: What Is It Due To?

We all know that cats always fall on their feet. The truth is that a few times we have seen a cat get hurt by falling. Indeed, practically never. In addition to this skill, these domestic cats are certainly among the most agile animals in the world. In this article we will explain everything about the renowned  cat agility.

What is the cat’s agility due to?

Cats are able to climb, run, jump and hide in the most inhospitable and incredible ways. How come? Well, these domestic cats are born with great flexibility, as well as a physical and muscular structure that allows them to accommodate any movement. Their bone structure plays a very important role from this point of view.

Would you like to know why cats are so agile and almost perfectly flexible? To understand this, first, it is necessary to find out what lies under the skin of these wonderful animals.

The skeleton and muscles of felines

Starting from the vertebrae, these discs arranged side by side are thicker in the cat . Thus, the connections between disc and disc are less rigid, giving the back more flexibility and resistance to possible impacts. Compared to that of humans or other animals, this greater elasticity allows the cat to exploit more articulated movements.

Cats have a habit of walking on tiptoes. This allowed the bones of the feet and legs to lengthen over time, allowing them to broaden their stride. On the other hand, by supporting only the toes of the foot, the impulse to jump is greater as well as the drive when running or sprinting.

Furthermore, feline muscles function like springs and have much greater flexibility than other animals. They are similar to an elastic rope, able to stretch and contract, which allows the cat to jump reaching lengths that triple its height.

For example, when a cat wants to jump, the muscles of the hind limbs, made up of various fibers, contract in an incredible way. When they relax, they act as a catapult, giving the animal a huge boost.

How far does the cat’s agility go?

Cats are able to perform many movements, which are impossible for us, thanks to their agility. So let’s see the most typical ones:

• Climb. Cats are among the few animals that have the ability to climb a wall, a tree, or anything else that is placed in front of them. If you have one, you know very well that sometimes they manage to reach almost inaccessible places.
• Jump and run. Thanks to the muscles that act as springs, the cat can reach high speeds. He walks on his toes, as we saw earlier, and this allows him to take advantage of a huge push when jumping. With one jump it can reach a height  five times its size.
• Stretch out. If you have seen a cat stretch and stretch, you will have noticed that its body looks almost like a rubber band. This demonstrates the ample flexibility of this animal, the result of a special mix made up of its “spring” muscles and the particular shape of its bones.

• Fall to your feet. This is the best known “power” of cats, after their renowned curiosity. They are equipped with a real balance regulator, placed in the inner part of the ear. This is a part that cats have developed a lot and this allows them to toss and turn and come straight back, while also falling from great heights. Furthermore, the spine is able to widen together with the neck, creating a “parachute effect” which significantly slows down the rate of fall.

Were we able to satisfy your curiosity about cat agility? There is little to say: these animals are truly amazing and will never cease to amaze us.