Cats don't always wind up on their feet!

[oldfart]

Well now folks I've been absent of late but wanted to let all concerned know that my compadre Chubba-Dubba..the feral feline is doing right-smart well. And to state that cats don't always land on their feet! I brought this wurfless kitten into my home for one reason. He....possibly she..cain't tell for sure...(and another reason I don't go to bars anymore) ..was suffering from "bad-eyes." Sooo..at Carols insistance.... I allowed this ball of fur to enter my home. TEMPORARY I might add! As soon as he/she is well..it's out-the-door-and-go-catch-mice. I'll chuck it out into the snow..no regrets...it has a job to do or it doesn't stay here! HARRUMPH! Anyways....arrived home from work at 6 a.m. and Chub is snoozing on the couch and when I flip on the kitchen light I seen a fuzzy head poke up from the afgan and it walked on wobbly legs to the arm of the couch and just squatted there.....teetering. "Yer gonn'a fall you stoopid cat!"...I warned. 2 seconds later...PLOP! Sounded like an over-ripe melon hitting the ground. I walked over..seen that kitten laying on its back..all 4 paws in the air. Snoring! "Wurfless....just plain durn wurfless!"..I growled. Just another day here at The Homeplace. Audie..the Oldfart...

[SchemeFighter]

I heard the following story to the best of my memory; I cannot vouch for it, it could be urban legend.

Allegedly someone conducted a study dropping inverted cats from various heights to document a cats ability to self right itself. Allegedly the study found that many cats were not able to right themselves when dropped from lower heights. Allegedly the higher that you drop them the more probability that they will self right themselves. Allegedly at something like three stories high; nearly all cats right themselves before hitting the ground.

Allegedly a cat is more likely to survive something like a 10-story drop than a 2-story drop . (I don’t remember the exact figures but it was something to this affect)

The way the story was told implied that some cats were killed and injured during the study. To me this makes the story sounds fishy. Though the experiment does sound interesting and I suspect much of the alleged findings are true; I would certainly hope that any self-respecting scientist conducting such a study, would do it in such a manner to reduce the cruelty (risk of injury and death) to the cats.

I certainly hope the alleged study was taken out of context or didn’t happen. I suspect it was just a sick joke. If it did happen I would want to know if it was a government-funded study.

I’ve been told this story by many people I think because I give them the impression that I don’t like cats. I do criticize cats because some of the diseases they spread and some of the harm they do to the wildlife. However they do have their place in nature and society. I’m more of a dog person; but almost secretly I do like cats.

-----
I’ve never really wanted to own a cat. But last winter I fostered a cat until with the help of a neighbor and a local vet we found a more appropriate home for the cat. I really didn’t want to go through the trouble and expense of fostering a cat; but this kitten just broke my heart. It was so hungry, cold and lonely that it ran out of the relative safety of being under a pickup truck; and bravely came up to my German Shepherd as if to ask it to be its foster mom. I walked the dog and kitten throughout the neighborhood and Woods trying to find its mother; I hoped that the dog and kitten would get a scent of its mother. No luck. I left a kitten outside for a few hours a day at different times of the day, hoping that it’s mother would come and get it. No luck.

I heard the following story to the best of my memory; I cannot vouch for it, it could be urban legend.

Allegedly someone conducted a study dropping inverted cats from various heights to document a cats ability to self right itself. Allegedly the study found that many cats were not able to right themselves when dropped from lower heights. Allegedly the higher that you drop them the more probability that they will self right themselves. Allegedly at something like three stories high; nearly all cats right themselves before hitting the ground.

Allegedly a cat is more likely to survive something like a 10-story drop than a 2-story drop . (I don’t remember the exact figures but it was something to this affect)

The way the story was told implied that some cats were killed and injured during the study. To me this makes the story sounds fishy. Though the experiment does sound interesting and I suspect much of the alleged findings are true; I would certainly hope that any self-respecting scientist conducting such a study, would do it in such a manner to reduce the cruelty (risk of injury and death) to the cats.

I certainly hope the alleged study was taken out of context or didn’t happen. I suspect it was just a sick joke. If it did happen I would want to know if it was a government-funded study.

I’ve been told this story by many people I think because I give them the impression that I don’t like cats. I do criticize cats because some of the diseases they spread and some of the harm they do to the wildlife. However they do have their place in nature and society. I’m more of a dog person; but almost secretly I do like cats.

I’ve never really wanted to own a cat. But last winter I fostered a cat until with the help of a neighbor and a local vet we found a more appropriate home for the cat. I really didn’t want to go through the trouble and expense of fostering a cat; but this kitten just broke my heart. It was so hungry, cold and lonely that it ran out of the relative safety of being under a pickup truck; and bravely came up to my German Shepherd as if to ask it to be its foster mom. I walked the dog and kitten throughout the neighborhood and Woods trying to find its mother; I hoped that the dog and kitten would get a scent of its mother. No luck. I left a kitten outside for a few hours a day at different times of the day, hoping that it’s mother would come and get it. No luck.

Kitty now has a permanent home. Thanks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfUIeMjeAaU

Another old Fart

[kdmooch]

cats I have been around have all landed on their feet if dropped from about 5 feet or more.

[SchemeFighter]

High-Rise Syndrome
http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=709

In a 1987 study, published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, of 132 cats that were brought into the New York Animal Medical Center after having fallen from buildings, it was found that the injuries per cat increased depending on the height fallen up to seven stories but decreased above seven stories.[5] The study authors speculated that after falling five stories the cats reached terminal velocity and thereafter relaxed and spread their bodies to increase drag. Though an alternative interpretation of the study would be that upon an excess of seven stories the cats experience a higher fatality rate which prevents the owner for bringing them in for life saving treatment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_righting_reflex

cats I have been around have all landed on their feet if dropped from about 5 feet or more.

You must be putting the butter on the belly side of a cat

Urban myth says that cats are like buttered toast; they always land butter side down.

[Yanita]

Well here is my 2 cents worth...

Being an avid cat lover and responsible owner I can say that my cats, 2 pedigrees (Javanese) and 2 American short hairs have landed on other than there 4 feet at various times from various falls.

We have 2 cat trees, they all have fallen asleep on the very top at any given time and they have all fallen off, sometimes on all fours other times scrambling to their feet with a look of embarrassment that they didn't.

Yanita

[forestm333]

High-Rise Syndrome
http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=709

In a 1987 study, published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, of 132 cats that were brought into the New York Animal Medical Center after having fallen from buildings, it was found that the injuries per cat increased depending on the height fallen up to seven stories but decreased above seven stories.[5] The study authors speculated that after falling five stories the cats reached terminal velocity and thereafter relaxed and spread their bodies to increase drag. Though an alternative interpretation of the study would be that upon an excess of seven stories the cats experience a higher fatality rate which prevents the owner for bringing them in for life saving treatment.

This is a valid point!

Oldfart, I think your cat is very sick take it to the vet and get some antibiotics. I hope everything works out for the best.
Cheers
Forest
Seattle, Wa

[SchemeFighter]

NASA's zero-gravity cat astronaut
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvU9GZjBTzs

I have a solution to solve the worlds energy crisis. My plan is to attach dynamos to cats; and shoot them into space; they will spin to try to right themselves thusly the attached dynamos will generate electricity that could be transmitted to Earth.

(my proposal is obviously a joke; though it is more practical and effective than the “solutions” Al Gore has proposed )

Oldfart, I think your cat is very sick take it to the vet and get some antibiotics. I hope everything works out for the best.
Cheers
Forest
Seattle, Wa

Not necessarily; it may not have righted itself because it was asleep, or perhaps it’s a kitten that’s reflexes and coordination is not well developed yet, also the height also may not have been adequate for it to right itself.

[oldfart]

Well now folks just to set the record straight I want to assure one and all that I am not an animal abuser. And....most likely..Chubba-Dubba isn't quite (how to put this politely)....overly gifted. He/she does seem quite content..eats well and has the normal cats curiousity. I managed to litter train it in just under 2 months! It's gaining weight, got a shiny coat and even appears... somewhat alert at times! Its eyes have cleared up nicely and it comes when called! Today..it discovered "bubble-wrap"..which seemed to bring it no end of joy as it poked the plastic bubbles and jumped at every POP! Go figger? It likes to watch t.v.! Especially dog shows. Don't know what that signifies but just thought I'd throw it out there. Well, its residence is only temporary as I have mentioned. As soon as it has a clean bill of health it gits tossed out in the snow. Not just yet...it doesn't like the cold and hates gettin' its feet wet. Well, gott'a go dump the litter box..after the 4th. "dump" it won't use it. Audie...not a cat fancier..the Oldfart...