Cats always land on their feet, so falls don’t hurt them

The part that’s true

Cats have a righting reflex: as they fall, they twist their body around to land feet first. From most heights above about 90 cm (3 feet), most cats can do it.

The part that isn’t

Landing feet first doesn’t mean landing safely. In 1987, vets in New York looked at 132 cats brought in after falling from buildings. Many were injured. Common fall injuries in cats include broken jaws, broken legs and chest and lung damage.

Oddly, cats falling from fewer than six storeys had worse injuries than some falling from higher up. One idea is that from higher falls cats reach top speed, relax and spread out. But there’s a big catch: cats that died in falls were less likely to be brought to a vet, so they were left out of the numbers. High falls are not safer.

How to protect your cat

• Fit secure screens or mesh on windows you open and on balconies.
• Don’t rely on a cat “knowing better”. Cats fall chasing birds or insects, or when startled.
• If your cat falls, see a vet even if it seems fine. Chest injuries aren’t always obvious.