Why is it that a cat that falls from the top of a 50 story building will hit a safety net below no faster than if it fell from the twentieth story?

Answer 1

This is why cats have tails. Ever notice whenever a cat is walking along a fence or ledge their tail keeps swaying? That's their balance enhancer. Cat's have a very flexible spine and ribcage (some cats can squeeze under doors!), so they can orient their fall using the strong muscles behind it. When falling from a height of more than a couple feet, they are able to "swish" their spines with the help of the tail to make all four feet land on the ground. And by having three joints on each leg, they are able to reduce the impact force even further. (note: having four feet, weight is distributed over a much larger surface area for cats than humans.)

Answer 2

At a certain height, any object will reach terminal velocity. Terminal velocity is the term for the maximum velocity that an object will reach in a specific gravity well. In this case, the cat will reach terminal velocity from 20 stories, so the additional height does not matter.

Answer 3

I learned this from watching Animal Planet- when a cat falls a rotates, it spreads its body out with legs and arms extended, and it acts like a parachute to slow the cat down. There may be more to it, I'm sure you can Google it. :)

Answer 4

Cats achieve a terminal velocity of around 60 miles per hour when falling with their limbs extended. Cats can survive due to their large surface area in proportion to their weight. This means that the force with which they fall is greatly reduced.

Answer 5

If falling upside down, a signal is sent to a vestibular in their inner ear - which acts as a balance and orientation compass - and their bodies can maneuver around and, thanks to their flexible back, they can reorient themselves upright. Cats are light on their feet and can spread themselves out like a parachute to slow their velocity while falling, helping them to avoid injuries like broken bones when they land. It's interesting to note that cats that fall from heights of 7 to 32 stories are less likely to die than those that fall from 2 to 6 stories. One theory says that a cat that reaches its terminal velocity (highest speed) has its inner ear mechanism shut off and the cat relaxes its body. A relaxed body is far less likely to sustain serious injury than a tense one. Another simply says that a longer distance allows more time for reorientation and the parachute to take affect. Yes, cats are very interesting, amazing creatures.