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Do Cats Get Hurt When They Fall – What You Need To Know!

Cats are some of the most agile pets around. They love to run and play and jump up to some of the highest surfaces around. Unfortunately, that means cats can also fall down from those super high surfaces. Whether it be from a tree or a roof of a home, anytime a cat falls it’s concerning. This leaves many cat owners wondering; do cats get hurt when they fall?

Cats can get hurt when they fall. While most cats are well-coordinated, some do have trouble landing on their feet. Some falls can injure their paws, legs, and back. Severe falls can lead to broken bones and ligaments if the cat has poor coordination.

Although cats are not likely to get hurt when they fall, it can still happen. Their reflexes are quite good, but it is not smart to let your cat do just anything. Sometimes those falls can be severe. We’ll share a few tips on how to still let your cat explore the world without harming themselves in a fall.

How Do Cats Not Get Hurt When They Fall

Cats don’t get hurt when they fall due to terminal velocity. The average cat has a terminal velocity of around 60 mph. That is roughly half of what an adult human would have.

Because their downward pull of gravity is much lower than other animals, they are to some degree falling at a much slower speed. Fully extended a cat can walk away from what we would consider to be dangerous falls.

With the increased time to adjust their bodies during the fall, cats can maneuver their way into the ideal position to land on their feet, rollover, or even hop-skip upon impact.

Cats also have the ability to extend their bodies out to slow their fall; similar to what a parachute can do. This creates more resistance and protects them upon impact.

Some studies have been done to show cats can fall from great heights; some even as high as 32 stories and likely walk away with minimal injuries.

How Far Can Cats Fall Without Injury

Cats can fall as far as 8 feet without injury. Some studies have also shown that cats can fall from as high as 32 stories with minimal injuries. Cat’s do have the ability to fall from greater heights with limited injuries.

The interesting deal with cats and falling is that the higher distances are somewhat of an advantage for them. Cats who fall from shorter distances have less time to react upon impact.

Greater distances allow cats to control their bodies, rotate them, and really guide their landing spot and angle.

Can A Cat Survive A 20 Foot Fall

Cats can survive a 20-foot fall. Although a cat can survive this kind of fall, they are likely to experience some sort of significant injury in the process. The higher the fall, the less success your cat will have landing on their feet from a fall.

Most cats can land on their feet on falls up to 8 feet. Anything over that and the likelihood of them landing on their backs, or fracturing their body increases.

Do Cats Always Land On Their Feet

Cats do not always land on their feet. However, cats do land on their feet at an incredibly high percentage. But how exactly do cats achieve this task of landing on their feet almost every single time they leap from a surface?

The answer to that question is all in the process. Below is what most cats calculate and then execute as they jump:

  1. Recognizing a fall is occurring
  2. Bending the torso, most notably in a V shape to create resistance
  3. Tucking the front and rear legs to rotate (two rotations take place here!)
  4. Rolling the body to continue turning it between 90 – 180 degrees

Sounds like a lot right? But to a cat it’s not, it’s all about reflexes! They process all of those steps in a split second which results in a successful landing.

Cats are great when it comes to feel and understanding their body weight, moving it around and adjusting the body midair. It’s truly fascinating and plenty of studies are out there that talk about the entire process.

What Happens If A Cat Doesn’t Land On Its Feet

A cat can suffer injuries if they do not land on their feet after a fall. How significant those injuries are depends on the distance of the fall, and at what terminal velocity the cat is traveling.

If a cat doesn’t land on its feet, then chances are it’ll land on its back, face, or even tail. This can lead to broken tails, fractures, and even some internal damage depending on the impact.

Some internal organs that can be damaged include:

  • Lungs
  • Heart
  • Brain

For fractures, these are the areas that are more likely to see damage:

  • Ribs
  • Pelvis
  • Forefoot and midfoot bones
  • Teeth and jaw fractures

In addition to fractures, cats can suffer dislocations. If those injuries don’t heal properly, they can leave your cat with developmental and physical limitations for the remainder of their lives.

What Height Can Cats Land On Their Feet

Cats can safely land on their feet from heights of 8 – 10 feet. They can also land on their feet from even higher distances if they calculate that as the best way to safely land.

At What Age Do Cats Start Landing On Their Feet

Cats start landing on their feet when they are 3 – 9 weeks old. During each week as a kitten, your cat will gather the ability to use their “righting reflex”. Those are the basic steps of processing the fall, and then rotating their bodies and slowing down the fall.

In the early weeks, usually between weeks 3 – 4, your cat is still perfecting the process. By the time they reach the final three weeks of the process, they’ve got it down well.

Cats are fast developers when it comes to reflexes, and it’s something they develop very young.

Can Cats Die From Falling

Cats can die from falling.

Falling from a high distance gives your cat a greater chance at not being able to survive the impact if something goes wrong. While shorter falls are riskier for cats due to them not having as much time to react, nothing replaces the damage a high fall presents.

It is not likely that cats will die from most falls unless they are put in unusual situations. This includes things like falling from a tall office building or construction site.

However, a cat falling from a tall tree in the backyard, or the roof of a home has a great chance of walking away with little to no injuries.

Of course, if your cat is known for poor coordination or has neurological issues, they may not be able to gather themselves during the fall, so they could potentially die from landing on their heads.

Will A Cat Still Purr If It’s In Pain

Cats will purr when in pain. The purring will sound a bit different than its normal purr. Usually, the purring is loud, and to some degree excessive.

It’s important to monitor your cat for differences in how they purr because, in reality, each cat is different in how they process pain.

How Can You Tell If A Cat Is Hurt From A Fall

You can tell a cat is hurt from a fall if they are limping, meowing loudly or softly, or are moving slowly. Other signs of a cat that’s hurt from a fall include bruising or redness in the area of impact, broken claws, or a tail that appears fractured.

Many times when a cat is in some sort of pain or discomfort, they’ll walk off to a secluded area and hide.

Below is a list of symptoms a cat displays when they are hurt from a fall:

  • Limping
  • Panting
  • Slow walking
  • Refusing to walk or stand
  • Trouble breathing
  • Loud meowing or whining
  • Laziness
  • Lack of appetite
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Visible bruises or scratches
  • Broken claws or missing nails
  • Bent paws
  • Frequent stretching
  • Excessive Purring