Why Can Cats Jump So High – 5 Reasons

Cats are impressively athletic creatures, and nothing shows their skills better than jumping. Plenty of housecats have amazed their owners by jumping directly to the tops of bookshelves or landing gracefully on the top of open doors. But what makes it possible for cats to reach such incredible heights? Why can cats jump so high?

Cats can jump high due to their hind legs. Cats are able to use their limb length and spinal column to maximize their jumping height. Most cats can jump up to six times their length.

If you want to know more about cats jumping than just watching them as they make their impressive leaps, you’re in the right place. We’re going to cover why cats can jump so high, why cats like to jump, and what you can do to keep your four-footed friend from jumping where they shouldn’t.

Reasons Cats Can Jump High

When it comes to cats jumping, the truth is that their musculature and skeleton are just well designed for impressive leaps. But why did they evolve that way in the first place? Well, here are some reasons it’s in your cat’s best interest to be an Olympic-level high jumper.

Jumping Is A Good Way To Catch Prey

This may be the most apparent reason cats are excellent jumpers; it helps them catch their meals. Jumping is an excellent way to close distance with a prey animal quickly. Plus, it’s a lot easier for cats to catch their prey by surprise than trying to chase them down.

Since most of the animals cats eat can get into a smaller hidey-hole than cats can reach, jumping in and surprising a prey animal with an ambush is crucial for survival.

Jumping Helps Cats Go Where Other Animals Can’t

Cats are also good at taking advantage of niches and opportunities other animals can’t. For instance, getting into trees and jumping to high places makes it a lot easier to catch birds, which means that cats can use birds as a valuable food source while other animals, like dogs, can’t.

Jumping also means getting places other animals can’t go, which opens up more hunting and hiding opportunities.

Cats Can Survive Most Tall Falls

One reason for cats jumping so high is that they are safer when they are high up. That’s because the maximum speed a healthy cat can fall through the air, their terminal velocity, isn’t fast enough to kill or injure them by itself.

The more time a cat has while falling, the more time they have to fall well. The saying about cats always landing on their feet isn’t entirely true, but only because a surprised cat might not be able to catch themselves if they don’t have enough time.

A fall of 10 inches or less is usually more dangerous for domesticated cats than a long fall, which means that high jumps are safer for them.

A Good Jump Helps Cats Spot Prey

Jumping up is also a great way to be able to spot prey hiding around them. Getting up onto a branch, a rock outcropping, or the top of a building is an excellent way to find good places to hunt or to find out that there isn’t much prey in the area so that they can move on.

Even just jumping up can give cats a better vantage point to spot movement in the grass or smell a possible prey animal. So, in addition to helping catch their prey, jumping can also help your cat find their prey.

Jumping Can Help Cats Escape Predators

Jumping is also a good survival mechanism for cats who want to escape something, whether a frightening noise or a predator. While there are some hawks and eagles big enough to hunt domesticated

What’s The Highest A Cat Can Jump

Domesticated cats can jump roughly six times their length in almost any direction. That works out to be about 5-10ft for most housecats, though some cats are more or less gifted as jumpers.

That’s right; you may have never actually seen your cat jump as high or as far as they really can.

Guinness World Records lists the longest cat jump at just about 7ft, but that’s just the longest jump that’s been measured and recorded. Mathematically it’s unlikely that 7ft is the longest a domesticated cat can jump, mainly since reputable breeders are producing larger, more athletic breeds of domesticated cat.

That’s because a jump that’s as high as your cat can manage would be pretty taxing for them. They might not be tired afterward; after all, cats are designed for short bursts of intense energy, but they won’t jump like that for no reason.

Can Fat Cats Jump High

Yes, fat cats can jump high, though a particularly obese cat might not be able to jump as far as its svelte counterpart. The muscles that a cat needs to jump are important for all of its movement, so as long as your cat can walk and run, it can jump.

That said, being overweight isn’t good for your cat, and fat can deposit in their joints as well as their gut. That might make jumping more challenging or more uncomfortable, so it’s not uncommon for heavier cats to resist jumping and jump less often.

If your cat is severely overweight, doesn’t take to diets, or seems to be gaining weight no matter what you do, it’s a good idea to take them to a vet. There may be an underlying condition that needs treatment, or your vet might be able to recommend a diet food that will help your cat feel full while taking off the extra weight.

Which Can Jump Higher Cats Or Dogs

Most cats can jump higher than most dogs. Dog’s jumping height tends to max out at about 6 ft, which is why a 6ft fence can contain them. On the other hand, Cats can jump several feet higher, and it’s also much easier for them to jump.

Why Can Cats Jump So High But Not Dogs

There are a few reasons cats can jump higher than dogs, but it all comes back to physiology. Cats are designed to jump, which means they have more flexibility in their legs and back than dogs. All that extra bend means that they can crouch lower and tighter, letting them jump with an almost explosive spring through their whole body.

On the other hand, dogs have much more rigid joints and are less flexible through their spines. That means they have a limited range of motion, making it harder to pack as much force behind their jumps.

Cats are also lighter and generally more aerodynamic than cats, which means that cats experience less resistance from air friction and gravity, so they don’t need as much force to go the same distance while jumping.

Controlling Your Cats Jumping Behavior

Controlling cats’ jumping is difficult, but you can help direct cats to less destructive or dangerous places to jump.

For one thing, consider removing anything that might look interesting to your cat from shelving. Cats are naturally curious and want to see what is up on shelving and other spaces as part of maintaining their homes and territories.

Short of that, consider moving things higher or closer to the edge of the shelf so that your cat doesn’t think there is room for them to land. Cats plan how to land very carefully and won’t generally jump anywhere they aren’t sure of.

Getting your cat a cat tree or other taller place to safely jump is also an excellent way to control jumping behavior. That way, your cat has somewhere they can jump and be tall, but your items are safe on their shelves.