Cats have a unique tendency to survive a fall. When a cat jumps or slips from a tall building and lands on flat ground, it can absorb the impact of landing. The reason is that a cat’s terminal velocity is sufficiently low and much less than a human’s. The following equation gives the terminal velocity.
[v_{T} = \sqrt{\frac{2mg}{C\rho_{air} A}} ]
Let us calculate the terminal velocity of a cat using the following values.
m = 5 kg
ρ air = 1.29 kg/m 3
C = 1.1
A = 0.1 m 2
g = 9.81 m/s 2
Plugging them in, we get
Thus, a cat has a terminal velocity of approximately 60 mph.
A cat can sense when she is accelerating, and her instincts kick in. She will rotate and let herself to a position to brace for landing. Past studies have shown that a cat falling from a 32 stories tall building will achieve terminal velocity until she has fallen through a height equivalent to five stories. During the fall, she relaxes by splaying her legs and taking the spread-eagle stance. This position gives her a large surface area, brings her to terminal velocity, and allows her to absorb the impact.
- References Domestic Cats Can Fall from Any Height with a Remarkable Survival Rate – Todayifoundout.com Cats’ Amazing Ability to Survive Falls – Modkat.com How Cats Can Survive Falling 32 Stories High with Limited Injuries – Businessinsider.in How Can a Cat Survive a High-Rise Fall? Physics! – Wired.com Cat Survives Five-Story Jump for Life – Stevedalepetworld.com
Article was last reviewed on Wednesday, June 22, 2022
