The Digester

New experiments analyzing feline spine flexibility strengthen support for the tuck and turn mechanism while confirming that multiple motions combine to help cats land on their feet.

A new study in The Anatomical Record measured feline spine flexibility to test how cats reorient in midair.
Scientists have debated the falling cat problem since at least 1700 and were surprised by Etienne-Jules Marey’s 1894 photographs.
Researchers have proposed four main mechanisms: tuck and turn, limb adjustments like a figure skater, bend and twist at the waist, and tail rotation.
Physicist Greg Gbur previously emphasized the bend and twist model but says the new paper gives more credence to the tuck and turn explanation.
The consensus is that cats use a mix of spine bending, limb positioning, tail motion, and small corrections to flip during a fall.

New spine data changes debate on how cats land on their feet

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