The mechanics of a cat landing from a drop

Abstract

Abstract Cats have a remarkable ability to survive drops from great heights. This ability is examined by considering the aerodynamics of the cat during a drop, and by examining the mechanics of the landing. For the landing the spring-like properties of the cat’s legs and the compliance of the landing surface are all modeled. The analysis shows that a combination of the reduction of landing velocity due to aerodynamics, the spring like properties of the cat’s legs, and the relationship between cat mass and bone diameter give cat’s the ability to survive drops from great heights. The analysis highlights how simple models exploiting mechanical principles can explain the survivability of falling cats.