If there’s one thing cats excel at, it’s stepping onto a precariously narrow shelf, branch, or cabinet, and doing it with a nonchalant attitude. So what is it about cats that gives them their superior balance? It’s all in their anatomy.
The vestibular system: why up is up and down is down
The vestibular system is not unique to cats; many animals have one, including humans. But it controls your cat’s sense of balance and coordinates eye and head movements, so it’s worth discussing here.
The vestibular system has components in the brain and the inner ear. The inner ear houses the vestibular apparatus, which has several fluid-filled canals. When your cat moves her head, the fluid in the channels moves and a signal is sent to her brain that registers where her head is. The vestibular apparatus can tell if your cat is moving or standing still, if only its head is moving, and even if it is upside down.
The vestibular system is an important part of the air righting reflex – the reason why cats can (almost) always land on their paws. Full details behind the Air Righting Reflex can be found here; but to sum up, falling cats turn their heads, arch and twist their spines, use their paws to control their rotation, and then (hopefully) land on all fours. Their success or not depends on the height of the fall and the physical condition of the cat.
A flexible spine and tiny collarbones
A cat’s bone structure is one of the main reasons it can balance well, is flexible, and can squeeze through tight spaces. Cats have 30 vertebrae (back bones), six more than humans, and their spine is exceptionally flexible. They have rudimentary clavicles (clavicles) and muscles (not bones) connect their shoulder blades to their body. All these skeletal features give them superior flexibility and agility and also lengthen their stride, making them fast runners.
A history of counterweights
Tails are a key communication tool for cats and they also help cats balance themselves. Acting as a counterweight, a cat’s flexible tail can keep it stable when walking in a fine line. But what about cats without a tail? Cats that were born without a tail can still balance themselves, and if a cat’s tail has been removed due to injury or illness, they can learn to compensate for the loss.
Whiskers are for detection, not balance
There is a myth that a cat’s whiskers help balance them out, but that’s just it – a myth. Whiskers, however, help cats sense their surroundings. The follicles from which the whiskers grow are surrounded by sensory receptors that transmit details of your cat’s environment (through the movement of the whiskers) to his brain. These receptors are so sensitive that they can even detect vibrations in the air. Whiskers help cats navigate around objects (especially in the dark) and can help them decide whether or not they can squeeze through that small space.
The reason this myth exists may be due to the reaction of cats if their whiskers are cut. Taking away their ability to sense their surroundings can be disorienting and stressful. This is why you should never trim a cat’s whiskers unless it is medically necessary.
There are no (collarbone) bones on this, a cat’s anatomy is designed for balance. And if they lose their balance, they also have a handy righting system.
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