Cats are known for their agility and athleticism, and one of their most impressive abilities is their ability to jump great heights. In fact, cats can easily exceed altitudes six times their height! But how do they do it?
Cats bodies have over 500 muscles, and they use all of them when the leap. A cat's jumping ability is supported by stronger and longer hind legs and "fast twitch" muscle fibres that support bursts of movement. Additionally, their back legs are angled to help provide better shock absorption when they land. The cushions of their paws have dozens of nerve receptors.
A study in the Journal of Experimental Biology reports that cats are superior jumpers because of the limb length and muscle mass of their back legs. Cats start a jump in a very deep crouch, then lift their front legs before an "explosive extension" of their back legs.
“A cat’s ability to jump comes from their powerful leg muscles, the flexibility of their spine, excellent balance, and a strong ability to judge distances and heights,” explains Dr Christina Montalbano.
In conclusion, cats’ incredible jumping skills are the result of a combination of factors including their anatomy, muscle strength, flexibility, balance, and ability to judge distances. These amazing abilities allow cats to reach great heights and perform impressive feats of athleticism.