The Cat Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [11]
A My advice is never to challenge a cat to a game of Twister. He will win every time, paws down. A flexible musculoskeletal system and a strong sense of balance enable airborne cats to right themselves rapidly and gracefully and, most times, safely. You may be surprised to learn that cats don’t have collarbones, but they do have flexible backbones with five more vertebrae than humans, allowing them to twist and turn in midair.
Their superior sense of balance and coordination comes from the vestibular apparatus, the fluid-filled canal in the ear that allows both humans and cats to remain upright when walking and to figure out where the ground is in relation to the body. When a cat falls, the fluid activates tiny hairs in the ear canal, allowing the cat to determine its body position and identify which way is up.
Studies on falling cats have discovered that felines who fall from heights of seven stories or fewer face greater injury than those falling from greater heights. In fact, cats have survived falls from as high as eighteen stories. The explanation is that after falling five stories or so, a cat reaches terminal velocity. On a longer fall, it has time to right itself, relax its muscles, and spread out its limbs like a flying squirrel to slow down its rate of speed.
The actual movements from the start of the fall to the four-on-the-floor finish are quite ballet-like. First, the falling cat rotates its head and the front of its body to bring its legs underneath its body. The hind end then moves into alignment. Just as he lands, he brings the front legs closer to his face to absorb some of the impact and bends his back legs to prepare for the jolt.
As agile as cats are, they do not always land on their feet. Cats have suffered injury from falls off of countertops and two-story balconies. That’s why I strongly urge all cat owners to make sure that all window screens are sturdy and will not pop open from the weight of a cat perched on the sill. And don’t let your cat roam unsupervised on a balcony. All it takes is for one sparrow to fly by and your bird-chasing cat could leap up and over the balcony ledge in determined pursuit.
Successful Therapy Cats
Q Now that I’m retired from teaching, I enjoy taking my certified therapy dog to nursing homes and children’s hospitals. But some people I visit like cats better than they like dogs. My cat, Kai, is a young, friendly Maine Coon. Visitors to my home always remark how comfortable they feel around Kai. He likes to ride in the car and happily travels with me when I visit family and friends. Can cats make good therapy animals?
A Being greeted by a friendly therapy animal can do wonders to boost the outlook and even the physical health of those in nursing homes and hospitals. Dogs do make up the majority of certified therapy animals, but cats are increasing in numbers. Felines are small and easy to pick up, and possess one major advantage over dogs: the soothing sound of purring.
Kai’s easygoing style and desire to greet people are two key traits needed for therapy cats. That he enjoys traveling is an added plus, since most cats prefer to be homebodies and don’t like adjusting to new surroundings. Generally speaking, Maine Coons are gentle, affectionate giants who would probably take to therapy work. Some Persians also make good therapy cats because they tend to be calm and patient, and they definitely enjoy being showered with affection. Tonkinese, a less common breed, are noted as being ideal therapy cats because they are outgoing with strangers and like to sit on laps. But there are always exceptions within breeds, and of course there are many random bred cats who succeed as therapy cats.
Contact a therapy animal organization in your area that provides certified programs. (See resources, page 314, for suggestions.) Although each program differs, the ground rules call for cats to be at least one year old; fully updated on all their vaccinations; in good health; and able to tolerate travel,