“When a cat falls from a window or balcony, they have a 90% chance of surviving,” says Hélène Gateau. This survival rate is extremely high and it is explained by two abilities that cats possess. The first is recovery: no matter how the cat falls, it will manage to turn around to land its paws. And the second is its parachutist position: in its fall, the cat will lie flat on its stomach and spread its legs like a parachutist to slow its fall and thus limit the impact.
“Thanks to its two capacities, the maximum speed of a cat is 97 km/h while it is 193 km/h for a human”, explains the veterinarian. The damage on impact will thus be much greater in humans than in cats, which explains their chances of survival.
Hélène Gateau reminds us that in this season of high heat it is necessary to be vigilant when you have a cat. “Don’t leave a window open unattended, watch out for drafts that can startle your pet and cause them to accidentally fall.” The problem of skydiving cats is very common in summer, but there are solutions to get your pet into the air without danger: install protective nets on windows and balconies, or even attach a leash to your pet’s harness.
