How High Can Cats Jump?

You can not ignore the sheer athleticism of your pet cat. It sometimes makes me wonder how these little fellows can beat us, humans, in jumping, running, and God knows in which areas. Have you ever wondered how fast a cat can run? Or how high cats can jump? 

Experts claim that a cat can jump 5 to 6 times higher than its actual size. So, if a cat is approximately 30 cm, it can jump 150 to 180 cm. To be more accurate, an average cat can jump about 2.3 to 2.7 meters. 

If you are interested to know about a cat’s athletic behavior, give this article a read. Here you will get all the fun facts that prove felines are better athletes than us. 

How High Can Cats Jump?

I have mentioned earlier that a cat can jump 5 to 6 times its own body length. The average length of a cat is approximately 30 centimeters or 12 inches. The males are larger than the female ones. 

If we multiply the average length, we will get our answer. Most cats can jump over 180 centimeters. When it comes to the male felines, they can probably jump about 2.7 meters. If the cat is tall and large, it will obviously cover more areas. 

Many people wonder how high a kitten can jump. Well, it takes 3 weeks for a kitten to get on its feet strongly. The baby can not cross a long distance with the weak feet. Most kittens can jump small objects. But with time, their muscles improve and they start jumping on the height. 

How far can cats jump? 

We have discussed how high a cat can jump. But do you know the distance it can cover with a leap? Well, experts claim that a cat has the ability to fall the same distance as it jumps. If a cat can jump 8 feet, it will fall the same without any risk. 

Do you want to know the highest jump of a cat? According to the Guinness World Record, the longest jump of a feline was 213.36 centimeters or 2.13 meters or about 7 feet. Considering the cat’s size, health, and height, you have to admit the jumps are quite impressive.

The science behind the cat high jump 

Cats can easily jump a high obstacle or fence. Have you ever wondered how the felines do it? The cats are very graceful and accurate when it comes to jumping and landing. All credits go to the kitty’s flexible spine, back muscle, and strong legs. 

When a cat initiates a jump, it crouches and bends its limbs. The feline tightens its body like a coiled spring. The feline uncoils its position by pushing off the back legs. The crouching position allows the cat to propel its powerful back legs into the air. As a result, the pet springs onto the target surface, or lands on an area, no matter how narrow it is. 

Though it seems hard for humans, the cats can do the jumping and landing easily. They can jump to a height with the minimum effort possible.

Does jumping hurt the cat? 

How high can cats jump? You probably get the answer. But do these little fellows hurt themselves in the process? 

In most cases, cats do not hurt themselves. But, yes, there is always a chance of getting hurt. Here are some factors that increase the chance of a cat getting hurt: 

1. If the cat is overweight, it may get hurt while falling. 
2. Senior cats and the kittens have weak bones and legs. When they take a high leap, they may end up getting an injury. 

You will be surprised to know that when a cat jumps from a high surface, it is less like to get an injury. Also, soft surfaces reduce the chance of getting hurt. 

Why can cats jump higher than dogs?

The dogs and cats are much alike. But when it comes to the jumping, oh boy, the cats are way ahead of the dogs. 

Stats prove that a cat can jump 5 to 6 times its body, which is approximately 7 to 8 feet. Depending on the cat’s height, the number can increase. On the other hand, a dog can only jump about 6 feet. If we are talking about a small dog, then the jumping skill is more limited. 

But why can’t dogs jump as high as the cats? Well, the answer is in the anatomy. The dog’s body is not as flexible as a cat’s. Take the legs as an example. 

The cats have a wider range of motion in their legs. When the felines uncoil themselves from the crouching position, the whole body gets the power of leaping. But it is quite opposite in dogs. They have a limited range of motion in the legs. Also, the cats are excellent in maintaining body balance. But the dogs are not. 

However, cats have the ability to twist their body in the air and land giving a minimum effort. When the dogs try to do the same thing, there is a high risk of injury. Some dog breeds are excellent jumpers. I am not talking about them. Try to discourage your dog if it jumps for attention. 

How fast can cats run?

Cats are actually fast runners. I have mentioned earlier that the felines’ athleticism is sometimes better than us. 

In general, a house cat can run about 30 miles per hour. Believe me, that is fast comparing their size and health. Do not think all the cats have the same speed. Some felines may run faster or slower than this. 

However, some factors can affect a cat’s running speed. For example, age, breed, health, gender, motivation, etc. also, the wild cats will be a lot faster than domestic cats. 

How high can cats jump? How do the felines manage to jump so far? I have discussed everything here. Jumping is a part of exercise among domestic cats. So, do not discourage them from doing it.

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