Cat Superpowers: Night Vision & Landings

The Righting Reflex

Cats are famous for almost always landing on their feet. This ability depends on a highly flexible backbone and a unique skeleton. Unlike humans, cats do not have a collarbone connecting their arms to their spine. This allows them to twist and bend their bodies easily while in the air.

This skill is known as the righting reflex. It begins in the inner ear, which helps the cat sense balance and know exactly which way is up. When a cat falls, it first rotates its head to face the ground. Next, the spine twists so the front legs align with the head. Finally, the back legs swing around to position the cat for a safe landing. The legs act like springs to absorb the shock of hitting the ground. This reflex develops when kittens are just a few weeks old.

Night Vision

Cats are expert hunters in low light. Their eyes are designed to see clearly when it is dark. A cat’s pupils (the black center of the eye) can open very wide. This allows much more light to enter the eye compared to a human pupil.

Behind the retina at the back of the eye, cats have a special mirror-like layer called the tapetum lucidum. When light enters the eye, it passes through the retina and hits this layer. The tapetum lucidum reflects the light back through the retina a second time. This gives the cat’s eyes a second chance to absorb the light, making their vision excellent in dim conditions. This reflection is also why a cat’s eyes appear to glow green or yellow when a light shines on them at night.

Sensory Whiskers

While eyes help at night, whiskers act like a sense of touch. These thick hairs are found on the muzzle, above the eyes, and on the legs. They are deeply rooted in the skin and connected to many nerves. Whiskers detect tiny changes in air currents, helping a cat sense nearby objects even in total darkness.