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From: todd@zippy.laic.uucp
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Falling Cats
Keywords: the article...
Message-ID: <359@laic.UUCP>
Date: 6 Oct 88 17:37:39 GMT
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From ANIMALS, 3-4/88: 2  (reprinted in SCIENCE DIGEST Aug 88)

Each of the 132 cats fell from at least two stories and was brought in to New
York City's Animal Medical Center over a five-month period.  Three arrived
dead, 17 were put to death at their owners' request.  Yet 90 percent of those
remaining survived, even though the average fall was five-and-a-half stories.
A third only required observation and one who fell 32 stories, was released
after 48 hours.

Veterinary surgeons Wayne Whitney and Cheryl Mehlhaff attribute this remarkable
survival rate to cats' instinct to right themselves into a feet first position,
which also happens to be effective in slowing their rate of descent.  Falling
in the horizontal, paws down position, somethimes with its four legs spread out
in the manner of flying squirrels, the average cat achieves its maximum rate of
descent in about 60 vertical feet.

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Follow-up article, source unknown if not SCIENCE DIGEST:

Cats that fell from hight than seven stories had fewer fractures than cats that
dropped from lesser heights.

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| Todd S. Stock                                     pyramid!leadsv!laic!todd |
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