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Cats are a near-universal symbol of grace and poise – they have excellent balance and are said to always land on their feet. Even when they're up in the air, like these 15 jumping cats at play, they retain a graceful athleticism that most of us lack – on or off the ground.

The cat's ability to always land on its feet, which is on display in many of these pictures, is called the righting reflex. A study in 1987 that analyzed 132 cases of cats that had fallen from high-rise windows in New York discovered that their injuries would increase from floors 1-7 but would then dramatically decrease above 7 stories. One explanation could be that, after a certain distance, cats reach their non-fatal terminal velocities and are capable of spreading themselves out and gliding to reduce the severity of their injuries.

NOTE: Cats love to jump when they play, but NEVER throw them just for a photo op!

#1

Jumping cat

Kimera Jam Report

Lill'Sunn
Community Member
11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ahahaha ! Lovely :) I never saw such an original picture of a cat... I'm liking it!

StephKervin
Community Member
10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"AH! It wasn't me! I didn't do it!" :P

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    #2

    Jumping cat

    Kemal Selimovic Report

    Christiane Gothie
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Petit papillon, je te mangerai !" - "raté, hé hé..."

    #3

    Jumping cat

    Akimasa Harada Report

    MarioMason
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Now how do I turn the 'anti-gravity' off?

    LilaGirl
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That look: "I don't give a damn. I'm ninjacat!"

    AdrianVan
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That's not Ninja, that's levitation, master level.

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    #4

    Jumping cat

    reddit Report

    LeenaPalomäki
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How can a cat look bored when jumping? Haha!

    SallyVogel
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Maybe because his owner has dropped him so often he's used to it.

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    VilmadePina
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    he is not bored... he is unhappy... that was not nice to be tossed up

    ImahSillyGirl
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Agree. Definitely tossed up. Although, I have two cats that enjoy the blanket trampoline/tossing game.:-)

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    BoLockwood
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That cat isn't jumping; it's clearly levitating.

    CheriBrown
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That's a Zen face if I ever saw one. Think he levitated?

    Neža Jankovič
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How bored cat's face, but cool jump!:-)

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    #7

    Jumping cat

    David Anton Asenslo Report

    VilmadePina
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yes! I got it! Throw it again...

    Jewel Ri
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How could he do that??? :D

    Thomas Norris
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Cats are interesting; self sufficient and subtlety expressive; unlike dogs who are co-dependent, emotionally deficient.

    #8

    Jumping cats

    Seiji Mamiya Report

    Edith Tschiemer
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yes is an super cat , but other is too fat for jumping .

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    #9

    Jumping cats

    Yura Kaprosh Report

    MalloryJean
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Looks like it's raining kittens!

    KatjanaSchirmer
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    those paws have the shape of little stars <3

    StephKervin
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I feel like this would be the last thing the photographer saw before they died! :D

    Mario Mason
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    They don't get cuter than this. :-)

    Dell Sells
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    catch one . hug one . who throws a kitty in the air ;) but this picture made me laugh

    RainePatterson
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's raining cats.....just,cats..

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    #10

    Jumping cat

    Brandon Edwards Report

    Edith Tschiemer
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yes over her back , is an protection , so nothing can happen ! This is real .

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    #11

    Jumping cat

    Ben Torode Report

    #12

    Jumping cat

    Yoshiyuki Abe Report

    DeeWillis
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think that is City the Kitty. If I'm correct his 'girls' would never do anything like that.

    KatInsley
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think that is City too but I know City naturally loves to jump :) I don't think he was thrown :)

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    Edith Tschiemer
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Were is it doing that from the floor or .....?

    PatrickBarrett
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's nice to see OTHER people have "Cat Rooms"..........

    SusanRoche
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Dance like nobody's watching

    Dee Willis
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Cont. City loves da bird and one of his girls is professional photographer.

    SallyVogel
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Don't like it...the cat didn't initiate this move.

    VilmadePina
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    not nice... somebody tossed it away! the cat is not happy

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    #13

    Jumping cat

    Seiji Mamiya Report

    AliMuspratt
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This looks more like ballet than ninja-ism (?)

    KymbraTalley
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Scarlett - there is No place like home………. tara

    Yvette Fosco
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Love this...looks like kitty is dancing

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    #15

    Jumping cats

    Akimasa Harada Report

    ChristyHailey
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    some look like they are being tossed. This one looks scared.

    Raine Patterson
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This one looks like it just saw a spider

    HannahMin
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    those are manga books in the back.

    HeatherPeterson
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I hope none of these air borne shots involves cats being thrown or dropped from a height. A few of them look questionable to me.

    peri
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I agree. he looks sad/scared. poor thing. :(

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    #16

    Jumping cat

    Regine Heuser Report

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    #19

    Jumping cat

    Akimasa Harada Report

    #20

    Jumping cat

    Peter Salovaara Report

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    #21

    Jumping cat

    Arjun Pratap Report

    Kristen Hz
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think this one has been airbrushed to look thinner. Please, Hollywood - no more anorexic models! :-)

    MPaula Whelan
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    lithe and graceful like a ballerina

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    #22

    Jumping cat

    Ashley Vincent Report

    Mario Mason
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This cat thinks it"s a kangaroo. :-)

    #23

    Jumping cat

    Ruslan Report

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    #27

    Jumping cat

    Yong Cyuan Chen Report

    #28

    Jumping cat

    Seiji Mamiya Report

    Mario Mason
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    He's just keeping the trees apart so that they won't fight.

    ErinHogan
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Mighty cat, leaping from tree to tree

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    #30

    Dali Could! :) "dali Atomicus"

    en.wikipedia.org Report

    redpandayum
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    i'd like to know the story behind this picture

    Betsy Risser
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Salvador Dali, surreal artist, created this image. That's him in the photo.

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    #31

    Jumping cat

    Daniele Ferretti Report

    #32

    Jumping cat

    Akimasa Harada Report

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    #33

    Jumping cat

    Seiji Mamiya Report

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    #34

    Attack Of The Killer Fluffy Stuffs

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    #37

    Jumping cat

    Lesley Adendorff Report

    Alex Greenshpun
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Love the perspective and the crop! Great catch ;)

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    #38

    Jealousy

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    #39

    Relax And Jump

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    #40

    Catch Me .... If You Can !!!!!

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    #41

    Roar

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    LisaKoral
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I am Catzilla. Hear me roar!

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    #42

    Jumping cat

    Akimasa Harada Report

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    #44

    Jumping cat

    Seiji Mamiya Report

    #45

    Kitty Attack!

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    VictoriaT.Gibeault
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I swear, Mom. The coffee mug was right here. I didn't do it.

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    #46

    The E-cat

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    #47

    Jumping cat

    Seiji Mamiya Report

    #48

    Kitty In Flight

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    #51

    Jumper..

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    #52

    Scout

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    #53

    Salvador Dali And Ninja Cats

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    #54

    Columbo Ninja Cat

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    #55

    My Little Britsh Ninja !

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    #56

    I! Must! Get! It!

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    #57

    Jumping Cats ...or Flying?

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    #58

    Wassja Jumping From The Door

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    #59

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