Why Are Cats So Flexible?

Cats are extremely flexible because they have as many as 53 loosely fitting
vertebrae; humans have only 34.

Cats are so flexible because of their high number of vertebrae, or
individual spinal bone disks. Including their tails, cats have up to 53
vertebrae. By comparison, a human spine contains 34 vertebrae. While all
animals' vertebrae has cushioning between the individual disks, a cat’s
spine has more elastic cushioning than most mammals. This allows them to be
able to twist themselves more easily, at angles of as much as 180 degrees.
Cats also have tiny collarbones, which gives them the ability to flatten
themselves to fit through small openings. When cats fall from tall heights,
their flexibility is what generally keeps them from breaking any bones,
because they are able to twist and reposition themselves mid-fall to land
on their feet.
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