I feel like this is one of the most common questions cat owners have about their little ones. When the hubby and I first moved in together we had to make sure that nothing made of cloth was in Beau’s reach because he would chew on it due to his Pica. So we began questioning… how high can Beau actually jump?
Why might this be important?
Well if you’re anything like us, you’ve probably built your little one an obstacle course filled with boxes, a cat tree or wall units and may want to know just how high you can put them from the ground.
So… what’s the answer?
Well, the average cat can actually jump six times their length. What does that translate into measurements? Well… sometimes it’s up to 8 feet! That’s intense. I’m personally about 6’1″, so just knowing that Beau may be able to outjump my height blows my mind! I’ve personally never seen him jump that high, but I was very shocked when he jumped up to my 5′ dresser in my room.
Can I use this knowledge to my advantage?
Yes, and I really recommend you should! Before we moved to a “no-pet” apartment we actually used to make Beau jump up and down from the dresser by using kibble or treats as the incentive. This method was great because it was easy for us humans who complain that their kitties are gaining weight, but are too lazy to do anything about it. For us, it’s not very labour intensive, but get your kitty to do it 5-10 times a day and you will definitely see them start to shred some of their extra pounds. We actually can’t wait to move into our new place, because we’ll be able to start again without the worry of someone reporting us for having pets. (Dumb rules!)
So how do they do it, and why can’t I?
Well, simply, your cat will tighten their body like a spring and when they are good and ready to launch in the air, they push down on the ground extending their bodies to its full length! Surprisingly, this isn’t a trait we picked up as humans, so… that might be why you aren’t jumping from the floor onto the dresser right now, although the world’s recorded highest jump has been about 4’8″.
I’m curious, do cats jump higher than dogs?
Yup, they for sure do! Most dogs jump about one body’s length, although this highly depends on the breed and skill level.
MrJackFreckles was an awesome jumper. He would stand by the dining room table and all of a sudden he would be on it. Um…we had to train him not to do that…
First kitty, would jump a lot higher than any of my other kitties, past and present. Even though he was already at least seven when he came to us.His fave spot was the 6 foot bookcase top…
Minko would jump pretty high to get the wand toys or the red dot. Pipo is laid back and would rather find other ways to gain the heights…like finding the couch, to its back, to the other couch, to the next spot, etc. He is 13, and quite agile.
Dalton?? He likes to jump, too, but he cannot get very high vertically, though he can jump quite far as in a long jump style. He sails over obstacles in the yard. MJF used to do that to at breakneck speed…wheeee!
Oh my gosh! You have had some pretty high jumpers in your life! Beau’s highest jump has only been 5 feet so far.
hello pets overload its dennis the vizsla dog hay i hav not mezhured how hi charlee and chaplin can jump but it is definitly hier then i cud!!! eeven in my prime!!! ok bye
Ahaha! Glad to hear you were jumping though! I’m curious how high Dennis! 😀
Cats are amazing 🙂
Yes they are!
Daisy Mae has almost fallen. if she didn’t land on Dad’s head should would have fallen.
Oh my! I’m glad she had daddy!
Cats are magnificent and amazing creatures. Not long after I adopted Bear, I found him on top of the kitchen cabinets (he used the counter as a step up) – and I thought I was going to have a heart attack! One myth about kitties jumping is that they always land on their feet. Not true. It take 4-5 feet for them to right themselves. A fall of less than that means they can’t quite get themselves in position.
Deeefinitely a myth. I have seen Beau faceplant or body plant multiple times haha!
Manny and CB are crazy jumpers, and they fall down too! I will probably get them to a cat chiropractor before too long, to make sure their bodies are in good shape after all of those crashes. We need more climbing things for them, in every room of the house!
I’ve actually never wondered what happens to a cat’s body when they crash. Beau has crashed quite a bit in the years we’ve had him, but he always seems okay right after… He’s also a goof who runs into walls when he’s excited. I’m always worried about hit noggin!
we’ve seen dai$y jump to the hearth top on the fireplace which is
probably 6 feet, and she seems to do so in one “leap” and surprisingly
enough we had a bulldog that could jump about three; seemed like
he’d never make it given they are “top heavy” 🙂 ♥
That’s so cool! I actually want to see how high I can make Beau jump! I want to measure him at his highest, especially because he’s a bit of a tubby now 😛