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.