Flyingcats
Catsneverfailtofascinatehumanbeings.Theycanbefriendlyandaffectionatetowardshumans,buttheyleadmysteriouslivesoftheirownaswell.Theyneverbecomesubmissivelikedogsandhorses.Asaresult,humanshavelearnedtorespectfelineindependence.Mostcatsremainsuspiciousofhumansalltheirlives.Oneofthethingsthatfascinatesusmostaboutcatsisthepopularbeliefthattheyhaveninelives.Apparently,thereisagooddealoftruthinthisidea.Acat'sabilitytosurvivefallsisbasedonfact.
RecentlytheNewYorkAnimalMedicalCentremadeastudyof132catsoveraperiodoffivemonths.Allthesecatshadoneexperienceincommon:theyhadfallenoffhighbuildings,yetonlyeightofthemdiedfromshockofinjuries.Ofcourse,NewYorkistheidealplaceforsuchaninterestingstudy,becausethereisnoshortageoftallbuildings.Thereareplentyofhigh-risewindowsillstofallfrom!Onecat,Sabrina,fell32stories,yetonlysufferedfromabrokentooth.'Catsbehavelikewell-trainedparatroopers,'adoctorsaid.Itseemsthatthefurthercatsfall,thelesstheyarelikelytoinjurethemselves.Inalongdrop,theyreachspeedsof60milesanhourandmore.Athighspeeds,fallingcatshavetimetorelax.Theystretchouttheirlegslikeflyingsquirrels.Thisincreasestheirair-resistanceandreducestheshockofimpactwhentheyhittheground.