Miracle cat survives 110ft fall after chasing a mosquito straight out of an 11th floor apartment

Daily Mail ^ | 9-8-13

[Dysart]

Wasabi the cat should be dead, but miraculously she's back to purring and playing after falling 11 floors from her owner's apartment in Juneau, Alaska. Wasabi was chasing a mosquito around owner Stephanie Gustafson's apartment earlier this week when she chase the insect straight out the window. Ms Gustafson's mom watched the cat fall to the ground while she 'freaked out' and ran downstairs to see if Wasabi was OK.

[Dysart]

Wasabi's the cat's name and looks like Flowerchild is the owner.

[FlingWingFlyer]

The cat’s magic number is now eight.

[rockinqsranch]

Those are BIG mosquitos up there in Alaska. Wondering if the cat rode that sucker down.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Actually, cats are better at surviving high falls than moderate ones.

High-Rise Syndrome

In a study performed in 1987 it was reported that cats who fall from less than six stories, and are still alive, have greater injuries than cats who fall from higher than six stories.

[vbmoneyspender]

More time to right themselves so they land correctly?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

It has been proposed that this might happen because cats reach terminal velocity after righting themselves (see below) at about five stories, and after this point they relax, leading to less severe injuries in cats who have fallen from six or more stories.

[Mike Darancette]

More time to right themselves so they land correctly?

I think they do a flying squirrel thing after they are righted.

[Jonty30]

From higher altitudes, cats have been shown to flatten themselves out like a parachute to slow their fall.

[Biggirl]

PING this over to you!

[Safetgiver]

I dunno. My Rum Dum (at 27 lbs.) is just too damn mean to die.

[USMCPOP]

“From higher altitudes, cats have been shown to flatten themselves out like a parachute to slow their fall.”

Especially at the moment of impact.

[Slings and Arrows]

The mosquito was working for the dog that mauled Stubbs.

[pandemoniumreigns]

They don’t call it the state bird for nothing...

[9YearLurker]

Anyone who lives on the 11th floor with a cat should not leave a window open without a screen. That’s rank negligence leading to a big near miss for kitty.

[HangnJudge]

Maybe it's one of those Sky Diving Cats

[ontap]

It has been proposed that this might happen because cats reach terminal velocity after righting themselves (see below) at about five stories, and after this point they relax

Some relax beforehand!!!

[windcliff]

ping

[PAR35]

Amazing story. I didn’t realize that Alaska had 11 story buildings.

[Monkey Face]

It wouldn’t surprise me if she did. You can throw a saddle on those Alaska mosquitoes!

[Monkey Face]

Fangs!
We used to live across the Channel from Juneau...I had a perfect piccie in my head, but I was so young, then...no high-rises!