A cat's skills are not just about being fond of sleeping and eating; the more we interact with them, the more characteristics we discover. For example, sometimes when trying to scare a cat playfully, it suddenly leaps into the air, causing owners to exclaim, "My cat can jump like this!" In fact, for cats that often climb trees and rooftops, jumping ability has always been their proud skill, and if they unleash their full jumping power, it can sometimes really surprise you.

　　In Japan, there is a tabby cat named Nya-suke who is considered the Michael Jordan of cats because its highest recorded jump reaches 196 centimeters. How did the owner find out? It turns out the owner had heard that cats can leap more than five times their body length (generally about 150 centimeters for most cats), so he decided to test exactly how high his cat Nya-suke could jump!

　　Nya-suke started the challenge from a height of 150 centimeters, which was surprisingly easy for him. The owner then gradually raised the height to 160 cm, 170 cm, 187 cm, 192 cm, 194 cm, and finally 196 cm. This jump stunned the owner as Nya-suke managed to leap an incredible 169 centimeters at the highest point.

　　There is another cat in Japan with even more terrifying jumping ability, easily capable of jumping 2 meters high to catch a toy mouse hanging in mid-air. The owner filmed the cat’s impressive jumps from multiple angles and uploaded the video on YouTube to share with netizens. Within a few days, it gained over 170,000 views. This cat, named Yugaminee, loves to jump high. Its owner hung the toy mouse very high to test its jumping skills. The cat attempted different jumping methods, both direct jumps and wall-assisted leaps, all easily completed. Later the owner set up obstacles to prevent wall-assisted jumps, and after adjusting its position, the cat still completed the challenge with a perfect leap.

　　We all know cats have an incredible charisma in their bodies, and their superior motor nerves are among them. Their special body structure allows for high jumping ability, which helps them hunt successfully. Additionally, the cat’s ability to jump is partly related to its small body size, as small animals more easily overcome gravity. Fleas can jump several hundred times their body length—can cats do this? With this in mind, it must be acknowledged that compared to other animals of similar size, cats’ jumping ability is indeed excellent. Part of this is due to their well-developed muscles, and another part due to their good skeletal structure and flexible spine, which facilitates force transmission and allows the entire body to participate in the jump. A cat’s jump involves the whole body, while humans mostly jump using their two legs.

　　Feline animals have always possessed powerful jumping ability closely linked to their predatory habits. Their bodies are well-balanced, with fast-twitch muscles providing explosive power, flexible joints, and a body suited for jumping, all making them relatively well-adapted for leaps.

　　When hunting, cats sometimes jump onto prey’s back, grabbing the neck and muzzle with both paws, violently twisting or even breaking its head; sometimes they grab the throat from below, tearing or suffocating the prey on the ground; sometimes, after capturing, they bite through the cervical vertebrae with their canine teeth; sometimes a powerful swipe breaks the prey’s neck. While walking and running, they use digitigrade locomotion, with the soles off the ground, shifting their center of gravity forward, making them especially agile and springy, with jumping ability far surpassing other carnivores. They land on toe pads and the pads of their palms quietly; this silent approach is necessary for their ambush and surprise attack hunting methods. Not being good at long-distance running, cats cannot chase prey until exhaustion. They must capture prey in an instant, requiring tremendous explosive power, muscle strength, and concentration. This instinct for attack and defense makes cats excellent high jumpers. In the wild, felines often climbed trees unreachable by other animals for earlier prey capture and their safety.

　　Therefore, modern cats still retain this habit, often climbing to high and narrow places to avoid attacks from stronger animals. In emergencies, they can sprint at speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour to shake off pursuers.