text: why does a dumb cat never falls down?   during a fall, a cat can reflexively twist its body and right itself using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. this is known as the cat 'righting reflex'. it always rights itself in the same way, provided it has the time to do so during a fall. certain breeds that don't have a tail are a notable exception, since a cat moves its tail and relies on conservation of angular momentum to set up for landing.