Why Are Cats Liquid?

One of the states of matter is liquid. While a liquid has a definite volume, it does not have a definite shape since its particles are free to flow. Liquids are generally defined as materials that adapt their shape to fit a container. However, cats may also qualify as liquids under certain conditions.

Okay but really, why?

One of the reasons cats are so flexible is the structure of their collar bones, which are pretty different from ours. They’re only attached by muscles rather than bones making the cat’s flexibility even more impressive. In other words, if their heads fit through, their bodies probably can as well, which is why some cats can squeeze under doors or cracked windows.

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Cat’s gotta cat

It would be advantageous for cats to be flexible, as they still haven’t managed to kick their wild instincts after all these years. Flexibility enables cats to catch prey that hides in tight places or escapes predators.

Mor science!

It might seem like a bit of meme fodder, but some research has been done on kitty liquids. In a paper titled “On the rheology of cats,” Marc-Antoine Fardin analyzed how and why cats of different ages can retain such unique shapes. As a result, Kitty fluid dynamics won the first year’s Ig Nobel Prize, which honors science research that could be considered silly, but still makes you think.

If you’re more interested in the crunchy science of it all, read this article Fardin wrote “Answering the question that won me the Ig Nobel prize: Are cats liquid?”

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