A cat has been caught on camera attempting an audacious jump from one roof to another.
Ex-chef Buster Sara-Keanan, 56, from Lincolnshire in the U.K. was left in stitches after discovering the footage of his neighbor's cat, Millie, attempting a superhero jump from what appears to be her owner's garage.
How Do Cats Jump So High?
Though the idea of jumping from one roof to another might sound terrifying to most human folk, it's all in a day's work for the average feline.
Cats are famed for their impressive jumping abilities with estimates suggesting they are capable of leaping to altitudes of more than six times their height.
A study published in a 2002 issue of the Journal of Experimental Biology concluded that cats were capable of leaping such huge distances because of the length and muscle mass of their back legs.
By starting in a deep crouch, cats are able to first lift their front legs and then create what researchers defined as an "explosive extension" using their back legs.
All of that power is on display in Sara-Keanan's video, which was captured by a Ring security camera. It's not just the fact that Millie is able to generate a superhero-like level of power in making the jump—she also sticks out her front paws, leaping like Superman to the rescue.
In the clip, which was provided to Newsweek by Ring, Millie can be seen walking along the roof, surveying her surroundings and sizing up her opportunity to jump to another spot.
Though it's not entirely clear from the footage, which ends in a blur of fur, Millie did make the jump safely. In any case, Sara-Keanan felt the footage was funny enough to share online.
"We see a lot of cats on our Ring cameras, including our own. In this instance, our neighbor's cat Millie stars in the video," he told Ring. "We found the clip hilarious, so we shared it on Twitter so others could watch and get a laugh out of it as well."
This isn't the first time a cat has been caught on CCTV showing off a flair for the dramatic. One cat went viral after a homeowner discovered footage of the feline using the doorbell to get their attention.
In another clip, a feline with the love of the float went viral after trying—and failing—to jump from one boat to another. Then there's the clip of one dog showing his owner's cat how to jump over the gate.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Jack Beresford is a Newsweek Senior Internet Culture & Trends Reporter, based in London, UK. His focus is reporting on ... Read more
