Science in Secondary Schools

[Mich the Tester]

I'd have thought that the rapid deceleration would cause the necks of femur and humerus to be pushed through the pelvis and clavicle respectively?

Only if it's a fat cat or an old pussy. A healthy cat in the prime of its life could cope as it has exceptionally strong muscles, tendons and ligaments which it uses to absorb the impact; cats will instinctively turn to land on all four paws, with most of their weight on the hind legs where they have the most muscle mass. It might then suffer a minor dislocation but it'll probably be alright. Just feel the hind legs of a young healthy cat and see the size of their muscles; they are, in comparison to the weight of the cat (4 to 5 kilos), immense.

Again, don't now go throwing cats off tall buildings to see if I'm right.

[EternalOptimist]

How is Brewsters bum?

The vet shoved it back in then stitched it inside to the wall of her abdomen. Then he put a butterfly stitch in her cat-anus, she came home after a couple of days.
She is back on the soft foods and lactulose (sp?) which make her fart. The stench is unbearable. When I complained about the farting, the missus gave me a funny look then said something that I didnt quite catch. 'book is walking' or 'flook is balking' - something like that anyway

I gotta get me some of that Lactulose.

[Pogle]

The vet shoved it back in then stitched it inside to the wall of her abdomen. Then he put a butterfly stitch in her cat-anus, she came home after a couple of days.
She is back on the soft foods and lactulose (sp?) which make her fart. The stench is unbearable. When I complained about the farting, the missus gave me a funny look then said something that I didnt quite catch. 'book is walking' or 'flook is balking' - something like that anyway

I gotta get me some of that Lactulose.

Or Pot, Kettle, Black

[BrowneIssue]

A healthy cat in the prime of its life could cope as it has exceptionally strong muscles, tendons and ligaments which it uses to absorb the impact; cats will instinctively turn to land on all four paws, with most of their weight on the hind legs where they have the most muscle mass.

When I was ickle, my big bruvva showed me the correct way to throw a cat.

You pick it up one handed with your hand under its ribcage / tummy. Then lift your arm very fast and at the last moment pull your hand back (with fingers bent) so as to get the cat spinning fast.

The cat will stick its legs out rigidly in an attempt to do something when it lands. That's the amusing bit. This ensures that when the spinning cat hits the ground, it won't be getting up in a rush. Not with a maximum of three functional legs, anyway. That's the non-amusing bit.

NB: I only attended the lecture; I have never attempted to reproduce the experiment.

[Pogle]

When I was ickle, my big bruvva showed me the correct way to throw a cat.

You pick it up one handed with your hand under its ribcage / tummy. Then lift your arm very fast and at the last moment pull your hand back (with fingers bent) so as to get the cat spinning fast.

The cat will stick its legs out rigidly in an attempt to do something when it lands. That's the amusing bit. This ensures that when the spinning cat hits the ground, it won't be getting up in a rush. Not with a maximum of three functional legs, anyway. That's the non-amusing bit.

NB: I only attended the lecture; I have never attempted to reproduce the experiment.

Did he grow up to be a psychopath?

[expat]

If you drop a cat or a guinea pig from the fifth floor it probably won’t die as it’s terminal velocity is much lower than that of a human and insufficient to kill it as long as it lands on its legs. It may well have sore legs for a while though, and I’m not suggesting people throw cats or guinea pigs out of windows. Save that treatment for uppity project managers and agents.

You can drop a mouse down a thirty-yard mine shaft, and on arriving at the bottom, it gets a slight shock and walks away - a rat is killed, a man broken, and a horse splashes.

-- JBS Haldane

[EternalOptimist]

Is Shrodinger coming into this soon?

damn that lizard. trumped me again

[BrowneIssue]

Did he grow up to be a psychopath?

He joined the Armed Forces. So, yes, I suppose.

[Menelaus]

He joined the Armed Forces. So, yes, I suppose.

Oi! Not all service personnel are psychopaths.

Some of us left the services well-adjusted. Now, excuse me whilst I have this session of sitting in the corner with my nervous twitch.

[BrowneIssue]

Is Shrodinger coming into this soon?

Damn! You had to ask the question. Now the uncertainty has collapsed.

He might have been, had you not asked.