A German cat may have used up one of his nine lives recently as he came out unscathed following the collapse of a local building in the city of Cologne.

 

According to the Cologne fire brigade, the feline named Felix, was found alive and well on April 7th, among the rubble of a six-storey building that had came tumbling down a whole five weeks earlier.  The huge archive building crashed to the ground around 2pm local time, taking down two nearby buildings with it.  There had been no signs of decay, and officials claim that there had been no construction work nearby that would have compromised the building's integrity.  Staff had been warned by loud groaning and creaking noises that made them evacuate the building just in time, but obviously, no-one grabbed the kitty on their way out. 

 

Surprisingly, Felix aged 12, was in very good health considering that the city archives building that he was found under had collapsed to the ground back on March 3rd.  The lucky animal was saved after rescue workers who were clearing away the rubble from the building’s ruins suddenly came across a pair of small paws, which of course belonged to Felix.

 

"The men lifted some concrete blocks when suddenly a little cat came to light," said Dietmar Paust, a Cologne fire brigade spokesman.

 

While Felix survived the horrifying accident, two people unfortunately lost their lives in the tragedy.

 

 

Cats can often walk away from these accidents because of their small size and low body weight. They are very agile and flexible, and able to fit into tight spaces.  (If a human was to try the equivalent we would have to either be a world famous contortionist, or dislocate several bones in our bodies.)

Cats also have a very keen sense of balance which allows them to adjust their bodies in mid air and usually land on their feet.  It is this ability which allows them to survive long falls, as the jolt from landing is absorbed by all four of their legs.   Unlike us badly designed humans who instinctively tighten our muscles in panic when falling, cats bend theirs when they land. Their falls are then cushioned as the impact is spread and softened through their bones and muscles, rather than causing a bone-breaking jolt.

While Felix's ability to fit into a cramped space was obviously partly to thank for his survival, it is unclear how he managed to stay alive for five weeks without a source of food or water.  Cats can sleep for up to 20 hours a day, letting them conserve a lot of energy,  but they need to at least every three days or so in order to avoid liver damage.

Perhaps cats really do have nine lives, and in Felix's case, I am sure he used up more than one of his to endure his tough time buried alive.