Why do people say cats have nine lives?

Quick Answer

Cats survive falls and scrapes remarkably well thanks to agility and a righting reflex, and the number nine carried ancient mystical meaning.

The Full Story

Cats have a flexible spine, no fixed collarbone and a righting reflex that lets them twist in mid-air to land feet first. Watching them escape danger again and again led people to joke they had many lives. The number nine was seen as lucky or sacred in several ancient cultures, making it a natural choice for the saying. The idea was already familiar in Shakespeare's time: in Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio calls Tybalt the 'king of cats' and threatens one of his nine lives.

Key Facts

1.In many Spanish-speaking countries, cats are said to have seven lives.

2.In Arabic and Turkish folklore, cats are often said to have six or seven lives.

3.A cat's righting reflex develops at around 3–4 weeks of age.

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