Perhaps but I view our cats as gravity skeptics. They are constantly testing gravity to see if it still works. Typically by pushing items off counters and desks.
The last time I saw tigers, the announcer was explaining that they had to be careful, because the big male in particular was willing and able to climb high enough to hurt himself coming down.
Tigers are much bigger, much heavier, much more volume/length compared to house cats
There’s still the matter that they chose to jump off the roof rather than going back in via the open window via which they got out onto the roof in the first place, and which window they do in fact routinely go in when they feel like it. At most, they’re saving themselves the trouble of meowing at the door and waiting for an ambulatory pair of enslaved opposable thumbs to open it.
Just had this great image, worthy of Bosch (something like https://my3place.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/js_after_bosch___hell__detail-3.jpg).
I recently have become aware of an extraordinary document, perhaps unique in all cat studies as a whole, and particularly to the OP: Imgur: The magic of the Internet
Indeed, when considered with the well known anecdotes of Newton and his cat Diamond the answer seems clear.
Further inquiry continues among the OP analytical subcommittee here, beginning at post #14: Physicists: What makes sense on this gigantic blackboard, and how much holds together topically? - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board
Yes, exactly.
Ours will turn and look at us expectantly when we turn the pointer off. They appear to realize that we are moving it about.
Our Friend, artist Robin Wood, is convinced that Cats understand gravity perfectly, and has written a book about it, The Theory of Cat Gravity:
http://www.robinwood.com/Catalog/Books/BookPages/CGBBook.html