I want to start out by saying this is PURELY a thought experiement. The idea of actually doing this to cats (or any animal, I think would be too cruel to ever really try).
So, I have a kitten. I make a harness that fits the kitten comfortably, over its torso. I attach helium balloons to it, so the kitten experiences simulated micro gravity. As it grows, I attach more balloons, to keep its weight next to nothing.
I raise it in a room lined with carpeted walls and floor, so that it can grip with its claws where ever it lands. It gets plenty of healthy food and lovng care.
As it grows, I expect it will get long, spindly legs, a response to normal growth patterns, in a limited gravity environment.
Once it is approaching maturity, I begin to gradually decrease the lift provided by the balloons, so that it can grow bone and muscle mass to accomodate its gradually increasing weight.
Would I wind up with a “spider cat” (long gangle legs) or what?
Remember, this is JUST a thought experiement… I would NEVER actually do this…
IANA Physicist, but gravity’s not something that only kicks in when you’re in contact with the floor. I suspect although this kitten wouldn’t get the same muscle mass as a ground-bound cat, its bones wouldn’t grown any longer than the average moggie’s. The strength training would be missing, but the bones are still subject to one gee even while floating.
Daerlyn’s trying to say your legs only grow a certain length, contrary to popular opinion where they grow long enough to touch the ground. Sure your cat will get spindly legs, but they’ll be the same length as if it could walk normally.
Also, it would never work. The kitten would pop a balloon within an hour, which would hilariously scare the shit out of it and it would pop the rest of them.
Already did it, albeit with a puppy. We almost got him completely airborne before Lisa stopped us. But he was skipping around the room very lightly there for a bit.
Thanks EvilTOJ. I think sometimes when I don’t understand something I’m trying to explain properly, the explanation gets more confusing as I try to enlighten myself.
One of the PETA claims I read about veal a while back is that the calves were raised in slings, with their legs unable to touch the ground, to limit their muscular development. Assuming that’s true (not always a good assumption when PETA is your source), I’d think the “spider calf” would have been observed if it were present.
This is not a new idea either. A kitten is strung up from helium balloons by a bratty kid as a science experiment in the book Tammy, Tell Me True by Cid Ricketts Sumner. The book was published in 1959.
They made a nauseating movie about it with Sandra Dee and John Gavin. I don’t remember the flying kitten part though.
