By video, Cat leaps from a burning building's fifth floor, bounces, and walks away.

 

On Thursday, a Chicago cat used up at least one of its nine lives by leaping from the fifth floor of a burning building, bouncing off the ground, and casually walking away.

When the feline made its great escape, firefighters were attending a small fire in the city's Englewood neighborhood and filming the building's exterior.

A black cat was seen launching itself out of the building and landing in an impressive way.

During the jump, the crowds could be heard gasping and reacting with relief when the cat walked away.

"A cat that jumped from a burning building at 65th and Lowe. The cat landed on the grass, bounced, and walked away! "The city's fire department posted a video of the incident to Twitter.

For centuries, scientists have been perplexed by the old adage that cats always land on their feet, and the exact mechanics of the animal's righting reflex remain unknown.

However, a set of photographs taken in 1894 by French scientist Étienne-Jules Marey helped to explain how cats twist their bodies in the air to land upright.