Teacher faces online backlash for repeatedly dropping cat during physics class

Teacher attempts to show how natural balancing system of cats allows them to reorient themselves on falling from height

A teacher in Taiwan has apologised following backlash for repeatedly dropping his pet cat onto the floor in a bid to demonstrate a physics principle during a class.

The teacher, Lee Feng, was recorded by one of his students dropping his cat Laifu onto the hard floor as he tried to demonstrate the physics principle of “conservation of angular momentum” which says it is impossible for an object to not spin without any external forces or torques.

But cats can defy the principle and land on their feet without coming in contact with any external forces, like a wall, to spin and land safely.

Mr Lee was attempting to show how cats have a natural balancing system that allows them to reorient themselves. It is because the cats have extremely flexible spines allowing them to twist and bend their bodies mid-air.

The video posted on Facebook on 5 March showed the teacher holding the cat upside down, grabbing its legs and letting it fall onto the ground.

“It is fine to do this with a cat but we cannot do it with a dog,” Mr Lee told his students in the video. The cat let out a hiss as it hit the ground.

The video went viral on social media and many people lashed out at the teacher for his insensitive demonstration and for setting a bad example for his students.

“Shouldn’t being a teacher teach children to love and respect life? This was such a bad demonstration,” a user commented.

“So, people like this can be teachers?” another said.

“You are a cat abuser. You are teaching students to do bad things,” another outraged user said.

Mr Lee has since apologised and said he took Laifu for a veterinary checkup realising it could have caused it mental distress.

“As the owner of Laifu, I ignored the physical and mental harm to it brought by the experiment. As a teacher, I behaved controversially without considering that it would have a potential negative impact on my students and others,” he said in a Facebook post.

He said he adopted the cat from a charity and it sleeps with him on the bed, in apparent bid to show his love and care towards the cat.

He said he has donated NT$50,000 (£1,234) to the Taiwan Homeless Animal Rescue Association to make up for his inappropriate actions.

“I will buy you the best feline food to show how sorry I am,” he said, referring to the cat and hoping that it forgives him.