or multiple sclerosis. infectious diseases such as lyme disease and meningitis can also cause vertigo. righting reflex in animals as a cat falls, it turns its head, rotates its spine, and aligns its hindquarters to land on its feet. this motion, coupled with free fall, creates a net zero angular momentum. the righting reflex is not exclusive to humans. a well-known righting reflex in cats allows them to land on their feet after a fall. as a cat falls, it turns its head, rotates its spine, aligns its hindquarters, and arches its back to minimize injury. the cat reaches free fall to accomplish this, which is much lower than that of humans, and they are able to hit the ground in a relaxed body form to prevent serious injury. bats, however, have a unique vestibular system anatomy. their balance system, at an orientation 180 degrees opposite to that of humans, allows them to perform powerful feats of flight while hunting in the dark. this ability couples vestibular function with sensory echolocation to hunt prey. however, they lack a righting reflex similar to most mammals. when exposed to zero-g, bats do not undergo the series of righting reflexes that most mammals do to correct orientation because they are accustomed to resting upside-down.