There seems to be no reason nor rhyme in how the creature jumps. (while there is feedback it doesn't seem to line up with 'reality')
There is a really simple ruleset for the jumps. The creature jumps towards the cursor and the further away it is, the bigger the jump. And then if the creature isn't standing, the strength of the jump is way less.
I'm guessing the bigger issue here is me being way too subtle on guiding the player. I was going for just bare necessities and trying to leave quite a lot for the player to figure out by themselves. For sure, that style isn't for everyone. Especially so in the more casual, instant gratification driven browser based games market.