Final answer:
A casting error occurs in downcasting when an object is cast to a subclass to which it does not actually belong, resulting in an unsuccessful cast attempt.
Step-by-step explanation:
When downcasting, a casting error results in cast attempts that are not possible - where objects are not related. Downcasting refers to the casting of an object to a type that is a specific subclass of the object's current class. If the object is not actually an instance of the class or a subclass that is being cast to, this results in a casting error. This is different from an upcast, which is always allowed because it casts to a superclass and is guaranteed to be safe. Polymorphism allows objects to be treated as instances of their superclass rather than their actual class.