[digsapony]

We've had Huey for almost a week and he's 10 weeks old. Yesterday there was a huge thunderstorm with loud rolls of thunder, fork lightening and very heavy rain. Huey was woken up by the noise but didn't seem particularly bothered by it. Today there is mild thunder in the distance but he's sleeping like a baby in his usual spot under the sofa.

I'd heard that cats are scared of thunder and was trying to be supportive yesterday by lying on the floor next to the sofa and talking to him (he seems to find my voice soothing), but he didn't really need it. Just out of curiosity, is this a big assumption on my part or are most cats scared of thunder?

 

[Dicesmom]

My cat isn't. he sleeps right through them. Now fireworks are a different story! I think most do find through them.

 

[bkitty]

If they happen at nite I have PuddyWoW & Methos who will want under the covers so the thunder monsters won't eat them. The rest of the crew really doesn't care.

 

[yingying]

The top one item on my Meatball's "scary things" list is thunder! Whenever there is a thunderstorm, she runs around the house like a headless chicken. Me trying to comfort her is of no use, because she is too busy running. We had a major thunderstorm here last week, and Meatball was so scared that she hid inside kitchen cabinet. (Now hiding may look like a normal thing to some ppl's cat, but not Meatball. She never hide from anything before.)

My other cat Metoo, is not afraid of thunder at all. She slept through the thunderstorm as if she cannot hear anything

 

[Ritzpg]

If the thunder/lightening startles me and Ritz is on my lap, then, yeah, she is afraid.
If it is a normal type of thunderstorm, she is a little nervous but doesn't run under the bed. I live on the top floor and can hear the rain on my roof: very soothing to me, not quite as soothing to Ritz. She does not like wind very much, regardless of when it occurs, I think it has to do with the sound and movement of the trees and a loose gutter (I live in a condo). I love love love t-storms, and make a point of remaining calm when there is a storm.

 

[Nan]

Mine aren't. unless it is a really huge thunderclap that makes me jump too.

 

[Dave_ph]

Mia is a Siamese so she's too smart to be scared of thundestorms but Fay and Boots (AKA Buddha, Mr B., Buddy) are terrified of thunderstorms. They're also scared by fireworks.

Have I mentioned how much I hate fireworks, today?

 

[Tutubean]

yep. she gets angsty when they start, and once the first BoomBoom comes she goes searching for a safe place, usually a closet.

even her mommy is no comfort. though I try to sweet talk her and hold her during the start of the storm, apparently I'm no match for a BoomBoom.

 

[MowMow]

MowMow - Yes.

Book - I don't know, haven't had a thunderstorm yet. He is afraid of fireworks though.

 

[CJinCA]

We don't have many thunderstorms here, but the last one, Squeek bellycrawled to the closet and stayed there until it was over. Lickorish didn't seem bothered at all.

 

[jusjim]

I don't think so. I believe the reason Missy joins me under the bed when there is thunder is to comfort me.

OK! We haven't had a severe thunderstorm for while. She does get alerted when there are fireworks, but not really scared. I do know that many dogs are quite scared of both thunder and fireworks.

A lot of how companion animals react to strange noise seems depend on how their caregivers react.

Perhaps chasing a spooked animal around may add to their discomfort. Is it possible that they note the effect loud noise has on you and they think something is up. If there's a loud, unexplained noise around my house and Missy raises her head and stiffens, I calmly tell her to relax because everything is all right. Then I lean back in my chair and worry about what may have caused the noise.

I've heard that dog trainers say not to shout at dogs when they bark because the dogs think you're joining in.

 

[Goldtanker]

I have been in the garage with Midnight, the wild cat, during some large storms and he is not worried - except for getting wet in the downpours.

A truly amazing example of an animal adapting to noise is this guy.

We picked him up in CuChi at the base camp and he rode with us in the jungles of TayNinh Province for about three weeks until he left us for the woods. Just the noise of the tank at idle is enough to scare any animal, but the shock of the main gun firing and the noise all around during a battle (he was with us at Nui Ba Dinn), and the trees crashing all around during the daily routine of smashing through the jungle- That was some rabbit.

Don't know if it was the noise or the C-Rations that drove him away but he left us in the jungles of War Zone C.

 

[GhostTown]

No, my cats are not afraid of thunderstorms.






My dog is though.

 

[spotty cats]

No afraid of thunder (or fireworks) here.

 

[Janz]

My two cats are not afraid of thunder or fireworks.