Thunderstorms and Your Cat

Have you seen your cat run and hide under a bed or in another secluded place, like a closet, basement, or dark, unused room when it’s thundering and lightning outside? Cats often experience fear and anxiety from thunderstorms or fireworks because both present unexpected lights and sounds that they can’t understand. Because they are predators by nature, they do their best to avoid showing signs of weakness or fear, and hiding is the best indication of their discomfort with a situation. It’s important to think in advance of ways to relax your cat during thunderstorms, so be sure to talk to us right away if you have an anxious cat. Thunderstorm season is here right now, so if your cat is disappearing during these weather events, ask us for advice today. 

Allergies and Cats

Allergies make us miserable…headaches, runny noses, sneezing. But with our cats, it’s different. They experience itchy skin, uncomfortable rashes, and even earaches. During the fall, your cat may develop seasonal allergies, and for some they might be more severe than in the spring or summer season. If your cat has seasonal allergies, be sure to get them medical attention right away, so their uncomfortable symptoms can be relieved. 

Hot Weather and Cats

During hot weather, it’s important to think about your inside pets, such as cats! When your air conditioning stops working, or when your power goes out, remember that your indoor cat may become just as overheated as you or your other pets. Watch for signs of discomfort such as panting, anxiety often characterized by pacing, respiratory distress or hyperventilation evidenced by heavy breathing, or lethargy. Some options to cool your pet are to wrap a cold compress (a bag of frozen peas works great) in a towel and place it in your cat’s bed, or wipe them down with a cool wet towel. If their symptoms worsen, you may want to see medical help from us.