Kitty weather forecasts

[Bobcat]

Of all the cats who've ever owned us, Martha our er, full-figured tortie is
the most afraid of thunder storms. She senses them long before they arrive,
and dives for her basement "bomb shelter" - a dark, quiet nook under my
workbench where I've left a chair cushion for her. She's more accurate than
the official weather forecasts, which makes me think that Environment Canada
should hire Martha part time. They could a detail to their local forecasts,
e.g.: : "The cat scan reading for the Toronto area indicates mid-afternoon
thunder storms..."

[Lucy's Mom]

On Sat, 30 Aug 2003 10:29:09 -0400, "Bobcat" >
wrote:

>Of all the cats who've ever owned us, Martha our er, full-figured tortie is
>the most afraid of thunder storms. She senses them long before they arrive,
>and dives for her basement "bomb shelter" - a dark, quiet nook under my
>workbench where I've left a chair cushion for her. She's more accurate than
>the official weather forecasts, which makes me think that Environment Canada
>should hire Martha part time. They could a detail to their local forecasts,
>e.g.: : "The cat scan reading for the Toronto area indicates mid-afternoon
>thunder storms..."
>

My Lucy, who interestingly is also a tortie, does the same thing.
It's erie, even if there are no storms forecast, if one's coming she
sits on the back of the couch where she can see out the west-facing
window. She ordinarily doesn't sit there, because the a/c vent blows
there and she doesn't like the breeze, I suppose. At the first sign
of storm, she either runs for my bed and gets underneath or hits the
floor and dives under the couch. Getting under the couch is a bit
tough for her but really enjoyable for me to watch her. She's a
little big to be getting under there but she just ducks her head and
keeps pushing with her hind legs until she pops under!

[Marina]

"Jo Firey" > wrote
> Some people can smell a thunderstorm coming often before you see it and
before a
> human can hear it. Should be pretty easy for cats.

My "little sister", Thompson (cat), would start slinking around with her
belly to the floor about half an hour before a thunder storm, then she would
vanish for the duration of the storm.

--
Marina

[Steve Touchstone]

On Sat, 30 Aug 2003 10:29:09 -0400, "Bobcat" >
wrote:

>Of all the cats who've ever owned us, Martha our er, full-figured tortie is
>the most afraid of thunder storms. She senses them long before they arrive,
>and dives for her basement "bomb shelter" - a dark, quiet nook under my
>workbench where I've left a chair cushion for her. She's more accurate than
>the official weather forecasts, which makes me think that Environment Canada
>should hire Martha part time. They could a detail to their local forecasts,
>e.g.: : "The cat scan reading for the Toronto area indicates mid-afternoon
>thunder storms..."
>

I don't remember who it was, but someone here once suggtested that it
may be that they can feel the change in pressure that comes with the
storm. Whatever it is, I also have a couple weather cats - more
accurate than the local TV channel. I used to let Little Bit out when
I went to work. She won't go out if it's going to rain, or get too
hot. And Sammy, who is scared of thundeerstorms, also hides well
before the storm arrives.

Of course I now have Rocky, and he's a total loss as far as weather
warnings go. Rocky lived as a feral, and weather doesn't bother him in
the least. As far as Little Bit and Sam are concerned, he just doesn't
act as a proper cat should. If it's hot and there's a mud puddle,
he'll lay in the mud - nevermind that he's mostly white and will this
be a muddy brown for several days. He'll sit in the middle of the lawn
and give himself a bath during a light rain, a kind of kitty shower.
Last night I let him inside for a little while, like I do most nights.
When he was ready to go, the fact that a storm had blown in didn't
faze him, he just wandered over to his favorite spot on the patio and
laid down, half in and half out of the rain.

[Bobcat]

"Steve Touchstone" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 30 Aug 2003 10:29:09 -0400, "Bobcat" >
> wrote:
>
> >Of all the cats who've ever owned us, Martha our er, full-figured tortie
is
> >the most afraid of thunder storms. She senses them long before they
arrive,
> >and dives for her basement "bomb shelter" - a dark, quiet nook under my
> >workbench where I've left a chair cushion for her. She's more accurate
than
> >the official weather forecasts, which makes me think that Environment
Canada
> >should hire Martha part time. They could a detail to their local
forecasts,
> >e.g.: : "The cat scan reading for the Toronto area indicates
mid-afternoon
> >thunder storms..."
> >
>
> I don't remember who it was, but someone here once suggtested that it
> may be that they can feel the change in pressure that comes with the
> storm. Whatever it is, I also have a couple weather cats - more
> accurate than the local TV channel. I used to let Little Bit out when
> I went to work. She won't go out if it's going to rain, or get too
> hot. And Sammy, who is scared of thundeerstorms, also hides well
> before the storm arrives.
>
> Of course I now have Rocky, and he's a total loss as far as weather
> warnings go. Rocky lived as a feral, and weather doesn't bother him in
> the least. As far as Little Bit and Sam are concerned, he just doesn't
> act as a proper cat should. If it's hot and there's a mud puddle,
> he'll lay in the mud - nevermind that he's mostly white and will this
> be a muddy brown for several days. He'll sit in the middle of the lawn
> and give himself a bath during a light rain, a kind of kitty shower.
> Last night I let him inside for a little while, like I do most nights.
> When he was ready to go, the fact that a storm had blown in didn't
> faze him, he just wandered over to his favorite spot on the patio and
> laid down, half in and half out of the rain.

Does Rocky book therapy sessions for fraidy-cats like Martha? She could use
some thunderstorm counselling from him. :>)
(She just jumped up beside the computer and looked at me and mewed her tiny
mew enquiringly - no kidding!)
Bobcat

[Steve Touchstone]

On Sat, 30 Aug 2003 16:08:26 -0400, "Bobcat" >
wrote:

>
>"Steve Touchstone" > wrote in message
...
>> On Sat, 30 Aug 2003 10:29:09 -0400, "Bobcat" >
>> wrote:
>>
>> >Of all the cats who've ever owned us, Martha our er, full-figured tortie
>is
>> >the most afraid of thunder storms. She senses them long before they
>arrive,
>> >and dives for her basement "bomb shelter" - a dark, quiet nook under my
>> >workbench where I've left a chair cushion for her. She's more accurate
>than
>> >the official weather forecasts, which makes me think that Environment
>Canada
>> >should hire Martha part time. They could a detail to their local
>forecasts,
>> >e.g.: : "The cat scan reading for the Toronto area indicates
>mid-afternoon
>> >thunder storms..."
>> >
>>
>> I don't remember who it was, but someone here once suggtested that it
>> may be that they can feel the change in pressure that comes with the
>> storm. Whatever it is, I also have a couple weather cats - more
>> accurate than the local TV channel. I used to let Little Bit out when
>> I went to work. She won't go out if it's going to rain, or get too
>> hot. And Sammy, who is scared of thundeerstorms, also hides well
>> before the storm arrives.
>>
>> Of course I now have Rocky, and he's a total loss as far as weather
>> warnings go. Rocky lived as a feral, and weather doesn't bother him in
>> the least. As far as Little Bit and Sam are concerned, he just doesn't
>> act as a proper cat should. If it's hot and there's a mud puddle,
>> he'll lay in the mud - nevermind that he's mostly white and will this
>> be a muddy brown for several days. He'll sit in the middle of the lawn
>> and give himself a bath during a light rain, a kind of kitty shower.
>> Last night I let him inside for a little while, like I do most nights.
>> When he was ready to go, the fact that a storm had blown in didn't
>> faze him, he just wandered over to his favorite spot on the patio and
>> laid down, half in and half out of the rain.
>
>Does Rocky book therapy sessions for fraidy-cats like Martha? She could use
>some thunderstorm counselling from him. :>)
>(She just jumped up beside the computer and looked at me and mewed her tiny
>mew enquiringly - no kidding!)
>Bobcat
>

'fraid not. He doesn't even offer any counseling to Sammy, who is
deathly afraid of thunder. He doesn't see anything wrong with coming
inside wet from sitting in the rain and headbutting the girls -
something Little Bit and Sammy definitely do NOT appreciate. He does
enjoy a brisk rubbing off to dry off with a hand towell, though ;-)

[Norm]

Quinn, feral from Florida, seems really scared of thunderstorms;
fortunately there have been few in NE-PA this summer and I think Quinn
was too young to get last summer Florida storms. Nyway I'm been an
observer of cats and thunder and whether they were feral or housecats.
Housecat Max simply went in undre the bedcovers. Quinn paid me the
ultimate compliment the first big storm here this summer - he came
running into the living room and hid under my legs! He knows how to tug
the heartstrings! Norm

--
Care about people's approval, and you will be their prisoner.
Tao Te Ching #9