How Does Rain Affect Cats?

It’s raining, it’s pouring – do rainy days affect your mood? Will you say yay or nay? Some people hate rain, while others love it. Typically, most people dislike rain because it hinders a lot of things they have planned. It’s undeniable that rain can affect humans in different ways – mood and outdoor activities are the obvious effects, and the same goes for animals, of course.

Although cats may not show their fears in quite the same way as dogs, they may still become extremely anxious during a rainy day. As a cat person, it’s important to understand your cat’s behaviour and the reasons behind them. Better understanding, better relationship. Let’s figure out how rain can affect your feline friend!

Water Aversion

Do rainy days make your kitty-cat purr like a champ? No, rainy days generally do not make cats just happy as sunshine. They generally prefer staying inside rather than getting into an uncomfortable situation such as walking under heavy rain. The most obvious reason is most of the cats don’t like water. According to Petful, there are several reasons why some cats may dislike water. One is that the cat’s top fur is water resistant, and it can become waterlogged when she gets soaked.

If this happens, she is weighed down and it will make her uncomfortable as her agility is greatly compromised. Just like humans, cats don’t like getting wet when it’s cold outside. At the same time, the cat’s fur is effective in insulation both from the cold and the heat. For that reason, she will lose body heat to the extent that she becomes hypothermic when her fur becomes waterlogged, according to New Scientist.

In addition, a cat’s sense of smell is very sensitive compared to humans. Her sense of smell is finely honed to detect the difference between earthy natural water and chemical-laden water from the faucet. The odour of tap water probably is a turn-off and makes her hate getting wet.

Fear Of Thunder

When Mother Nature displays a light and sound show, cats are the ones who end up hiding. Thunderstorms can be very unsettling for most of the cats. Generally, cats tend to hide under beds or in cabinets until the storm passes. Crashing thunder, pelting rain and streaks of lightning can make our cats anxious. It’s common for a cat to be afraid of loud noises, especially thunder. This is due to her amazingly sensitive hearing ability.

The highest pitched noise she can hear is up to 65 kHz, which is almost two octaves higher than humans. Typically, loud noises will scare cats, and it all depends on each individual cat. Common ‘scary’ noises for cats are vacuum cleaners and thunderstorms. A cat suffering from a substantial fear of loud noises may start to display anxious behaviour before the thunder begins. The sound of raindrops on the roof, bright flashes of light or even the drop in air pressure may be enough to trigger anxiety.

In addition, walking in wet grass constantly stimulates the long whiskers on her paws and disrupts her athletic moves – that’s why your cat doesn’t enjoy going outside during a rainy day! All the above factors will lead to a cat’s natural avoidance of rainy days.

How To Calm Your Cat

Is your feline friend scared of storms? Here’s how to soothe your cat when thunder rolls in. The owner’s attitude is the key as cats pick up on their human’s energy. If you are anxious about the oncoming storm, your cat will sense that and she will get nervous and stressed, too. Keep in mind that staying calm will help your feline friend feel safe. Thus, it’s important to try your best to stay calm during a stormy, rainy day.

You can comfort and play with her to distract from the noise of thunder. Check out these games! Provide a cozy hideaway for your cat if she prefers to hide. Cats, in general, will run under a bed or under a chair to escape loud noises. It’s a natural instinct for them to take shelter in a storm. If your cat has not already picked out a place, provide one to make sure she has a safe place to seek refuge.