It is summertime, friends. Along with summer comes longer and hotter days, and don’t forget the sometimes scary storms in the evenings that can often come on unannounced. While a storm in the afternoons may bring some much needed relief from the hot suns, our dear little pets may not see it that way. A lot of cats and dogs are, in fact, terrified of the noise of loud, clapping thunder. Unfortunately, there are times when you cannot be there for your startled little fur baby to curl up closely beside you during a storm. Take note though that there are quite a few ways to make sure your furry friend has a more calming atmosphere and state of mind if you are home or away.
If you are home, then let your cat or dog come inside (if they are outdoors mostly). Be close to your pet, so they will know that they have you to depend on in case of a fright. Make sure that you try to keep the visual of the storm to a minimum by closing the blinds and such. Having soothing music or the television turned on can also be a help to drown out the loud horrible noise of thunder. You could even turn to aromatherapy. That’s right aromatherapy with incense works for pets as well as their humans. In fact, I buy bulk herbal incense to keep around in the event of a storm. I know that I’ll always have some calming fragrances available for my pups.
Give your cat or dog a refuge from the storm. Pets want to feel secure, and the best place to them would be a small enclosed space that will allow them to curl up with comforting things. If you do not want them to have to seek a place for themselves, then create a little sanctuary in a crate. Add in their favorite cozy beds or blankets with a couple of their favorite toys, and they should fin the place to be a safe haven.
If you have a warning of an approaching storm, then make sure that your critters have plenty of time before the storm to go potty outside. When I am home and know that a storm could be arriving soon, I will take my two dogs out for an extended period of time to make sure that they have had plenty of time to get everything out. during the storm they will not want to go outside and neither will I.
Following the above tips will help you and your pets to feel better in the event of a summer storm.
I always feel so bad for my two furbabies when a storm is coming and I am not home. I’m sure they are okay, but it is tough to think about. Usually if I am there, they are pretty calm, but I’ve seen some dogs break windows to escape the house during a storm.
I definitely need to try the aromatherapy. I feel like I have tried everything to get my yorkie to be calm when it thunders out, but she is just so timid it breaks my heart.