Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cats

Do you have a scaredy cat? 6 effective ways to calm your kitty during a storm

Paige Cerulli
By

Chances are that during a thunderstorm, a dog will be anxious and upset. But are cats scared of thunderstorms? Your cat won’t make a noise like some dogs do during a storm, and probably won’t tremble and cling to your side until the storm is over. But that doesn’t mean your feline friend isn’t afraid of the storm. If your cat is anxious about thunder and lightning, there are steps you can take to reassure and help your kitty to relax, even a little, while you wait for the storm to pass.

Do thunderstorms bother cats?

Are cats scared of thunder? In many cases, yes. According to Fear Free Happy Homes, cats don’t always appreciate the lightning as well as the thunder that comes with storms. Cats may react to the pressure changes and electrical discharges that occur in a storm. The loud sounds of wind and rain can also unsettle a cat.

Scared cat hiding underneath a blanket
black panther/Pixabay

Are cats okay with thunder and lightning?

Tipp City Veterinary Hospital notes that thunderstorms can be very unsettling to cats. A cat may be as upset as a dog during a thunderstorm but show it differently.

Recommended Videos

Dogs tend to bark and whine during thunderstorms, but cats may have more subtle reactions to thunder and lightning. Cats might become increasingly clingy or restless, and some cats may pace. It’s also possible that your cat will simply hide until the storm is over, and unless you see him go into hiding, you might not be aware that anything is wrong.

Scared cat sitting on a couch hiding under a blanket
Image used with permission by copyright holder

How can you calm a cat during a thunderstorm?

  • To help keep your cat calm in a storm, make sure your cat is indoors when the storm arrives. You don’t want your cat stuck outdoors in a storm, especially if you’re in an area where there are tornadoes and you might need to get yourself and your cat to safety.
  • If your cat typically gets anxious, check to make sure your nervous energy isn’t contributing to the problem. Cats often pick up on our energy, so focus on keeping calm. If you need to prepare for a storm, including closing windows and bringing yard furniture indoors, do it early on so you won’t be rushing around at the last minute.
  • Consider an anxiety aid. You can try using Rescue Remedy on your cat. Rescue Remedy is designed to help both humans and pets cope with fear, and the cat version is made without alcohol. It’s easy to use; just put a drop on your cat’s head.
  • You can also support your cat with a calming wrap, like a Thundershirt. Thundershirts can help pets feel safe and secure, but make sure you try one out before a storm so you’re ready to put it on your cat quickly.
  • Allow your cat to hide if they want to. This is your cat’s way of keeping safe. They might want to hide in a closet or under a bed, while some cats prefer a basement, where the sound of a storm is often dulled. Make sure to give your cat access to these spaces during a storm.
  • Some cats will try to cuddle or will look to you for reassurance. Be sure to give your cat that reassurance. He might decide that he’s the safest right next to you throughout the storm. If that’s the case, settle down with a book, pat your cat gently, and wait out the storm together.

Storms generally aren’t fun for humans or pets, but you can help your cat to get through them. Cats react differently to storms, and your cat might need different types of support than other cats do.

One of the best ways to ensure you’re giving your cat the support needed is to watch how he’s trying to navigate the storm. Some cats may take off and hide alone, while others tend to be more social and needy when they’re scared. The more you know about your cat’s typical behavior and body language, the better you’ll be able to tell how he’s feeling. It might take some trial and error before you figure out what your cat needs most, but with a little patience and effort, you can make thunderstorms easier for him.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Paige Cerulli
Paige Cerulli
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Paige's work has appeared in American Veterinarian, Business Insider, Healthline, and more. When she's not writing, Paige…
This video of a confused kitty discovering a cat water fountain is adorable
Your feline might actually prefer a cat water fountain if you can teach her how to use it
A tiny gray kitten drinks from a ceramic plate

Humans see water fountains just about every day, but that doesn't mean our pets understand them. In the wild, most animals probably drink running water but are unlikely to approach a waterfall for their liquid needs (and let's not forget, many of our pets' undomesticated counterparts get most of their hydration needs from food). But what happens when a kitten does discover a cat water fountain and wants to take a sip? This baby cat shows us in a video entitled "She can play for a day."

It opens with a tiny gray kitten putting her little paws up to an equally tiny water fountain. She spends some seconds examining it before diving in to attempt a drink only to be surprised by the splashiness. So kitten takes a different approach: standing up on the edges of the fountain to get at the water from the top. Kitty gets in a few licks until her paw winds up in the water — needless to say, the little fuzzball does not like that. The video ends with the gray cat shaking off her now slightly damp paws and giving up (we suspect she has a real water dish somewhere else).

Read more
Why doesn’t my cat meow? Here are 5 reasons why your feline friend is silent
Physical and mental reasons why a cat suddenly stops meowing
Bengal cat lying down, looking at the camera

It's not exactly news that cats communicate with humans by meowing, In fact, you may have already learned to recognize what each of your cat's meows means. If your cat stops meowing, though, you might have a problem.
Some causes of this odd change are normal and harmless -- and some will even resolve quickly -- but there are also potential causes that can be much more serious. This is why it's important to get your vet involved early on. If you're wondering "why doesn't my cat meow?" you'll want to get to the bottom of the issue to determine whether your cat needs additional help.

Why doesn't my cat meow? Emotional upset could be the cause
If you think that "my cat doesn't meow," it might be because they're stressed or upset. If your cat is experiencing significant change, like having just moved into a new home, they may be staying quiet out of fear. The same is true if you've recently brought a new pet home. Your cat may be trying to avoid the new pet and any resulting fights that could occur if they meow and make noise. Alternatively, something like the loss of a companion or a recent illness could cause a kitty to feel shut down and quiet.

Read more
Is your cat hissing and growling a lot? These 5 tips will work wonders on your feline friend
Follow these tips if your cat is constantly hissing and growling
Tiger cat outdoors hissing

Understanding pet behavior can be a challenge, and if you see your cat hissing and growling, knowing what to do can help you deal with it and calm them down. Growling and hissing are natural behaviors for your cat. They're communicating to you that something is wrong. It's up to you to determine what's going on so you can take the right steps to address the issue and help your cat feel better. In turn, the behaviors should stop, and both you and your kitty should feel happier. If your cat is hissing and growling, put these tips to use to help fix the problem.

Try to identify the cause of the cat's hissing and growling
It's uncommon to see a cat hissing and growling for no reason. Usually, they are prompted by some sort of issue or change in a cat's environment. If you can identify this issue, then you can take steps to make your cat feel safe and stop the hissing and growling.

Read more