Our cat knew storm was coming.yesterday

My cat found my cancer before anyone knew.

I, too, have had several cats over the years - none now sadly.
Apartment living not compatible and I don't want to keep a cat in all the time. Anyway - I think my cats knew things by watching body language minutely. They knew flea treatment was imminent just by the way I looked at them. I recommend bribery with tuna and while they are thus occupied, put the gloves on, grab and administer. Even so - it didn't always work.

That's the cat not DD.

Would love to hear more of your cat, Craftycat, as ours is antisocial, even with us at times, though she sometimes fawns on DH, and loathes the GC, though DGS 2 ( 22months) is so excited when he sees her that he looks likely to explode. I thought cat was inside when we had that awful storm ( I thought the house was going to float away, DD 10 miles South didn't have anything like as bad) but she wasn't. I tried to dry her but she was having none of it and dripped copiously round the house, swearing about me under her breath.

When I was small our cat allways hid under my mothers mangle tray it was a sign either it was a storm coming or the coal man it never failed to be one of the two!

I have a cat that is difficult to get near to - how do you get on with putting on flea treatment? I find it a nightmare!

I was sitting cuddling my DGD with thunder rumbling in the distance, when a flash of lightening was following immediately by a crack of thunder overhead. I nearly jumped out of the chair and my poor GD look petrified, but luckily I didn't make her cry. Could have done with a cat to give me some warning.

Nothing surprises me about cats and what they know.
During WW2, my mum's family had a black cat named Peggy. Just an ordinary, average moggy, who was very affectionate with the family, but hated strangers.
However, at times, she would walk up and down their road loudly howling, walking in and out of neighbours houses if their door was open and howling at them. Then she'd go back to her own house and howl at the family until they followed her down into the cellar. Every time she did this there was an air raid, but Peggy gave the warning at least half an hour before the sirens went.
On one occasion a bomb fell on the Manor house at the top of the road, but the family had been safely tucked up in the Anderson shelter at the far end of their garden for an hour by then, due to the early warning from Peggy!
After the war she reverted to hating strangers, and never went near any of the neighbours again, despite living to the age of 18!

Some years ago my then cat was in the kitchen when she started jumping in the air as though the floor was hot. Fifteen minutes later the floor shook and the crockery in the cupboard rattled. It was a mini earthquake.
We used to go down to our caravan for the weekend on Fridays. Our cat would sit near the car all day even before we were making preparations.

We've had quite a few cats over the years and the most amazing thing I found they all did was the day we went on holiday they went round to our neighbours back door for their food on the first night and every morning and evening thereafter. The day we arrived home, they were all sitting on the doorstep waiting for us as we drove up in the car. How did they know? That's one of the mysteries of having cats and we love them for it.

I lived in Canada when a teenager and we had a St.Bernard. She always gave us a day or two's warning when the snow was coming. She became a completely different dog - jumping around and acting like an over excited puppy. I always think it is a bit sad when snow loving dogs are kept in countries which don't usually get snow because they really love it.

Birds often head for the trees before a storm.

I have not seen it before it in cats but it does not surprise me. If there is a lot of static electricity in the air I am sure it must affect them, even if it's just making their fur stand on end.
When I was very small I often used to feel really yucky just before it thundered.

I reckon cats are VERY intelligent. I've lived with a lot of different animals all my life and they have all been very communicative in lots of different ways. Humans do not give them enough credit. The storm thing was probably a major change in barometric pressure. All good wishes

Yes-she did it again yesterday which was a tiny storm in comparison to the day before! I think she was totally freaked out by the experience of the previous day. She is nearly 10 & has never done this before but then we have never had a storm like that either.
I was so pleased that she came in to sit near to me as she is not a cat you can get close to at all. We have tried everything but she is terrified of people- even us & we've had her from a kitten- her brother is fine.

Craftycat I agree that cats do know. Mine is usually out from the time I surface until after 8pm each day but yesterday when I arrived home before 6pm Tara was fast asleep on my computer chair. I have no idea how long she had been asleep. She I think feels safe in her own home. We only had less than 5 minutes of heavy rain yesterday.

Luckily we missed yesterday's storm. Our cats always know when there is one on the way. Even impending rain makes them really skitty. Cats are very clever aren't they.

I think I once read that animals are more in tune with nature and notice drops in air pressure,temperature, etc.
Nothing here much, just a few thunder rumbles, so missed it.

Animals do seem to have a sixth sense about such things so yes do take notice if your animals behave strangly you never know what they are trying to tell you.