I have found that there is a major difference between how animals experience thunder and lightning as opposed to fireworks (and other very loud sounds).
When it comes to the issue of how thunder and lightning effect animals, I have discovered that for some dogs (there is more on the feline perspective below-there’s most always a difference, you know :)), the problem is not just the noise that comes with thunder and lightening but also the static electricity that accompanies. You will likely be able to find other articles on the topic of thunder/lightening in regard to static electricity and dogs on the internet. But since this blog is specifically about providing the experience of the animals from their perspective, I am strictly relating here what the animals have said to me.
Jake, a dog whom I spoke with about why he would hide in the bathtub when a storm approached, described the experience as feeling like, “thousands of little prickly shards coming up from the ground into my paws and legs.†Going into the bathtub, “cuts off the feeling.†Jake went on to say, “I’m still nervous but the prickly shards stop coming up.†My own dog will also take this approach to escaping the, “prickly feeling,†which she has also described as “silver spikes.†Many dogs will move off of carpeting towards tile surfaces to get some relief. It is an extremely uncomfortable sensation for them and it is understandable that they will do anything to get away.
Cats, on the other hand, describe something very different. I was shown what looks like an energetic ball that surrounds a cat by Tiffany, a long-haired Persian. Tiffany provided me a feeling of her energy being pulled up from her paws and from the ground so that she is more “up in (her) body. “I am afraid of the noises, though,†Tiffany explained. When I asked if all cats have this ability to avoid the feeling of the static, I was told by Lynx, a tiger cat, “some are just more sensitive than others, just like humans.†Lynx was explaining that just as humans do not experience everything the same, neither do cats. He indicated a marmalade male cat that he lives with named Jeffrey. When I tuned into Jeffrey, I felt that his degree of sensitivity had to do with his previous experiences of being transplanted and ending up in an animal shelter. He was still very anxious, in general, and was in the process of doing some energetic healing. Jeffrey is a cat who has benefited a great deal from Bach Rescue Remedy (although there are many kinds of other flower essences to choose from) and Reiki to help him with the stress related to storms.
Although fireworks are described as awful and frightening by many animals, dogs in particular describe the reason to be in some ways different from the reason they react with fear to thunder and lightening. With the most recent New Year’s, there was a fireworks display nearby where I live. My dog went into a panic, shaking and running from room to room. She can tell me that the sound of fireworks feels very threatening to her safety (not surprisingly) but it was to the point where she feels like she is in prey mode. It feels to her as if whatever this threat is, it is coming directly for her. It is as though, for many animals, they must run for their lives. I have great empathy, as many animal lovers do, for an animal in this state. When I ask the animals what helps as far as how the humans react, the response by most is some variation of, “stay calm.†They are already shaken up, so to speak, and need us to maintain a steadiness for their reassurance.
There are many “remedies†out there for animals who suffer during storms and with fireworks. My personal preference is to try the most gentle and most holistic approach first. For instance, the ETS for animals from Perelandra, the Thundershirt and the CD Through A Dog’s Ear and massage (of course!) have been helpful for many animals who suffer in regard to thunder and lightening, fireworks and other stresses. I have used all of these with varying levels of success. Often, it depends upon how soon use use the item. In some cases, an animal may be in need of a prescription medication. Please consult your animal’s veterinarian before using any of these products on your animal.
Do your research and as always, talking with our pets so that we may consider what they feel they need and most benefit from, is key to caring for them in a respectful way. Animals will often have their own opinions and preferences for what works best for them just as we humans do.
