Thunderstorm Phobias in Pets

Let's talk about thunderstorm phobias in pets. When you were little you might have been afraid of thunderstorms, maybe you still are. Well a phobia of thunderstorms is also something that cats and dogs sometimes have. This article will explain on thunderstorm phobias in pets and what you can do to help them.

Pets can't talk, so it's hard to say exactly what they fear about thunderstorms. It could the sound of the rain or thunder. They might fear the lighting or winds. It may even be possible that they don't like the changes in static electricity or barometric pressure.

How can you tell if your cat or dog has a thunderstorm phobia? During a storm they may begin to pant, tremble, pace, bark or meow. Often a pet with this type of phobia will also hide under or behind furniture or stay close to their owner. Some pets with phobias also drool excessively and have accidents in the house.

Phobias in animals can be caused by a genetic predisposition, or many times it's because they have had a lack of exposure to whatever they are afraid of. For example, if your cat never experienced a thunderstorm until they were a few years old, they may be very afraid of it. If your animal acts afraid of a thunderstorm once and you give them a lot of attention, they may also repeat this behavior so try not to reinforce this type of behavior.

Luckily, thunderstorms don't occur every single day. However, you may still want to help your pet deal with their phobia. Most treatments involve behavior therapy. You have to make your pet aware that they are safe from thunderstorms. You have to teach them to just relax during thunderstorms instead of acting afraid.

Discuss behavior modification with your veterinarian to make sure you're going about it in the best way.

The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your veterinarian or other health care professional. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment.