What Kitty Knows
ESP, Superior Senses, and Feline Intuition
Did You Know? After a disaster, animals need comforting too.
Comfort your pet with kind words and lots of pats or hugs. If possible,
according to the American Humane Society, provide a safe and quiet environment
even if it’s not their own home.
Whether it’s ESP, superior senses, feline
intuition or a change in routine, your cat may sense danger, and you should
know about it.
At noon on a stormy spring day in
Austin, Texas, several household cats started acting strangely. “I was in bed
watching the weather channel on TV,” recalls cat owner Janet Shon. “My cats
wanted to hide underneath the covers.” The heavy rains and howling winds
continued, causing panic in her house full of pets. Eventually, she put them
into carriers to calm them, and took cover under the stairwell. “Usually, my
cats don’t mind being in the crates during bad weather,” she says, “but this
time, they were chatting nonstop and wanted to be next to me.”
Several hours later, on May 27,
1997, an extremely rare and dangerous tornado (classified as an F-5), with
winds measuring over 260 mph, touched down 40 miles to the North of Shon in
Jarrell, Texas. Twenty-seven people died in Jarrell. Multiple tornadoes also
ripped through the Austin area, killing two people. “It took the roof off the
Albertsons’ store,” says Shon with awe. She and her cats survived without a
scratch.
What made Shon’s cats react in such
a way? Some say it’s ESP (extra sensory perception), or a sixth sense. Others
claim cats aren’t gifted, just blessed with well-developed or heightened senses—scent,
sound and sight, that are far superior to our own.
However you see it, cats have earned
their supernatural reputation throughout history. In ancient Egypt, felines
were worshipped as gods, and killing a cat was a crime punishable by death. Even
modern society gives credence to the idea that cats “know” things. During World
War 11, “British families found that their cats were the best warning system
for impending danger,” notes Dale Koppel, author of Amazing But True Cat Facts. “They showed unmistakable signs that
something was about to happen even before the air sirens were sounded. Their
hair would stand on end, or they’d spit or wail. Some would head straight for
the nearest shelter.”
Many people who live through
terrible disasters—hurricanes, tornadoes, fires or earthquakes—believe their
cats knew something before these disasters struck. But whether or not cats
really predict danger is still an open debate. So, what will you do the next
time Felix starts acting strange? Will you roll your eyes, or head for high
ground? Read on and decide for yourself.
IS IT ESP?
“Cats have an extraordinary ability
to sense imminent earthquakes, usually ten to fifteen minutes before they
occur,” explains Ed Lucaire, author of The
Cat Lover’s Book of Facts: A Felicitous Look At Felines. “They exhibit
nervous behavior such as pawing or scratching at doors and windows, and
above-average concern with the safety of kittens.”
In fact, California Geologist Jim Berkland
has turned to lost cats and dogs to stranded whales and wayward birds to predict other big earthquakes, such as the
infamous 7.1 Loma Prieta, California earthquake of October 17, 1989, which
rumbled through the San Francisco Bay Area for 15 seconds and shook Candlestick
Park in the middle of the World Series. Sixty-seven people died and more than
600 people were injured. He believes some cats hold mysterious psychic powers
as well.
FOUR-LEGGED
WEATHER FORECASTERS
So, what about hurricane warnings? While scientists use wind patterns, barometric
pressure, sea surface temperatures and other climate factors to predict
hurricanes, fishermen watch their cats. In fact, cats have long been considered
good luck on ships for their ability to ward off storms, sea monsters and
ghosts. Europeans of the past centuries believed cats “knew” the way home and
would reveal the direction by sleeping on the side of the ship that was closest
to port.
Gail Beecher, a veteran cat breeder
from Needville, Texas, got a special warning before Tropical Storm Frances hit
the Texas coast on September 9, 1998. Some of Beecher’s pregnant cats began to
go into early labor. “When the barometer shifts during bad weather my cats
always go into labor early,” she says. “I knew the storm was coming this way.”
Wind speeds reached a maximum of 65 mph, and one person died due to the intense
flooding of the Gulf Coast.
“All cats are extraordinary
sensitive to even the smallest changes in the weather,” writes Koppel who
claims, “you can throw away your thermometers and stop watching weather
forecasts on TV.” A resident of Kansas City, Missouri agrees, “I have noticed
before a tornado (during thunder, wind, hail and lightning) animals do lie
close to the ground and pant. The bigger and fatter the dog and cat, the more
it seems to affect them. Also, they sometimes put their head on the floor.”
According to Koppel, French
fishermen watch their cats’ body language to get a weather report. “They watch
their cats closely to predict weather changes,” he says. “Rain? Watch for your
cat to pass her paw behind the ear during grooming. Windy? Your cat will clean
her nose. Low tide? Wide pupils, of course. When will the bad weather end? When
your cat twists and turns.”
Sound silly? Perhaps not, says John
C. Wright, PhD, certified animal behaviorist from Macon, Georgia, and author of Is Your Cat Crazy: Solutions from the
Casebook of a Cat Therapist, who’s fascinated by it all. However, to be
certain that this is a reliable weather source, Wright says, a group of cats
and their body positions should be examined carefully in a weather study for
conclusive scientific evidence. In other words, scientific studies are needed.
A CAT’S GOOD SENSE
Neil
Tenzer, DVM, of Miami, Florida recalls that his five cats felt Hurricane
Andrew’s fury before it arrived on August 25, 1992, with winds of up to 150
mph. Amid the chaos of his family putting shutters on the windows and gathering
canned food and candles, explains Tenzer, his cats grew curious and upset about
the change in their environment. According to the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), this category 4 hurricane caused 58 deaths
and approximately $27 billion in damage. “It’s not that they predicted the
hurricane—but they certainly sensed it was on its way,” Tenzer says.
A former North Carolina resident
agrees. She was in the path of Hugo as the hurricane headed toward Charlotte in
1989. Hurricane Hugo passed directly over Charleston, South Carolina, on
September 21, as a category 5 storm with wind speeds in excess of 135 mph and a
storm surge of nearly 20 feet. Hugo caused 57 deaths on the U.S. mainland
(mostly in North and South Carolina) and 29 deaths in the U.S. Virgin Islands,
according to NOAA records. Total damage: $9 billion. “I had indoor cats and
barn cats there,” she recalls. Apparently, her cats share the same reaction to
all severe storms. “Barn cats always seem to find shelter well ahead of a
storm.”
Some argue that extrasensory
perception is really just super senses. In the case of earthquakes, for
example, cats may be sensitive to the earth’s vibrations and sound waves right
before an earthquake hits, says geophysicist Bruce Presgrave, from the United
States Geological Survey (USGS) in Golden, Colorado. Other people suggest that
cats are able to detect minute shifts in the earth’s magnetic field or in the
earth’s magnetic field or in the earth’s static electricity, which occur before
a jolt.
Most people recognize that cats (and dogs) like structure and don’t like change too much. Perhaps felines don’t “sense” danger, but are
instead reacting to change in routine or environment. “It may be novelty of
those particular cues, rather than the cat knows that this is danger,” says
Wright. And often, it’s fear of the unknown. “Fear motivates cats to act out,”
he adds. “When they can’t cope with the stimulus they go emotional on us.
Sometimes these emotional responses lead cats to run over and over their escape
routes or make some noise to get out.”
Deputy Director Gary Grice of the
National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, relies on
complex scientific theories and computers to forecast powerful twisters.
However, “there is a possibility that animals react to the significant pressure
changes of the atmosphere before a tornado hits,” he concedes. The question remains, can feline barometers
detect the difference between an impending hurricane or tornado? “Since there
are similar weather phenomena associate with tornadoes and hurricanes, you’re
likely to get the same reaction out of cats because they are reacting to the
same kinds of things,” explains Wright.
“Although there’s research that’s
ongoing in different areas, when your life is on the line and you have to
depend on something so you get out of harm’s way, the clear answer now is to
heed the warnings that are issued by the National Weather Service and do what
they say,” says Grice. He goes on to say that “scientists do not have a 100
percent track record for predicting disasters.” As for cats, Grice believes
that are not perfect predictors either since it’s not known if they are
responding to disaster precursors or if they are behaving strangely for other
reasons. “Our success rate is much, much higher than what you’re getting from
animals,” he says.
Meanwhile, Shon wonders about her
cats’ behavior before the deadly Texas tornado. Did they sense the nearby
funnel clouds on the day of destruction? Was there a change in smell or
pressure, or did Shon’s own behavior affect the cats? We’ll never really know.
But at least some disaster experts are now realizing that some cats can sense
impending gloom and doom. The question of whether cats can predict a cataclysm
hours or days in advance requires more research.
But since scientists admit they
aren’t able to reliably predict earthquakes, fires, hurricanes and tornadoes,
is it really so far-fetched to monitor cats and dogs?
Cat experts advise cat owners to do
just that. “The cat’s first instinct is survival, and cats are the best
survival machines Mother Nature has ever developed,” concludes Eric Swanson,
author of Hero Cats: True Stories of
Daring Feline Deeds. Whether cats are gifted with some kind of sight, or
not—felines continue to inspire a spiritual nature that cat-lovers respond to.
What they actually see, and what we see in their eyes is impossible to say.
Consider what the late Jeane Dixon
wrote in her book Do Cats Have ESP?
“In the dark, [cats’ mysterious eyes] seem to hover alone, disembodied and
shining brightly on the darkest of nights. Ancient people believed the cat had
captured a piece of the sun which it called up at will to see in the dark.”
Get Prepared
No
matter how smart and intuitive cats are, they can only protect themselves so
far, says a spokesperson for the disaster services of The Humane Society of the
United States (HSUS). So, plan ahead. Here are some tips:
1.If
you evacuate, do not leave your cat [or dog] behind.
2. Cats
should wear a collar and up-to-date I.D. tag at all times.
3. Have
a backup plan in case you aren’t home when disaster hits. Contact friends and
family members now to ask if they would be willing to get your cat and meet you
at a prearranged place.
4. Find
out where you can go or board your cat for temporary housing. Most emergency
shelters will not allow cats.
5. Pack
a disaster kit for your cat that includes food and water, bowls, leashes,
carriers, a list of phone numbers, vaccination records, required medications,
cat litter and a cat box.
Soon, I'll be packing my bags and leaving on a jet plane to Ontario, Canada. While I'm excited to revisit the region I once hitchhiked to with a dog, I still am fond of Western Canada...Here's why...
At Victoria, I didn't have scones or need the "tearoom experience" as I tried to tell the restaurant servers--after all, I wrote the book on it! (But I did enjoy cool, creamy homemade gelato and iced tea, found at a small indoor shop on a corner while strolling on the streets and talking to an elderly couple from the UK whom made me feel at home.) And, at the popular Fairmont tearoom on the island. I savored two cups of white tea (it was calming and refreshing), a garden salad with heirloom tomatoes drizzled with an olive oil and vinegar dressing. Not to forget the semi-adventurous boat tour of The Gorge. Note to self: Go on whale tour next time and experience swells and sea life. 
Funny, I was hoping for a few waves and choppy water but none happened--smooth sailing as was the flight to and from the island. (This surprised me since it was my fear to take the small CRJ700 but it was a nice flight, no cloud cover.) We did see one sea creature, a few swimmers... the history of the water inlet was fascinating as was the guide, much like trying a new type of tea. Swimming each morning (the pool was all mine), followed by a soak in the adjoining hot tub, drinking bottled water--and tea day, afternoon, and nighttime was bliss. 
The island shuts down early, it was the most calming Canada trip I've taken and romantic memories linger when sipping a fave cup of tea. I happily share my tea tales of on the road and visiting tearooms, sipping teas--all types, and enjoying inspired travels that I recreated in recipes for both The Healing Powers of Tea andThe Healing Powers of Honey. 
It picks you up and calms you down, warms you and refreshes you. With black, white, red, green, and herbal varieties, there’s a tea for every taste, and now this time-honored superfood is trending as the drink of choice for health-conscious people of all ages and cultures.
