Pets

have to be a thunderstorm. Rain makes a lot of noise when it hits my wall A/C unit in the bedroom, so I close the bedroom door. Before the rain starts falling, she senses that it's coming and paces, looking out the living room window often. She does not go near the window to do this. She looks through it from the floor, across the room (near the couch for a quick hide when it starts.)

I spray Feliway on a hand towel and put it near her, which helps her to calm down.

Friday evening we had some very strong winds, without rain at first. She kept looking at me as if to ask, "What's this, mom? Is it safe?" I kept telling her "It's all right," in a calm, soft voice, which she understands. But then the thunderstorms started and she headed for the couch.

Friday afternoon had already been rough for Ember (and for me) because she got her rabies update shot. Going to the vet always upsets her, especially the one vet who was on duty. Soon as she smelled his scent and heard his voice, she began growling. When I leaned toward the carrier to speak calmly to her, she growled at ME! He took her in the carrier, out of my sight, where I heard some fierce screeching from her, briefly, until there was sudden silence. I presume he got a muzzle on her. She was still growling when he brought the carrier back to me.

The storm Friday night was the last straw for her nerves.

Saturday was extremely windy all day, with bouts of heavy, strong rainfall and hail. I had left her carrier in the kitchen with the door to it open because she considers it a safe place to crawl into. I sprayed a towel with Feliway and draped it over the carrier. So she crawled inside it instead of going behind the couch and curled up looking calm and contented. Since I was at the kitchen table watching online videos, she eventually came out to join me and I allowed her into the table, with a cloth under her, so she could snuggle up to me. That was a first! She was clearly seeking comfort from me about the noisy wind and rain.

So I'm going to use the Feliway and carrier in future rainstorms. I want to encourage her to go into the carrier when she's frightened, just in case a storm becomes bad enough for us to take shelter. Or, if the fire alarm goes off, so I can get her to go out with me.