It is commonly believed that animals can predict when weather changes are coming. Our four-legged friends seem to be able to sense these changes in the air and react accordingly. They might look for shelter or sometimes refuse to come inside at all.
If there is one thing I know about my pets, they definitely do not like storms. If I forget to bring them inside during a downpour, they will not hesitate to scratch at any door they can find until I let them in.
However, it doesn’t take much research before you find out that while some animals are able to sense weather changes, there is no conclusive evidence proving that they do so consciously.
Animals have been studied extensively to try and prove that they can predict the weather. While some animals seem to react more than others, their reactions are not always accurate. Scientists believe it is probably a combination of scents and sounds or other stimuli related to conditions outside that alerts them before we humans sense anything different about the air around us.
There is also no proof that animals are able to predict when earthquakes, tsunamis, or other natural disasters will occur.
Scientific studies have shown mixed results in relation to weather prediction abilities in pets. Some scientists believe it is highly unlikely that our pets can sense any changes before us due mostly to the size difference between the two species. But others claim there is some sort of conscious awareness going on.
It is important to remember there are many factors involved when considering any animal’s ability or inability to predict the weather. Just because one pet reacts a certain way doesn’t mean they all will, and their reactions can vary depending on the type of stimulus that alerts them in the first place.
They may sense a change in barometric pressure, air temperature, humidity, or wind direction. It could be any number of things that put them on alert to what’s happening outside. Their reactions can vary widely depending on the type of stimulus they are responding to and how much stress it causes them.
The bottom line is there is no conclusive evidence proving that our pets can sense changes in the weather before we do. Scientists have been studying this phenomenon for decades and have come up with mixed results at best. In my opinion, I believe they can sense certain changes that clue them into what’s going on outside even if their judgment is slightly off from time to time.