It seems to happen after every major earthquake. You hear stories of cats and dogs exhibiting unusual behavior before an earthquake strikes. Can this be dismissed as just anecdotal coincidence, or is there more to it?
As well as cats and dogs, animals commonly associated with this behavior are birds, cows, horses, fish, and snakes. Let’s look at the science and evidence behind this animal behavior.
The Anecdotal Evidence
Anectodal evidence refers to stories from people that aren’t part of a scientific study. This anecdotal evidence becomes more substantial with how far back it has been recorded. This isn’t a new phenomenon that has been mused in the last few decades.
In 373 BC, a huge earthquake hit the ancient city of Helice. In the days before, rats, snakes and weasels fled to safety. In the following millennia, there have been countless reports from animal owners about the likes of cats and dogs acting out of character.
Anecdotal evidence should be treated with suspicion but in this case, it’s simply too strong to ignore. There is something clearly within a number of animals that alerts them to seismic activity before it turns into a large earthquake.
First Scientific Theory: Vibrations
It has not been completely understood how some animals are able to detect an earthquake before any human or seismometer. There are thought to be a combination of four factors involved, with the first being sensitivity to vibrations.
With this sensitivity, cats and dogs can act differently in the moments before an earthquake. Both animals have greater sensitivity to ground vibrations. This allows them to feel the fastest seismic waves.
Called P-waves (primary waves), these travel through the Earth’s crust up to four times faster than the destructive waves we associate with an earthquake. The time difference here is not much in real terms, often tens of seconds, but it can be enough for a perceptive pet owner to take action.
Cats and dogs have specialized receptors on their paws that can detect tiny vibrations and pressure changes. This can also allow them to detect foreshocks, which are small earthquakes before a large quake that may be too minor for humans to notice.
Second Scientific Theory: Hearing Infrasound
Infrasound is defined as sound below the range of human hearing. Earthquakes can generate this sound, but it can also come from other tectonic movement, volcanic activity, and the shifting of underground gases.
Many animals can hear these sounds, such as elephants, pigeons, hippos, and giraffes. It’s perhaps why these animals take action before an earthquake, as these deep sounds travel through the rock.
Even though cats and dogs can’t hear these sounds, they might be able to feel them due to their incredible hearing. Just as a human can feel sound waves if the volume is high enough, cats and dogs can do the same. They may act differently if the Earth below is starting to rumble.
Third Scientific Theory: Changes in Atmospheric Pressure
Before a large earthquake, there can be huge changes in barometric pressure. Some humans are quite perceptive of changes in this pressure. This is the feeling you get when the pressure drops just before a storm comes.
That feeling can give you a sense of impending doom, and the same can happen to cats and dogs. This pressure can be caused by the release of gases or tectonic plate movement. Using all their senses, including their whiskers, both cats and dogs are highly attuned to changes in pressure.
Fourth Scientific Theory: Static Electricity
The last scientific theory to over is static electricity and electromagnetic field (EMF) fluctuations. When tectonic plates rub against each other, they can release electric charges into the environment and ionize the air. This creates static charges.
Cats and dogs would be able to feel this static electricity through their fur and whiskers. This static build up can be uncomfortable, leading them to be agitated for start rubbing up against surfaces.
Limitations of Animal Behavior as an Earthquake Prediction Tool
The problem with using the likes of cats and dogs to predict earthquakes is inconsistent patterns and a lack of scientific consensus. Even if they can detect earthquakes, they may act differently to a current tremor than they did with one in the past.
Added to this, there are many factors that can cause a pet to act strangely. Cats and dogs have incredible senses and if anything is out of the ordinary, they will notice. This could be the scent of a potential threat or a high-pitched noise humans can’t hear.
Of course, this change in their environment may well be an earthquake. As we’ve seen, there are many solid reasons why cats and dogs are likely to feel an earthquake before humans do. We simply don’t have the same sensitivity as our non-visual senses.
What Should Pet Owners Do?
Animals aren’t reliable earthquake predictors, but both cats and dogs are incredibly perceptive with sharp instincts. If you live in an earthquake zone, unusual activity from your pet with no obvious cause is a reason to be vigilant.
In such areas, you should already have safety plans in place. It may be a good idea to go through them while checking for other signs such as seismic activity or reports from geological agencies.
If you are worried, then know your safe zones and move into them until you can be reassured. For some this may be against interior walls, whereas others may wish to move into an outdoor space.
There are other reasons why cats and dogs may instantly act differently, such as pain, perceived threats, and storms. However, there is no harm in being cautious as it may just be a big earthquake they are predicting.
