Can Your Cat Predict the Weather?

Well, gee, its raining here again in the midwest.  Wow! it hasn't rained for at least 27 hours! I guess we were overdue! Which got me thinking about my cat, Ms. B, the weather forecaster!

Can your cat predict the weather? Is your cat a feline barometer? Sailors put great stock in cats and weather. Cats on ships not only took care of the rat problem, they amused the crew and were believed to be very good weather predictors. Some went so far as to believe that the cat controlled the weather. If sailors saw a cat chasing its tail or playing with a dangling rope it was said to be stirring up a wind. Some sailors believed that the cat carried a "gale in its tail" and could release it at will. These believers made very sure the ship's cat was never harmed or killed, lest the gale be released.  Scottish lore tell us that when a cat sneezes, it will rain soon. Folks from Britain and Ireland got more specific and said that weather could be predicted by observing the way a cat washed itself. If a cat washed their face it meant rain was soon due, but given how often it rains over there, the odds are in favor that rain is due more than not! On the other hand, an old English proverb goes like this: If a cat washes her face over her ear, 'Tis a sign the weather will be fine and clear.  The folks from Iceland aren't concerned about the cat's grooming habits, but they do attach meaning to how the animal lies down. They used to believe that if a cat lies down with its paws stretched out in front of it that very bad storms were near. Ancient Japan worshiped a wind god who took the form of a cat, who raked open the sky with its claws and brought rain.

Now of all my cats (I still haven't told you all how many I have), Ms. B is my only weather forecaster.  She does summersalts, chases her tail, and meows at me pitieously before and during storms. She is quite my little "weather channel" and seems never to be wrong. Since this has been such a rainy summer in the midwest she has been summersalting alot!  She also seems to be able to predict earthquakes (not all of them mind you, but many of them) by doing the same meowing, summersalting and tail-chasing.  Sometimes I feel so bad for her because when she meows I feel she is saying "Hey Mom, please make it stop!"  She is a cute little gal and has fur as soft as mink. So, you cat moms out there ... any of your little furry companions have metaphysical gifts?

Cats and sewing ... a great life!  I did finish another item tonight that has gone up on eBay. What a chore to list it though because I changed to a new template and had to remember how to set it up!  Well, enough for now.  You all have a sweet night! Talk to you soon.

10 comments:

  1. Wow, never heard that about cats before. Very interesting, thanks for sharing. My Spaz cat is only afraid of the vacumn cleaner and Fat Cat doesn't like thunder, he will go into the basement and hide. But he doesn't do anything beforehand...lol.
    Brenda

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  2. Wow never knew all that about cats predicting the weather. It's raining here tonight too, a nice gentle rain, which we do need. Love your little bittersweet pillow!

    Tammy

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  3. Just wanted to let you know that I left you a comment on my blog. Thanks for your kind words. Janice-Black Creek Primitives

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  4. Nobody that talented in my group! Love that Ms B a bit for me. She sounds like a sweety.
    Love the new pillow!

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  5. My cat...trix... does some vigorous scrubbing behind the ears and then it rains. When she is really scrubbing we get ready for a downpour. When she just washes behind the ear, then it means....she was dirty....lol.

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  6. some cats we used to have years ago got weirded out when we had an earthquake..but I have never noticed any of them doing anything different when it rains here..our Pody lynn will tell you though that it is nice and she wants to go out and play..she will pace...and love you..and butter you up...just so she can go out;) cute pillow by the way;)

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  7. Thanks for stopping by my blog too. Very cute pillow!! My daughter has two cats, but I have not seen them doing anything strange...then again it hasn't rain or stormed here in a long time. We sure could use some rain!!
    ~Cindy~

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  8. Cute pillow sure would look nice in my house! Thanks for sharing.

    Miss Abbie is our cat! She knows when the weather is going to change. If we can't find her when it is storming we look under the beds! She feels safe.

    The weather is beautiful here in Des Moines, Iowa and has been for 3 days. I am loving it!

    Hugs, Carolyn P.S. You have a great blog.

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  9. livewire 58@live.comMarch 10, 2013 at 9:47 PM

    Yes our cat predicts weather,,,,we justt don't understand what he says.

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