In the event that lightning hits the car, your cat could be injured or killed by the electrical surge. This is true even for pets that have outdoor shelter, like a dog or cat house. These are generally not considered to be safe in the event of a storm.
Electricity from an electric shock can damage the lungs and cause them to fill with fluid making it difficult for your cat to breathe — this life-threatening condition is called pulmonary oedema. This can take up to two days to develop but may happen within minutes.
Like some dogs, some cats couldn't care less if it's storming outside, and remain as calm and collected as they would be on a sunny day. Many cats, however, do become anxious during storms, and they typically show their fear by hiding in closets or under furniture until the storm passes.
When lightning kills a large group of animals, such as those reindeer in Norway, it is typically ground current, rather than a direct strike, that's the culprit. In effect, the animals' legs can act like electrodes to complete an electrical circuit from the ground, through their bodies, and back to the ground.
If your cat is outside when a storm breaks, they're usually pretty good at finding some form of shelter, whether it's in a porch, a shed or a garage, in a doorway, underneath a car, or in an area of woodland where they're protected from the rain. So if your cat is caught out in a storm, don't be too concerned.
Feral and stray cats are especially vulnerable when severe storms like hurricanes or blizzards strike. High winds, torrential rains, floods or other hazardous conditions can put your cats' lives at risk.
Accidental electrocution was more common in animals and death was mostly due to shock and cardiac arrest. Survival of animals or humans could be possible if victims receive immediate medical support.
Pets can also be sensitive to lightning and thunder. The lightning causes rapid changes between light and dark. Those flashes are very distressing to animals because they process visual information differently than people (for an interesting perspective on this, read Temple Grandin's book Thinking in Pictures).
Your body cuts off most of the current
That means that lightning hits your body in a different way from when you, say, stick your finger in an electrical socket. Most of the current from a lightning strike actually passes over your skin in a phenomenon called "flashover," said Cooper.
Why Are Pets Afraid of Thunder and Lightning? There is no single factor that makes dogs and cats afraid of thunderstorms. Their fear can come from the combination of loud sounds, bright flashes of light, and changes in the pressure and static electricity in the air.
Cats' inner ears may detect the sudden fall in atmospheric pressure. A cat is also more sensitive to sounds and smells. Therefore, your cat will hear the rumble of a thunderstorm before you do. Likewise, your cat is more likely to smell the incoming rain or that metallic odor of lightning in the air.
Cats and small dogs may be somewhat immune to such static shocks. Cats usually prefer to hide rather than pace, so trouble is minimized. Some dogs eventually learn to stay in one safe place during storms, too, but often not until after the fact.
Treatment. If you are a witness to the electrocution, make sure the electricity is turned off before moving your cat. If your cat has lost consciousness, clear its airway as best as you can, and if necessary, provide breathing assistance and/or oxygen.
In cats, these processes do not suppress parasympathetic activity, so cats in shock can have bradycardia. When the body's compensatory mechanisms cannot reverse shock, organ damage results. Untreated shock can be fatal, Dr. Odunayo said.
NOW PLAYING ABOVE. LOS ANGELES — A woman and two dogs were killed after they were struck by lightning in California.
The idea is dogs can feel the buildup of static electricity in a storm, so they naturally try to escape the static charge by moving toward items that are grounded.
Lightning strike and electrocution should be considered true emergencies in which your veterinarian should be contacted right away. Even if the effect of electrocution appears mild (as in a pet chewing on an electrical cord), signs of shock or other complications may occur later.
The main reason why dogs do not like thunderstorms has to do with the static electricity. The static electricity makes dogs feel extremely uncomfortable. It moves through their fur, and can make dogs feel unsafe. It may be why your dog whimpers and looks for a spot to burrow in and hide.
When an animal is electrocuted it becomes rigid with slight body tremors and then gradually relaxes. There should be no further movement. Electrocution is painful, so it is essential that animals are stunned before it is carried out.
E. voltai can produce a shock of 860 volts. This is something to get amped up about: a team from the Smithsonian Institute has discovered a new species of electric eel that can generate an electrical shock of up to 860 volts, the strongest of any known animal.
It is fact that deep electric shock cause death of an animal and the reason for this is that blood is coagulated by electric and the reason for this is that blood is coagulated by electric shock. Therefore, here both assertion and reason are true.
The Life Expectancy of an 'Outdoor Cat'
While cats kept safe inside generally live for about 12 to 20 years, cats left to fend for themselves outdoors are usually dead before they reach 5 years old. If they're not hit by vehicles—the most common cause of death for cats allowed outside—they succumb to other dangers.
They may sleep in caves or abandoned buildings, under porches and trees, or even in bushes. They will also sleep outside on open ground if no shelter is available. What do cats do at night? Cats are nocturnal, which means they are active at night.
The cats reacted most positively to classical music, followed by pop. Heavy metal, though, raised their heart rate and increased their pupil size; in other words, rock music stressed them out. As for when to play music for your kitty, any time is a good time.