Question:
You may think me crazy, but I am sure my cats know when there's a full moon. They are indoor cats, so they don't actually see the moon, but it seems like every month around the time of the full moon the two of them go wild at night.
Is there an explanation for this, or is my imagination running wild?
A.W., Fort Myers, FL Jul 31, 2011
Answer:
Some cats have wild imaginations that seem to get wilder around the time of the full moon. Just before he takes off for a mad race through our house, one of our cats, Mr. Pinto Bean, gets a feral glint in his eyes and his tail often fluffs out. He acts as though he is chasing or being chased by the most fearsome things!
A few studies have been reported on how a full moon can affect behavior -- kindergarten children being more unruly and more pet emergency hospital visits being recorded around the time of a full moon. "Lunacy" and "lunatic" are ancient terms reflecting long recognition of how the moon can affect human behavior. I would be interested in hearing from other readers about this intriguing phenomenon and how the lunar cycle affects their animals.
Changes in seasonal radiation in the Earth's geo- or electromagnetic field (EMF), in air ionization and in barometric pressure can all affect mood and behavior in humans and other animals. One of my theories is that animals' vibrissae (whiskers) may serve as dowsing rods, enabling them to sense changes in the EMF and essentially map where they are and navigate accordingly.
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