How will cats, dogs and other animals react?

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – With a total solar eclipse coming on April 8, pet owners may be wondering how their animals will react and if they need to take any steps to ensure their safety.

M. Leanne Lilly, a veterinary behaviorist at Ohio State’s Veterinary Medical Center, said the biggest impact the once-in-a-lifetime event will have on pets is not from the eclipse itself but from animals noticing their owners acting differently. If a human is acting anxious or excited, pets could mirror that behavior. 

“Luckily, cats and dogs are a little bit smarter than human beings and don’t typically stare at the sun,” Lilly said. “So one of the things that we want to be aware of is the outside environment going to be different from the cats and dogs perspective, and that’s really more about what is the neighborhood doing, are they having eclipse parties, are people coming and going through gates or doors.”

Owners should be mindful of coming in and out of entryways during the eclipse to avoid an animal running loose, Lilly said. Additionally, the sudden darkness during the daytime without any cues to suggest a storm may cause some animals to display confusion. Pets may begin nighttime routines, pace or seek reassurance, according to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. 

“You might see some nighttime or bedtime behaviors, everybody might wanna take a nap, but other than that, we don’t typically see that type of external stimulus having a big effect on cats and dogs because they don’t attend to it and they’re not anticipating it the way the humans are,” Lilly said. 

If a pet starts to exhibit bedtime behaviors or sleep, Lilly said there is nothing to worry about and to let the animal take a nap. 

Leaving a pet unattended during the solar eclipse should not be an issue for well-adjusted animals who are used to being left alone. For pets with separation anxiety, being left alone during the eclipse may cause extra confusion or anxiety, according to Arkansas Little Rock. 

As for letting a dog or an outdoor cat outside during the eclipse, unless the animal typically stares into the sun, there’s likely no reason to worry about them doing so and damaging their eyes during the eclipse. 

“I did have somebody ask me whether or not their pets needed eye protection and I sort of said unless you were pointing their head at the sun, which I don’t recommend doing not only because of the eclipse but because they might find that sort of interaction invasive, I don’t recommend doing that,” Lilly said. 

Although animals will likely be no more inclined to stare at the sun than they normally would, Maybeck Animal Hospital, a Florida veterinary office, stated it wouldn’t hurt to play it safe and keep pets indoors during peak eclipse times. 

“Pets are known on occasion to do things that we simply would, simply not expect them to do,” the animal hospital said on its website. “It may be wise to keep your pets [indoors] during the peak times of the solar eclipse in your geographic area as you might do for a weather-related event or during fireworks.”

Something else to note, especially for those living in the country, is that animals who are active at dusk and dawn, such as raccoons, foxes and opossums, may make an appearance during the eclipse.