Pets' reactions to the Tohoku Pacific Coast Earthquake

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake that unnerved areas in the Northeast on Friday morning prompted pet owners to share their experiences and their fur babies' reactions on social media.

The quake struck Whitehouse Station in New Jersey, but tremors were felt in Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and even as far north as Maine. Because earthquakes are rare in the region, millions of people have taken to the internet, where videos of similarly shocked pets are going viral.

At Ozone Park in Queens, New York, about 90 miles from the epicenter, Ring cameras captured Andrea Roca's cat, Bolita, quickly jumping from a sleeping position as the shaking began. As seen in the clip posted to the account @andreajroca, Ms. Bolita looked around in all directions, confused as to what was happening, but remained on her bed.

read more: Compare top home security cameras

“After I saw her, I immediately wanted to go home to comfort her and check on the other two,” Roca said. newsweek Via TikTok.

Roka's other two cats are not visible on her Ring camera all day. Her father, who is at home with the cats, said Loki, a tabby cat, is still nervous and sensitive to all noises. He seems to be on high alert. The third cat won't come out from under the bed.

Similarly, in a TikTok video posted by @raziyc, the New York dog was seen sitting on a couch. When the earthquake happened, the dog looked around and jumped off the couch.

The caption read: “Poor baby had to go through this on her own.”

The dog's owner said in a TikTok comment that the dog had been home alone but is now doing well. She went from the couch to her bedroom to sleep.

In New Jersey, a dog and cat owner known as @agallonofsoda on TikTok shared how his pets felt after the rattling stopped. They were both scared.

She was sitting on the bed with them, trying to comfort them. Her dog was crying. The orange cat was seen climbing into a pet carrier and attempting to leave.

“Everyone is better now!” said the owner. newsweek Via TikTok. “I think we're more surprised than our pets!”

My parrot in my New Jersey home was flopping around in a cage that started shaking. The caption of a TikTok video shared by @amazon.parrot reads, “Beto loves to chew and destroy things, so when no one is home he is kept in a cage. Beto is now… He's fine, I'm at home with him and he's out of his cage.'' . ”

Beto's owner shared: newsweek He said he stared at the floor for three hours after the earthquake. He didn't want to eat and he wasn't interested in food.

“When my fiance and I got home about 20 minutes later, he was still very surprised,” the owner said. “Beto actually felt the 2009 New Jersey earthquake before it happened. He was jumping around the house, screaming. My mom didn't know what to think. did not.”

Several owners have shared on social media how their animals shivered and hid during the earthquake, but one rabbit didn't seem to mind. Owner Katie shared a reel of Buttercup sitting on her bed and relaxing on the floor on her Instagram account @buttercupthebun22.

The video was taken four minutes after she felt the quake, but Buttercup remained unfazed. She believes that the reason Buttercup was so relaxed was because she was with her.

“Overall, I think Buttercup noticed the shaking at first, but once the shaking stopped, she decided it was okay and continued with her business as usual that day,” she said. . newsweek.

Comforting your pet after a natural disaster

Because the earthquake occurred during work hours, many pet owners had to wait hours to get home to check on their fur babies. Worry begins because storms and natural disasters can cause stress and anxiety in pets.

Article from consumer issues He said owners should try their best not to greet their pets by hugging them tightly. Animals don't like hugs as much as humans do, so being hugged can cause them to panic.

Instead, owners are encouraged to re-habituate their pets. Comfort items such as toys, bedding, bowls, and blankets can help relieve your pet's stress, the article says. Owners should also walk their dogs in less crowded areas to avoid overstimulation.

If you notice that your pet is not back to normal, talk to your veterinarian to discuss a plan to get it back to normal.

Do you have a funny or adorable video or photo of your pet you'd like to share? Send it to life@newsweek.com with details about your best friend. If you do, they might be featured in the “Pet of the Week” lineup.