As Mercury Retrograde is here until the 27th of August, Dr Anna Foreman, an in-house vet at Everypaw Pet Insurance, is warning pet owners that pets “may act abnormally during Mercury Retrograde”.
Mercury Retrograde occurs three or four times a year, where the planet Mercury gives the illusion that it’s travelling backwards across the sky and many people believe that this can cause mishaps, misfortune and chaos. It has also led people to wonder whether Mercury Retrograde may impact pets too.
Recent research from Everypaw shows that online searches for ‘Does Mercury Retrograde affect cats’ have risen by 100% over the last three months. ‘Mercury Retrograde dogs’ has also increased by 33% over the last year.
With this in mind, Dr Anna has shared the signs that your pet might be affected by Mercury being in retrograde, and given her top tips on how we can support our furry friends during this time.
She said “Mercury Retrograde is all about a lapse in communication, with humans reporting that they experience disorganisation and frustration during this time. Animals are very sensitive, particularly to their owner’s moods. This means that they may act abnormally during mercury retrograde in response to their owner behaving differently or becoming upset.
“Some animals, particularly dogs and cats, are especially anxious or nervous and may be affected more than others. Animal owners should be mindful of how they are behaving around their pets during this time so as not to upset them.”
Five noticeable behaviours your pet is affected by Mercury Retrograde
The main reason animals may be acting strangely is because they are reacting to their owners. Other behaviours may include:
- Not listening to or being hesitant to respond to commands
- Sleeping in different places
- Having accidents in the house
- Being less willing to go out on walks
- Being unable to relax
Four pet behaviours not caused by Mercury Retrograde – BUT could be serious
Dr Anna said “Animals can also act abnormally when they are unwell. You may see them:
- Hiding away
- Growling
- Biting
- Walking into things
“If an owner is concerned about their animal, they should always be examined by a veterinary profession before these behaviours are put down to Mercury retrograde!”
Five simple tips for supporting pets during Mercury Retrograde
If your pet is experiencing bahavioural changes from Mercury Retrograde, Dr Anna Foreman has shared five simple ways to help your pet through this time.
- Act as normally as possible with them, even if in a bad mood or frustrated by their behaviours
- Positive reinforcement when behaving well
- Not giving excessive attention to negative behaviours
- Keep their routine the same, even if yours is affected
- Give them lots of fuss and attention to reassure them everything is normal
