The Super Blue Blood Moon May Make Your Pets Do Weird Stuff, But Don't Worry Too Much

We're anxiously awaiting the special lunar eclipse coming up on Jan. 31, and it's going to be a truly magical sight to see. However, what people are really zoning in on is all the potentially weird sh*t that could go down during this intense lunar event, and how it's all going to affect us. But if you have fur babies at home with you, you're probably wondering, are pets affected by the super blue blood moon, too? Let's be real, it's important to have your pup or kitty's best interests at heart in addition to your own.

Apparently, this rare lunar occurrence — which, BTW, will be a combination of a supermoon (meaning the moon is as close to the Earth as it can possibly be), a blue moon (aka the second full moon of the month), and a blood moon (aka another way to refer to a lunar eclipse) — is going to affect humans' moods big time. From screwed up sleep cycles, to hormonal imbalances, to increased libido, the end of January is bound to be a wild ride for everyone involved.

But if your mood swings are going to be that freaking intense during this super blue blood moon, the last thing you need is a barking pup keeping you up all night too, amirite?

I hate to break it to you, but research suggests there might be some seriously weird stuff in store for your pets during the upcoming lunar eclipse.

A 2007 study conducted by the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences researched the effects of the full moon on your favorite canines and felines. The researchers gathered their data over a period of 11 years, and their results revealed that emergency visits to animal clinics significantly increased on nights when there was a full moon in the sky. The veterinary visits involved over 9,000 dogs and nearly 3,000 cats (dang, sorry, dog people), and the emergencies involved seizures, cardiac arrest, animal bites, trauma, gastric difficulties, and a variety of other, mostly non-life-threatening health conditions.

The researchers concluded that there seems to be a strong correlation between medical issues in pets and the lunar cycle — but why this is the case, is still unknown.

Aside from out of the blue, last-minute trips to the vet, mood swings and unusual behavior in pets have also been noted by various sources.

While there's not exactly any solid scientific evidence to prove that these things are caused directly by any lunar event, some pet owners have reported that their dogs howl at the night sky, their cats hide in weird places, and their birds become strangely disoriented, and even agitated, during a full moon.

There are even stories about people who have left common objects (such as DVD cases, phone chargers, and underwear) out during a full moon, and even though they thought that they misplaced the objects, they later realized that their dog ate them. I mean, a lot of dogs do have a reputation for eating literally anything and everything in sight, regardless of lunar cycles, but the fact that this apparently might happen more frequently during a full moon? No wonder those researchers found such a huge increase in vet visits!

All of the lunar chaos aside, though, there is something positive that might come out of the upcoming super blue blood moon in relation to your purr-fect pets.

First, we need to note what the "supermoon" part of the super blue blood moon actually means: Simply put, it means the moon is going to be super close to planet Earth.

Now, apparently, animals are said to be super sensitive in response to our planet's proximity to the moon. This might cause them to feel low-key stressed or anxious at the same time that you're high-key stressed or anxious. But the bright side is this: All that anxiety will lead to more furry snuggles between the two of you! After all, if you ask me, animals totally sense all that weird, stressful sh*t in the air around them, and they always know exactly what to do — comfort you in the cutest and most lovable way possible. Ugh, we don't deserve them. They're simply too pure.

So, on the night of the super blue blood moon, whether your puppy randomly decides to swallow your favorite thong, or your cat decides to start playing an impromptu game of hide and seek, the bottom line is that this rare lunar event sure has a lot in store for all of us. Instead of letting it get to you, the best thing you can do is try your hardest to just chill out, snuggle up with your beloved furry friend, and watch the incredible sight taking place in the night sky.