You might think it is unlikely that the switch to daylight savings time could throw your cat or dog’s busy schedule - eat, sleep, eat, sleep – off kilter.
But as it turns out, some animals are so in tune with their owners’ schedules, that the one-hour, clock forward, can cause some confusion.
Just like humans, animals have an internal clock that tells them when to eat, sleep and wake up. Humans/Owners set their pets’ routines, e.g. your dog is accustomed to walking or being fed at a particular time of day, according to the clock. By changing this, the animal becomes confused.
In the same way, if a farmer arrives an hour late to milk the cows, they will be waiting, bellowing because their internal routine tells them they are late.
When humans change the clocks for daylight savings to suit our lifestyles, from an animal’s point of view, we are suddenly behaving oddly.
This behaviour shift could cause animals psychological and physiological stress. They may get grumpy when the food dish is empty at their perceived dinner time or they are late for their walk.
So, when you set your clock forward an hour this month, remember your pets need a little paw-holding during the time change. Try changing the animals’ activities by a few minutes a day, rather than the whole hour at once.
