Thunderworks

THUNDERSHIRT: Our middle cat, Claireby, suffers from multiple anxiety disorders, at least two of which are directly related to fearing the other cats in our household. We’ve seen the Thundershirt helping our friend’s pups handle themselves with more ease and confidence, and wondered if such a thing could help our resident scaredy cat as well. According to
, it just might, so when my sis recently ordered me a medium, just the right size for my cat, I welcomed the opportunity to test the Thundershirt as soon as it arrived.
It’s science! Originally designed specifically for dogs to help alleviate fears of thunderstorms, the Thundershirt’s snug fit gives pets the same calming reassurance as a loving hug and is purported to reduce the severity for a variety of other anxiety-​related behaviors as well.
The human learning curve is small. The Thundershirt wraps easily around our cat’s plump belly, leaving enough room to velcro two ends together, and the upper straps that go around the neck do the same. The medium turned out to be just the right fit for a 9-​and-​a-​half pound cat, but for a cat any bigger than that, I would highly recommend going up to the large.
The feline learning curve is slightly bigger. Once the shirt was on, Claireby immediately tipped over like a cow. Cat torture, I immediately thought to myself… but once I moved in closer, I heard the low purrs. Very reassuring. So I guess there must be something to this Thundershirt after all.
After a few trial runs, our cat was eventually able to figure out how to get back up and walk around normally in her new protective suit, but since the Thundershirt seems to restrict her other movements somewhat, it’s not really full-​time cat wear. It is fantastic, however, that we now have something natural and easy (and washable!) to help us better help Claireby the next time we need to take her to the vet, on a car ride, on a plane — or to simply leave her at home with our other feline rapscallions.
Thunderworks has been around long enough to offer a streamlined product presentation and shopping service. Custom embroidery (15 characters max) is a ten buck option, shipping is free, delivery was standard, and our Thundershirt was a good fit for Claireby out of the box, making my sister’s purchase from Thunderworks a sure and happy gift for me. Helpful netizens on Amazon and in online pet communities do warn of third-​party seller imitations and fur-​covered re-​sales out there, so save yourselves the unpleasant taste of rip-​off or unnecessary aggravation and be sure to buy your original Thundershirts from
.