This time, Seraphine chimed in, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "Yes, Tulang! Scientists believe cats, and many other animals, can sense earthquakes before they happen. Cats have incredibly sensitive paws, and they might feel the tiny vibrations in the ground that humans can't detect. Some also think they can hear the low-frequency rumbles of tectonic plates shifting. While there's plenty of anecdotal evidence of animals acting strangely before earthquakes, the scientific studies are still ongoing. It's fascinating to think about, isn't it?"
Her excitement was contagious, but my thoughts wandered to another topic. "I've seen videos of dogs reacting to possible supernatural phenomena. What do you think about that?" I asked.
Cherubine didn't miss a beat. "Dogs are amazing at picking up unseen entities, things we can't perceive. They have incredible hearing and can detect frequencies we're unaware of. Their noses are even better---they can smell the faintest traces of something, like an animal that passed through days ago. Sometimes, they react to these subtle cues in ways that seem mysterious."
"But you said 'unseen entities.' What do you mean by that?" I pressed.
"Unseen entities could be anything not visible to us," she explained. "For example, a mouse hiding in the walls or a draft of air from an unseen crack. But there are stories of dogs reacting in ways that make people think they're sensing something supernatural. Like that viral video of a dog barking at an empty hallway or refusing to enter a specific room. People love to speculate about ghosts, but it's just as likely that the dog smelled something or heard a noise that we couldn't."
She grinned. "Of course, it's fun to think about the paranormal sometimes."
As I sat back, digesting all this fascinating information, I looked at Mayombe, the half-blind cat, who was now gracefully navigating her way to her food bowl. "Despite all these amazing abilities," I said, "I don't think I'll be adopting a cat or a dog anytime soon. It's just not practical for my lifestyle right now."
My sister laughed. "Well, we've got plenty to share here, so you're always welcome to visit."
And with that, the conversation shifted to lighter topics, leaving behind the mysteries of cats, dogs, and the world they perceive so keenly.
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