MYRTLE BEACH, SC - When it rains, it pours! Some say it was raining chicken coops, others say it was raining pitchforks and hammer handles, but residents of the central Pee Dee say that it was certainly raining cats — but not dogs — last Wednesday.

What caused this incredible storm that covered much of South Carolina? WBTW News13 Meteorologist Monte Montello said that it could be due to the sunshine and warm weather, as well as a nearby low-pressure system in the afternoon on Wednesday.

According to Michael Quinion of World Wide Words, early mythology states that cats have influence over storms, while dogs are known to bring winds. Kershaw County reported a tornado touchdown, but no dogs were sighted in connection with the windy situation. Over the last several hundred years, raining of cats and dogs has been reported countless times. The wet, soggy animals usually become the responsibility of local area shelters in the days after such a storm.

Besides bringing a load of new homeless felines, a rain of felines also poses another problem: clogged rain gutters. This morning, a number of homeowners are trying to find a safe and effective method to remove the cats from their gutters. Authorities have asked the homeowners to please use caution and don’t add more animals to the mix, such as luring the cats out by putting mice, fish, or other small animals in the opposite end of the gutter. Also ill-advised are giant pipe cleaners, rubber ducks on a stick, plumbing snakes and high-pressure water hoses. Instead, try sliding the cat out by using an edible grease such as crisco then pulling gently on the cat’s backside. Apply very little pressure and try not to yank on the tail.

One man, Preston Hammer, has already been arrested for allegedly packing gunpowder into an explosive device and trying to blow a stuck kitten out of his rain gutter. While the kitten was luckily not injured, the man still faces charges of attempted cruelty to an animal and illegal use of explosives.

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