Can the earth really split open and swallow you whole during an earthquake?

It seems to happen after every major earthquake. You hear stories of cats and dogs exhibiting unusual behavior before an earthquake strikes. Can this be dismissed as just anecdotal coincidence, or is ...

Plus, the non-mystical reason cats are master fortune tellers.

For centuries, unusual animal behavior before earthquakes has been reported worldwide. Livestock becoming restless, wildlife disappearing and snakes emerging from hibernation in the middle of winter.