I heard that before the 2004 tsunami that many of the animals ran up into the hills.
Another story was that an elephant came and picked this lady up and took her to high ground right before it happened.

It may just be hersay, but personally I believe animals can sometimes feel some change in their environments to predict disasters. Changes in earths electromagnetic fields are created sometimes before/during/ and after disasters.

But sometimes people make connections only because a significant event happened.
"oh my dog ran away" "my bird was freaking out" it must have known...
Well... sometimes they just do that. Its hard to tell whats going on in their minds!