How to keep your cat safe and stress-free during firework season
As we approach bonfire night, many pet owners start to feel anxious before their pets do, in anticipation of the distress that might be caused to their animals.
Animals are naturally hardwired to be fearful of loud noises and bright lights. The unpredictable nature of fireworks can make cats especially jumpy, particularly because they can make no sense of where the noise is coming from. Cats have an especially keen sense of hearing; they can hear sounds that are roughly four to five times further away than humans can. This makes the sounds that are already quite loud to our ears terrifying to cat’s ears. Their natural response to threat is usually to flee.
Some cats will display obvious clues that they are frightened and stressed by the fireworks. Things to look out for include hissing, dilated pupils and arched backs. Any behavioural change could indicate discomfort. Other cats will try to hide their fear because they do not like to show their weaknesses.
Whist you may not be able to negate the perceived threat of the fireworks to your cat completely, there are several things you can do to try and keep them as safe and calm as possible.
Keep your cat indoors after dark on bonfire night and the evenings surrounding this. The safest place for them is at home with you.
Ensure all your doors and windows are shut properly so that your cat cannot escape. The first response to the threat will probably be darting away as quickly as possible using any escape route. Unfortunately lots of cats become lost or run into traffic as their overriding motivation is to get as far away as possible from the sounds of the fireworks that they will, ultimately, be unable to escape. It is wise to make sure that your cats microchip data is up to date, just in case the unthinkable does happen and they are able to escape.
Keep your curtains closed if possible. Cats also can be alarmed by the flashing lights, and this will also further dampen the noise from outside.
Make a nice hiding spot for your cat. Use a cardboard box and make it comfortable using a cushion or blanket. Cats feel especially safe in elevated locations, so if you have a sturdy shelf high up, this could be an ideal spot.
Try and keep them in the side of the house that is furthest away from the noise if they just want to hide. If they do not want to sit still, do not force them to stay in one room and let them explore the house.
Play music for them. This will help cover up any sudden noises. You could try keeping the TV on instead, but music is steadier and will do a better job at disguising the firework noises.
Try to distract them with a toy, but only if they are in a willing mood. They may be feeling overwhelmed and not wanting any interaction at all. In which case, just let them hide but let them know you are around if they need you.
There are herbal remedies available on the market that can help to relieve stress for our feline friends. Catnip works well for some cats to keep their mind off the danger.
Keep calm. Your cat will sense your anxiety if you are too worried. Behave as normal and try to keep your normal evening routines.
If your cat displays signs of severe anxiety, you may need to pay a visit to the vet.
Ultimately we cannot avoid these loud noises at this time of year, so we just have to do the best we can for our animals to ensure they remain as calm and happy as possible.