Keep Your Cats Safe On Firework Night

Every year it is something I address as a pet owner, and that’s how to keep my cats safe on fireworks night.

Being a responsible cat owner consists of more than ensuring they have adequate food and water. Sure, making sure they have a healthy diet is important but their safety and well-being at all times is just as important as the food they eat.

This year with the current COVID pandemic, I doubt there will be as many organised displays. I expect there still to be parties taking place within people’s social bubbles, and firework displays in back gardens.

This means there could actually be a rise in the number of fireworks we see and hear in our local area.

There are a number of things you need to know about your cat in order to make them feel safe.

All of our furry companions get scared by the loud bangs and bright lights. If your dog has a fireworks phobia as well you will want to address this too.

Ensure Your Cat’s Safe On Fireworks Night

Understanding Your Cat

Cats have incredible hearing and those bangs which we find frightfully loud, cats hear louder. Obviously, we know what fireworks are and we know to look into the sky and see the beautiful colours

For cats, this is not the case.

Cats have no awareness of what those scary bangs will mean or the consequences of hearing them. Plus the fizzing lights aren’t seen as wonderful displays to cats, but a threat in the distance which could make them act out of character.

The way to spot the anxiety and stress your cat is feeling can be hard to understand. Cats don’t tend to be particularly expressive facially, so you will need to read their body language.

It is wise to keep your cat’s food normal and not change anything around this time. Changing a cat’s diet can cause them to act slightly differently and you don’t want to do anything out of the norm around fireworks night.

A cat will try and hide if they are scared, this is probably the easiest trait to recognise. If they are hiding let them stay hidden. Do not attempt to encourage them from their hiding space.

Another way to spot anxiety is continued swallowing and licking of their nose.

Excessive yawning can also be a sign to look out for. If your cat is displaying these symptoms then the likelihood is they are stressed.

Keep Your Cats Safe On Firework Night

Keeping your cat safely indoors is the most obvious way to attempt to shield them from the noise going on outside.

Locking your cat flaps so they can’t go outside after dusk around this season will ensure they stay indoors til morning, and aren’t directly exposed to the noise.

Using a Feliway plug-in is a good idea in the few weeks leading up to the event. These plug in’s release the scent that cats release through their facial glands. This pheromone works on cats’ brains to calm them down and help relieve stress and anxiety.

I keep these in my house and plug them in when I’m having any building work going to happen.

Always plug them in a week or 2 before needed not just on the day.

If you have a cat who is hyper-sensitive to fireworks and they are displaying extreme signs of anxiety during this period, you could try some desensitising training on them. This is a way of getting them more used to loud noises. The best way to do this is by getting them toys which make loud noises and playing with them. It won’t happen over night but you will notice that gradually they are less threatened by loud noises. This method can take some time and patience.

Having your TV or radio on in your home to attempt to drown out the noise is what I do.

I find they react less to noises going on outside when there is noise inside.

I hope these ideas will help you keep your cats safe on firework night

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