Cats Protection provides helpful tips on how to help domestic cat through this very troublesome time of year for them, namely Bonfire Night in the UK and similar firework events in other countries. It’s a time to be dreaded by cat and dog owners. What better organisation than Cats Protection to provide advice?
They provide five pointers to which I have added some of my thoughts. It’s clear that cats and dogs respond to the strange, unnerving sight and sound of fireworks in different ways. My cats have always hated them. It seems to me that dogs can be more fearful than cats on occasion.
The first point to make is that cats should be kept indoors after dark. The point here is that if an indoor/outdoor cat is outside during the noise of fireworks they may panic and do something which is abnormal and dangerous to them. They might, for example, run into the road whereas before they’ve always steered clear of it. They might travel further away from their home and outside their home range to try and get away from the noise and strange lights and get lost. The problem with this advice is that it can be hard to keep cats indoors if they are used to going outside. And you’re going to have to keep them indoors well before the fireworks start because you don’t know when they will start, which might be a tricky moment.
Create a safe space for your cat. I’ve got two cat dens for my cat upstairs (see above). One is an old cardboard box which I modified and the other is a very expensive Dutch-made cat den. One was free and the other was expensive and I think he prefers the free one! They’ve both got roofs over them which cats particularly like. Sometimes it can be better to put these in high places to make the cat feel extra safe. The roof over the den is probably essential.
Cats Protection recommend playing music. Other advisers say the same thing. Or you might turn up the volume of the TV or radio to help counteract the sound of the fireworks.
They also recommend using a pheromone plug-in. The best-known one is called Feliway. It can create a calming effect on anxious cats. Cats Protection recommend using it two weeks before fireworks in a room frequented by your cat.
The caregiver should stay calm! The point here is that if the humanist remains calm their cat follows. I get that.
RELATED: 54% of cats, 55% of horses and 62% of dogs are distressed by fireworks
I’m going to add some more pointers which may help a little bit:
You can close windows. Closing double glazed windows will quite significantly reduce the amount of sound coming into the home. Double glazing is a good noise-killer anyway and if everything is closed up it should be quieter for a cat.
In addition, you can close all the curtains as well. This will help to muffle the sound further. And it will also block out the sight of bright flashes of light. Both these tips will help to create a calmer and more peaceful environment for your cat.
Another point which people don’t normally think about is food! You can buy food which calms cats and it works because I’ve tried it. Although the impact will be subtle. But if you can add all these factors together at the same time it may help. I’ve used Royal Canin Calm dry cat food. It helps cats manage stressful situations and maintain their emotional balance.
You might seek veterinary advice as well. And each cat is an individual and so you might want to tailor these tips to their needs. What works for one might not work for another. All observant cat caregivers will know about their cat’s personality and characteristics. If a cat demonstrates severe anxiety or is extremely stressed during fireworks it may be wise to consult a veterinarian for them to provide further advice and even recommend some medications. There are tranquilizers for cats, which can only be administered with veterinary advice.
RELATED: Fireworks are poisonous to cats if ingested AND Quiet, subtle sounds can stress cats too
