Cats & Fireworks: The Guide

Not all cats are frightened by fireworks, some might just watch them with a fascination, but a fear of them is very common in our beloved pets. Loud noises aren’t generally something cats enjoy as they can startle quite easily. Cats have evolved to be hyperaware of their surroundings, it helps them stay out of trouble and be super keen hunters. Unfortunately, being so sensitive is also going to make them more prone to being scared of things that surprise them.

Cats have one of the largest ranges of hearing amongst mammals, you might have noticed that no matter how quiet you are, your cat is always looking at you as soon as you enter a room. They have excellent hearing, so although fireworks might seem to be quite loud for us they are even louder for our four legged friends which must be a terrifying ordeal, especially because they appear to be coming out of nowhere!

Cats will start to show stress behaviours when they are scared of something so if you know basic feline body language, you should be able to pick up on their fear. Our beloved pets are creatures of habit, the more you know of their routines, like when they eat or when they go to the toilet and where they like to rest is helpful. Any major changes in these behaviours will tell you that something isn’t quite right.

Common signs of stress around fireworks include:

The most important part of understanding if your cat is stressed is knowing what normal behaviour looks like for them so you can tell when something is different. Some moggies like to hide away and sleep in cosy little hidey holes on a regular day to day basis so squeezing themself into a tight space to snooze isn’t out of character.

Keeping cats calm during periods like bonfire night can take a little trial and error. Every moggy is an individual and calming them down when they’re worried might look different to each one. Some cats might come to you for support which you should give by the bucketload if they want a cuddle whilst others will want to slink away and find the quietest hiding spot.

There are things you can do to help whilst also giving them the freedom to do what they need to do to feel more settled.

The first thing to keep your cat not just calm but safe when there are fireworks is to keep them indoors. Granted, you can’t predict every time teenagers might buy fireworks and let them off down the street but during times like bonfire night and New Year's Eve, you can plan ahead and not let your cat out for the day to ensure they’re home for the evening.

Throughout the day you should keep windows closed. Your four-legged friend won’t understand that restricting their access to the outside world is for their own good so make sure any escape routes are well and truly blocked off. If you have a cat that spends a lot of time outdoors and maybe doesn’t have a litter tray indoors, make sure you get them one and used to using it before you keep them inside all day.

One of the most important parts of keeping your cat calm during fireworks is to allow them a certain amount of freedom of choice. Sure, they have to stay inside all day and night and will have to miss out on their usual neighbourhood patrols but giving them space doesn’t mean shutting them in a room, it means giving them the choice to stay in one place, only if they so wish.

Make sure they have plenty of comfortable places to hide away and beds placed in enclosed spaces where they can feel safe. Many cats will try to find a nice and quiet area that usually involves pressing themselves into the smallest space they can fit so give them lots of options. Beds like the Zoon Comfort Cat Igloo are great for cats who want a small space to feel safe in.

If you know your cat is worried about fireworks, try to arrange to stay home during these periods so they have the choice to cuddle up to you if they need the support.

As much as you possibly can during noisy nights, try to keep their attention away from what’s happening outside. You can shut out the outside world by keeping blinds and curtains closed. You can even turn the television up or play some of your own music. They will still be able to hear the fireworks but a constant noise rather than silence that is broken by loud bangs can help them to settle down.

A great distraction from noise is always food. Instead of their normal diet, get something special like a tin of wet food that you can spread onto an enriching feeder like the LickiMat Casper. Licking is a very soothing activity for cats so it doesn’t just distract them, it can relax them too.

Owners use pheromone sprays, collars and diffusers to calm stressed animals. They can be used for pets who don’t enjoy travel or when there are big changes like moving to a brand new house that can cause some emotional upset. They work by chemically recreating the same pheromones that a mother cat gives off to communicate and soothe her kittens. It can bring their stress levels down and really help them through tough periods.

The Feliway Calming Spray can help worried cats by spraying around their environment. The spray is great for short periods of stress if you know your moggy will be frightened of fireworks. You can also use the Feliway Pheromone Diffuser which constantly emits calming pheromones when plugged in. You can even use both safely in conjunction with each other to boost the calming effects.

While you can plan ahead, it’s important to also have a safety net in place. You can’t always predict when someone nearby is going to celebrate with some fireworks so keeping your feline friend’s microchip up to date is vital when it comes to keeping them safe. A scared cat might bolt and become lost if they stray too far but having their chip up to date means that anyone who comes across them can track you down and make sure they get home safe.

If you go through all the calming measures to help your moggy through any fireworks and they’re still anxious, a trip to the vet might be the next step as they may be able to prescribe something a little stronger to help them settle during the noisier periods. For everything you need to help soothe your moggy during fireworks and all of your other kitten and cat essentials, take a look online and in store.