Keeping Your Cat Calm During Fireworks : Cat 101

In today's video, we are going to talk about how to Keep Your Cat Calm (and Safe) During Fireworks.

A loud boom rattles the house and Little Red cowers in the back of the closet, shaking with fear. Usually a calm, playful orange tabby, Little Red gets very anxious on the Fourth of July. As the fireworks continue, she has an accident in the hall. One minute, she’s clingy and the next minute she’s under a chair, hissing. Fireworks can be terrifying for a cat. Read on to find out more about how cats react—and what you can do to help your kitty this Fourth of July. When cats are scared, their survival instincts kick in. They might hide, urinate in places they’re not supposed to, scratch, hiss, or vocalize their frustration.

A time that is festive, fun, and exciting for most Americans is often terrifying for dogs, cats, horses, other livestock, and even wildlife. Unfortunately, the fireworks aren’t always confined to just one day either. Your enthusiastic neighbors may begin the celebration several days in advance and continue for days after the Independence Day holiday.

Shelters in the United States say July 4, 5, and 6 are the busiest days of the year as they take in lost pets that flee from their homes after being startled by fireworks. They see cats that have jumped from high windows, raced in front of cars, or run blocks away from their homes. Some cats are injured at home from toppling furniture or chewing their skin raw. In short, fireworks and cats don’t mix. What can you do to protect your kitty? First, recognize the behaviors that signal your kitty is stressed out.

Before getting into the calming tips, here’s an important safety tip that should be taken care of if you haven’t already: Have your cat microchipped. Even indoor cats should be microchipped in case of an escape outdoors. ID tags on collars are good but they can become separated from the cat. The safest form of identification is the microchip. The information on the registry should also be up-to-date. It’s also a good idea to make sure you have a current picture of your cat. Most cat parents have quite a few current pictures on their phones already but just double-check that you have a clear and sharp picture just in case the unthinkable happens and your cat gets lost.

According to PetMD, your cat may exhibit the following anxious behaviours when they are frightened:

Trembling,
Hiding,
Excessive vocalization (meowing, hissing, shrieking, etc.),
Excessive grooming,
Trying to escape,
Destructive or aggressive behavior,
Heavy, open-mouthed breathing,
Failure to use the litter box,
Diarrhea.