- Pawsome Pet Care
Cats on bonfire and fireworks night
Updated: Dec 11, 2020
Top tips for keeping your cat calm and safe this November.
How to help your cat feel calm this bonfire and fireworks night.
Cats can find bonfire and fireworks night stressful; the loud, unexpected bangs and flashes of light are bound to take them by surprise.
You may notice that your cat is excessively scratching, overgrooming, hiding, moving low to the ground and peeing in unusual places, these are all signs of stress.
We all want our cats to have a stress-free November so we've put together some top tips for helping your cat feel less anxious this bonfire and fireworks night:
Keep your cat in when it gets dark
If your cat is an outdoor cat, keep him or her in once it gets dark, so that they are safely indoors when the fireworks start.
Draw the curtains and keep all windows and doors closed
By keeping the curtains drawn any flashes of light will be kept to a minimum and by closing all windows and doors the noise level of any loud bangs will be reduced.
Create a safe place to hide
You may notice when your cat is worried, he or she may go and hide under the bed, in a cupboard or behind a sofa.
A week before the firework season begins, create a 'safe place' for your cat to hide, somewhere for them to retreat to during any loud bangs and flashes of light.
The easiest way to create a 'safe space' is by taking a cardboard box and placing it on its side. Put your cats bed and a blanket they regularly sleep on inside so it smells of home and is nice and cosy.
Leave the 'safe place' box in a corner of a quiet room or under a bed in your spare room, somewhere where your cat will feel safe.
Use catnip mist
Now that you've created a 'safe place' for your cat you might like to spray with catnip mist one or two of their favourite toys and place them inside. My cats are big fans of King Catnip Mist.
Play some distracting music
To lessen the impact of the loud bangs you could play some calming music or put the radio on in the same room as you have positioned the 'safe place' box acting as a welcome distraction.
Consider using calming products
You know your cat better than anyone else and if you already know that they are a bit of a worrier, consider using natural, de-stress calming products such as the Pet Remedy plug in and wipes.
I have found this particularly effective with my little worrier. These products are amazing they really do work and you can use them for most of your pets from rabbits to birds and cats to horses!
Keep calm and carry on!
Try to stay calm yourself, your cat will pick up on your emotions and if you feel stressed out so will they, so, when the firework bangs start, sit down with a cuppa and put your feet up. If you are relaxed then your cats may just be as well.
