30% of cat owners in the PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report said that their cat was afraid of fireworks - that’s 3.3 million cats across the UK!
The bright flashes and loud bangs of fireworks can be exciting and fun for us but, for our cats, they can be confusing and frightening. This is because it’s difficult for them to understand that they aren’t in danger when they hear/see them, and their senses are much better than ours – so they experience fireworks much more intensely than we do!
Signs of fear in cats
- Cowering and hiding behind or on top of furniture
- Trying to run away or escape from the house
- Going to the toilet in the house
- Refusing to eat
Getting ready for fireworks season
Here are a few things you can do to prepare for fireworks season:
- Ensure your cat’s microchip details are up-to-date to give you a better chance of being reunited if they run away from home.
- Check the dates of any nearby firework displays
- Make sure you have curtains/blinds on all your windows so you can block out fireworks flashes.
Getting your cat used to firework noises
- Play firework sounds through a speaker at home, at a very low volume.
- Act normally, but watch your cat for any reaction which might indicate stress or anxiety such as:
- Looking at the speaker
- Twitching their ears
- Pupils (the black part in the middle of their eye) dilating
- Running away
If they react at all, stop the session and start again the next day at a lower volume.
- If they seem comfortable, keep playing the sounds for a few minutes before turning them off.
- Repeat at the current volume a number of times over a few days, and if they seem completely comfortable, increase the volume slightly, and start again from step one – take this slowly, don’t rush to turn the volume up.
- Once they are completely happy with very loud firework noises and don’t react at all (desensitisation), you can start convincing them that the noises are a good thing (counterconditioning). Don’t move on to the next step until you are completely sure that your cat isn’t reacting to firework sounds at all.
- Turn on the firework sounds and give them a treat straight away.
- As soon as they finish the treat, turn the sounds off.
- Eventually, your cat will start to associate the noises with a treat and might even start to enjoy the noises or get excited!
Remember…
- Take the training very slowly – it will take several weeks/months, so you’ll need to be very patient and consistent. Never rush them, and take them back a step if they seem worried at any point.
- Look carefully for those subtle signs of anxiety listed above – their fear may not always be obvious.
- If you need support, speak to your vet who may refer you to an accredited pet behaviourist.
Can my vet prescribe a sedative for my cat’s fireworks fear?
If your cat is terrified of fireworks, and calming measures don’t help, your vet may be able to prescribe medication to help relax them on the night. These medications should only be used as a short-term solution. Speak to your vet well before fireworks season to allow yourself enough time to find the most effective medication for your cat. Never give your cat any medication that hasn’t been prescribed by your vet.
When to contact your vet
You should contact your vet if:
- You have tried the recommended steps in this article, and your cat is still scared of fireworks.
- Your cat suddenly becomes fearful of fireworks: they may need a check-up to ensure there isn’t a medical reason for this i.e. pain or illness.
(Article source: PDSA)