It’s fireworks time! Imagine cranking the volume on your everyday sounds by 60%. That’s how much more acute a cat’s hearing is than ours.
Now imagine what fireworks sound like for our cat friends. More pets get lost on Independence Day than any other day of the year, so it’s not just cats who get scared.
Cats are very small animals in a very big world, so they sometimes need help to feel safe, especially around holidays.
You can help your cats survive the holiday with just 3 simple tips. Bonus: they work well for our doggo friends too.
Enjoy fireworks elsewhere. Setting off loud noises at your own home can terrorize all your pets. You’ll both have more fun if the big booms are far away. Banning Lewis Ranch, Ft. Carson and Ford Amphitheater are all offering fireworks to the public this year.
Keep your pets inside. Even if your cat is an indoor/outdoor cat, he or she will not be used to the intermittent booms and flashes of fireworks. Plan ahead to mitigate the fear. Offer a light meal that morning so your cat comes home for dinner, and lock those doggie doors.
Give them a Safe Room. Remember that room where you started out your kitty when he or she first came home? If your cat still feels safe there, this can be a soothing place to be while fireworks happen. This works especially well if you’re hosting a July 4th party too. Here’s how:
Set up their basics: food, water & litterbox.
Close the curtains/blinds to keep out flashes of light and dampen the booms.
Give them safe places to hide, cat tunnels, boxes, cubby beds or drape a desk or chair with blankets.
Turn on white noise, a mellow music playlist or quiet summer movie (maybe Sand Lot not Jaws 🙀).
Grab your cats’ favorite wand toys and give them a good play session before you leave.
Leave their favorite food treat when you go or leave a puzzle feeder full of goodies.
Play again when you come home. Playtime pushes out fear, so this helps them get back to normal even if they got scared during the fireworks.
Remember, their Safe Room works well for thunderstorms and regular parties too!
