Cats and fireworks

Your feline doesn’t need to be a scaredy-cat to be afraid of fireworks. The sudden pop-and-bang in the night sky can cause even the hardiest cat’s hair to stand on end. Fireworks are loud for people, but for cats, it can be even worse. Because cats have sensitive hearing, what might be a distant bang for us could be a much louder explosion for them. 

With the sudden bright lights, loud noises and no concept of fireworks, you can imagine why cats might end up bouncing off the wall. It’s unpredictable, loud, and overstimulating.

Even if your cat spends time indoors when fireworks are going off, you might still want to prepare for the neighbourhood lighting up the sky. 

Cats on New Year’s Eve, or bonfire night, need a bit of extra care to keep them calm and stop them getting spooked by the festivities. Even the laziest cat can end up racing across the room. 

When your cat’s heart rate goes up, it’s important to help them come down. Here are some ways to handle or prevent cats from stressing out:

Keep them inside

One of the best things you can do for your feline is keep them inside. Try to check firework display times with neighbours or event organisers. If your cat is outdoors-y, provide them with an indoor litter tray on this occasion. Close windows and seal cat flaps to keep your cat inside and to quieten the sound a bit.

Make sure they’re microchipped

If you haven’t already, microchip your cat.  If your feline spooks and dashes, a microchip could be the difference between reuniting and not.

Create a safe space for them

Cats enjoy having a space of their own, and it can be a place of refuge and safety from the pops and bangs in the sky. Place a blanketed bed in a quiet corner of the house or set up a comfy cardboard box den for them. 

Some cats may enjoy being up high or in a corner, somewhere.

Play music

Adding some background noise to an environment can block out the sudden and jarring explosions of fireworks outside. If your cat is already familiar with the sound, you could put on the radio or a show. Don’t put the volume on too loud, however. You’re not in a contest with the fireworks. The goal should be to soften the sound of it.

Let them do their thing

You might have the urge to paw over your cat, but you should give them room to pace around, meow, and stretch their toe beans. If they find a den to hide in, let them stay there. Don’t try to bring them out or disturb them; your cat is looking for safety and refuge.

Cover your windows

It’s not just the bangs that can scare your cat, the light from the fireworks can frighten them, too. Don’t just close windows, cover them. Try to limit the flashes of light spilling into your room as best as possible.

Stay calm

Cats and fireworks are bad enough; if you begin to stress or shout, it could make things worse. Try your best to remain calm. If you’re on edge, your cat may pick up on it, even if you’re subtle. If you’re unworried, your cat may see there’s nothing to fear. 

Even if they’re confident, cats are likely to become stressed as the sky begins to ignite with rockets. But not every cat will react the same way. The signs of stress in cats come in many forms, including:

• Hiding, running, or seeking safety
• Restlessness (like pacing or circling)
• Reduced appetite or drinking less
• Crouched, low posture, flattened ears, and other fearful body language

Your cat may also start grooming themselves more than usual or going to the toilet anywhere in the house, even if they’re toilet-trained. While these signs are useful indications that your cat is stressed by fireworks, some can be more subtle than others. 

If you’ve ever walked into the same room as your cat and suddenly dropped something, your feline friend probably took off like a rocket. But it’s not because your cat is fussy. Their hearing is better, and a bang to us can be a boom to them.

If your cat fears a loud noise, they might respond by:

• Darting out of the room quickly to hide
• Grooming themselves to distract from the noise
• Standing still, with a fearful posture, including dilated pupils and flattened ears
• Lashing out at something within striking distance

There are things you can do to help them, though:

• Minimise or reduce the sound by blocking it out where possible
• Give them a comfortable place to hide in, such as a cardboard box that muffles sound
• Desensitise your cat to certain noises by gradually introducing them (reduce the volume of the radio slowly over the course of the night to slowly filter in the scary noise, for example)