Hi, I’m Dr. Lauren! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two adventurous cats, Pancake and Tiller.
When the 4th of July holiday rolls around, it’s a good time to remember that not all of us enjoy these celebrations that involve loud noises and aerial explosions. In recent years, as various municipalities have attempted to schedule 4th of July celebrations on appropriate weekend nights, it is more common that fireworks now last two, three or even four weeks. That means, what used to be one day of unexpected fireworks, is now becoming many.
Therefore, it is important to remember that our cats are not immune to the effects of fireworks, and what you can do as a cat owner to help your furry family.
Pancakes will sleep on almost anything. In fact, I’m pretty sure he once slept through a local power transformer that blew up, like a bomb went off in the backyard. Tiller, on the other hand, runs into the second thing that seems wrong.
For example, we bought a new tennis racket the other day, and Tiller still won’t go near the closet where it’s kept. Why? I really have no idea. And if you get the racket out of the closet, you won’t see him for an hour. He’s been with me almost since the day he was found under a bush with an evil eye, he’s never had a run-in with tennis or rackets or any other weird inanimate objects, but there you go . And the fireworks are even worse- one shot, and he hides for the rest of the night.
Cat Safety Tips for the Fourth of July
So, what steps can you take to help keep your cats safe on the 4th? There are a few easy options:
- Keep cats indoors during fireworks or other outdoor activities.
- Make sure your cat is microchipped, and the information is up to date
- Consider using feline pheromone diffusers that can help enforce calmness and reassurance in a cat’s environment. Try plugging in the diffusers for a few days before the party, for the best effect
- Close windows and doors, if possible, to help block outside noise. If they are left open, make sure the screens are in place, to prevent your cat from accidentally escaping
- Play white noise, or similar masking sounds, to help reduce background noise
- If your cat is very nervous, talk to your vet and see if any medical therapies might be helpful, such as a medication to calm or calm your cat down for a few hours around pleasure
- Give your cat a place to be safe indoors- maybe a nice box with some blankets and toys, or their bed placed in a closet where they might want to hide. Also close off access to parts of the house they don’t use, so you can track their whereabouts, from time to time, and don’t have to destroy the house to find them.
- If there are specific things that bring comfort to your cat- a stuffed toy, a certain shirt from their favorite person, a blanket fort in the laundry closet that you always try to keep them away from, try to find a way to provide that. a little extra in these stressful days
As we slowly recognize the impact that celebrations like the 4th of July have on native animals, as well as our own beloved pets, let’s hope the future is still bright but less noisy! In the meantime, a few simple steps above can help keep things calm for our feline friends.
