Keeping Your Cat Safe From Fireworks
We all know that pets can experience a lot of stress when fireworks are going off. This article will help you to help your pet through fireworks season! Much of the article below will also apply to thunderstorms.
When pets like cats and dogs are scared, they often run away and never come back. Other tell tale signs are:
- Making excessive noise i.e. barking or meowing more than normal
- Refusing to eat or drink
- Trembling, shaking, drooling, heavy breathing
Fireworks Can Damage Your Pets' Health
It is important to appreciate that many animal have and incredibly acute and accurate sense of hearing, which means that fireworks can cause long lasting damage that we, as humans, may not suffer. The whistles and bangs will cause pain to your pet if they are exposed.
Keep Your Pets Indoors During Fireworks
So it is obvious that you must keep your pets secure indoors if there are fireworks going off in the vicinity. It is important to secure cat flaps, doors and windows.
Drawing the curtains can help filter out the noisy fireworks, and hide them from view. Many pet owners leave the television on or play music during the fireworks so as to reduce the stress to their pet. If you have a pet carrier, make that available so they can feel secure. Don't worry if your pet hides under a bed! They will feel safer under there!
Prepare Your Pet Before the Fireworks
As your cat or dog may be indoors for a number of hours, ensure you take your dog out to the toilet (and for exercise) before the commotion, and provide a litter tray for your cat.
Don't forget your small pets that might live outdoors like rabbits and guinea pigs! If it is possible, bring cages and hutches indoors - the house, the garage or a shed. If you must leave them outside, cover the enclosure with a blanket and fill it with more bedding, but ensure your darling pets can breathe!
If your cats and dogs have identification and/or are microchipped, in the horrible event that they run away, it is more likely that you will be re-united with them when they are found.
Think about your pets during fireworks season. If you don't, the consequences can be horrible.